As a student, it is possible you
are thinking that getting a
good
grade is all that matters
(because that’s what you have
been made to believe). So you
work hard, put in the needed
effort just to see that you
achieve that. Well, that’s good
but what you may not know is
that getting a formal education
is different from getting a life.
I know you are planning to get
a good job and have a
successful life. The thing is that,
for you to achieve that, you
have
to face the real world. It will
test
you. This kind of test is
different
from the one you take in
school.
As you may not have learnt
much about the real world, I
would like to point out here 5
things every student must bear
in mind before graduation.
1. A Good Degree Does Not
Guarantee A Good Job, Your
Brain And Skills Dobr /> To get a degree certificate is
good but gone are the days
when jobs will be waiting for
you the moment you leave
school as a graduate. What
matters in the job market today
is what you can offer; what you
can do.
There are thousands of
unemployed people with same
level of degree that you have.
What do you think that will
differentiate you and give you
the needed edge if not your
skills and your ability to think
and solve issues? You never
can
tell, that skill you consider
menial can earn you more than
your degree and certificate
could possibly earn you. I have
a
pretty long list of people who
aren’t employed or earning a
dime with their certificates but
are fully employed and earning
big with one skill or the other
they picked up along the line.
Look out for practical skills in
your field of discipline and
learn
all you can. It does not even
have to be just in your area of
discipline. Believe me, in the
real
world you need the hard skills
(e.g Proficiency in a foreign
language, Computer
programming etc) as well as
the
soft skills (e.g Communication,
Time Management, Team work
etc) to succeed.
2. Your “A”s in School Will Not
Necessarily Translate To
Success In The Real World
Robert Kiyosaki (one of the
world’s richest entrepreneurs)
once told a story about what
happened during his senior
year in high school. He and one
of his close friends named Mike
were lined up in front of a
small
group of students made up
primarily of the leaders (bright
students) of their class. Their
guidance counselor turned to
him and Mike and said, “The
two of you will never amount
to
anything,” primarily because
they were doing terribly poor
academically.
Few years after graduation
Robert and Mike went for their
High School Reunion and Guess
what? the so called class
leaders
were still struggling and had
not
become successful in the years
after high school. Where as
Robert and his friend, Mike are
already successful big time
entrepreneurs.
Success in life is a product of
the
application of success
principles.
And unfortunately they don’t
teach you that in school. You
need to self-educate yourself
on that. Go beyond pursuing
good grades and take time to
develop yourself. Never run
from
what you need to learn. Learn
and apply the principles of
success (they are universal) in
all
you do and you will succeed.
3. Who You Know Is As
Important As What You know
What you know may be
enough
to get you through school.
However, in the real world,
who
you know is as important as
what you know. Now, don’t get
it twisted. I am not trying to say
that without connections, you
will not be successful and live
the good life you dream of. I
am
only saying that with the right
connections the process would
be easier and shorter.
Therefore
you need to build and maintain
the right connections and learn
to leverage on them when
need
be. So have it in mind that your
skills and knowledge are
important but then so are the
people you know. Bottom line
The two are important to your
success.
4. One Of The Most Important
Things You Need To Manage
Well Is Money
In the real world Money is an
important tool. It’s going to
feed
you, put clothes on your back,
and put a roof over your head.
You may not really know the
value of money probably
because you have always
received it from friends and
family without really working
for it. Yeah, you have that
privilege now but you won’t in
the nearest future. If you do
not
learn how to manage it now
you may likely end up broke
and in debt when you face the
real world and trust me, it
won’t
be funny at all. When it comes
to
managing money I have three
rules for you: Save it! Invest it!
Multiply it!
5. True Success Does Not
Happen In A Flash
True Success is not an accident.
It involves process. It is an
accumulation of certain habits
and principles practiced over
time. The road to true success
is
often bumpy. It takes time.
Little
wonder many usually try to use
a “shortcut” by getting
themselves into something that
is shady. That will only be
counter-productive in the long
run. The only way I know to
hasten success is to have a PHD.
I guess you are wondering
what that means? Well, it simply
means Passion, Hunger and
Drive. And don’t equally forget
to
put God at the center of it all.
