School is pointless.
It has nothing to do with business! The greatest entrepreneurs were school dropouts. If teachers knew how to run a business, they wouldn’t be teaching in school. School subjects are useless.
But is that really the case?
What connection does school have with business?
Is it worth making an effort in school? Does it benefit your business?
First, a personal story. I was always very enthusiastic about school. I always had the highest grades, and I graduated from the law school in the top 1%.
But when I entered the business world, the real learning truly began.
I can’t put it better than Mark Twain did:
“I have never let schooling interfere with my education.”
So, the question is – is it worth trying to be the best in school? School won’t directly bring you much useful for your business. However, it will indirectly provide you with a solid foundation. More on that later.
I personally know both kinds of people - both very successfull
Those who excelled in school and later in business, and those who didn’t like traditional schooling but later shine in business. But I must emphasize that all these people are extremely hardworking, determined, and eager to explore, improve, and compete. I am confident that most of them, if they had chosen to, could have succeeded in school without any problem.
Extremely hardworking, determined, and eager to explore, improve, and compete.
And, to be clear, most of those dropouts I mentioned earlier, like Steve Jobs, were so brilliant that school was just a waste of their time. It wasn’t that they couldn’t do it.
Now, the question - what can school contribute to your business?
I would primarily mention breadth. A good high school and a good university, regardless of the major, provide you with a wide range of knowledge. Expressing yourself and communicating are especially useful skills. The fact is, as an entrepreneur, you must be able to craft a message – especially for marketing. School prepares you well for this through various essays, reading books, and debates. Additionally, I would highlight the development of logic that occurs in mathematics and natural sciences. Logic is crucial for understanding entrepreneurship. Companies and the environments they operate in are like complex jungles. To understand this, you need to have the ability to think logically. In a way, you could compare business challenges to mathematical puzzles. So, school certainly contributes a lot. Lastly, school can instill good work habits and discipline.
Sports, music, or other activities also develop discipline.
Areas that school forgets...
However, it’s essential to understand that there are many areas that school doesn’t cover – unless you’re attending a specialized business school. For example, accounting, taxes, management, emotional intelligence, rhetoric, marketing, negotiations, online sales, in-person sales, phone sales, among others.
These are numerous areas, some technical, others humanities-related, that you’ll learn through practical business experience.
So, what should you do if you’re just starting college, for example? I would recommend that you put effort into your college studies, complete all your assignments regularly, and aim for good grades, even if not the highest. Besides your college studies, it’s good to dedicate a lot of time to self-education. Study areas that are important for business.
For instance, every week, choose a company and conduct research on it. Create case studies. If you come up with a business idea – try to implement it right then. No school in the world will teach you as much about business as real practice – actual business when you’re trying to create and sell something.
No school in the world will teach you courage. Only real word and action will.
While you’re in college, you’re in a unique position – living with your parents or in a student dorm, your expenses are low, and you have relatively plenty of time. You have nothing to lose.
It will never be easier to take risks. Do it.
