Dare to Dream: Rewriting the Rules of Career Success

Summary:

The article explores the evolving landscape of career paths, highlighting successful individuals who achieved great success with and without traditional college education. It argues that while college remains a viable option for many, it's not the only path to success. Growth Street aims to redefine success and guide individuals based on their learning styles and aspirations. It suggests routes to gaining skills and experience, such as online certifications, internships, and personal projects. The key message is to focus on personal strengths, goals, and incremental progress towards success.

What do Oprah, Lady Gaga, Steve Jobs and Jay-Z have in common? These moguls across various industries all did not go to college. They took alternative paths in their world and were able to create million dollar makeup lines, billion dollar tech companies, lifestyle empires, major music labels and more.

In the modern era, the traditional career landscape of getting a four year degree to then break into the corporate world is slowly, but surely, becoming a more antiquated idea. The fact of the matter is, traditional education is not the best fit for everyone but that does not mean you should be barred from the corporate world.

Yet on the other side of the coin, there are plenty of people who find following a path of a four year degree that leads them to the corporate world works best for them. Big names from Warren Buffett to Gabrielle Union to more and more were all able to help build themselves with the base of a college degree.

The important thing to remember is that these things do not define you in the landscape of professionalism. Growth Street’s goal is to redefine what success means and help lead people on the path that aligns best with who they are and their learning styles.

Of course when it comes to becoming the CEO you know you are in your heart, via a traditional path, the process is a little more cut and dry. It’s a matter of building relationships while obtaining your degree while also holding various positions that relate to your desired field from internships, to clubs, jobs and more.

Yet many of these skills people are expected to build while obtaining a four year degree are also doable without the college environment. Explore online certifications in your desired field to help build tangible skills. Many internships are open to people without being enrolled in college. Explore starting your own projects to build those skills some build in a corporate environment. Don’t be afraid to network in your local environment. You never know where you can get simply by reaching out to your neighbor.

Know that at the end of the day, the best thing you bring to the table is you. There is no other you out there with your perspective and point of view. The journey may be tough at first but nothing in life is easy. Try framing your goals in the mindset of small victories rather than the sole focus on your end goal.

Some ways to help define what path is best for you is to think about you as a person. Ask what you’re good at, what you like and what your end goals are. The answers to these will help you the most on your next steps to achieving your goals. After that, set your short term goals. What are the actionable steps you can take here and now to inch towards that goal.

Dare to Dream: Rewriting the Rules of Career Success

Different Paths. Same Places.

Evan Hecht