How do I be a success without getting a college degree?

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MonsterGuy
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28 Apr 2014, 2:41 pm

I'm in thr 9th grade. I'm planning on getting a GED, then going to two years of community college, pass, and then if I decide to not go to college, then start a career. I was thinking of being either a film director, or a writer, or an actor, or a stand-up comedian, or maybe a business owner. But I can't decide. Is this a good idea? And what do i do now that I can't decide which one to pick? I'm worried I might not be good at any of them.



cathylynn
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28 Apr 2014, 2:44 pm

take someone in each of these fields to lunch and ask them what they like and don't like about it.



Rodney00
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28 Apr 2014, 2:50 pm

how to be a success without a college degree: have a really awesome dream at night.



tarantella64
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28 Apr 2014, 3:05 pm

If you're doing creative work, the decision will mostly be made for you and be based on what it is you put your time into -- where your interests genuinely lie. None of the things you're talking about are school-dependent. Just start doing the thing(s) you're most interested in; if you're any good at them, life will eventually force you to choose one. And in the meantime get an education. And finish high school and go to university, not cc, if you can afford it.



OliveOilMom
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28 Apr 2014, 3:19 pm

Some of those things, like comedian, writer, actor, etc you have to have talent to do. Do you have talent in any of those fields? You should probably pick your career based on your talents, skills, and what you are suited for. I'd love to be a singer but I can't carry a tune in a bucket so deciding I want to have a career singing would not be a good idea.


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Kurgan
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28 Apr 2014, 3:57 pm

MonsterGuy wrote:
I'm in thr 9th grade. I'm planning on getting a GED, then going to two years of community college, pass, and then if I decide to not go to college, then start a career. I was thinking of being either a film director, or a writer, or an actor, or a stand-up comedian, or maybe a business owner. But I can't decide. Is this a good idea? And what do i do now that I can't decide which one to pick? I'm worried I might not be good at any of them.


You can learn a trade and make a living that way. Everyone thinks that they're going to be a pro football player, a race car driver, an actor, and whatnot when they're young. For 99.9% of the population, it's not going to happen.


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Nights_Like_These
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28 Apr 2014, 5:04 pm

MonsterGuy wrote:
I'm in thr 9th grade. I'm planning on getting a GED, then going to two years of community college, pass, and then if I decide to not go to college, then start a career. I was thinking of being either a film director, or a writer, or an actor, or a stand-up comedian, or maybe a business owner. But I can't decide. Is this a good idea? And what do i do now that I can't decide which one to pick? I'm worried I might not be good at any of them.


Keep in mind the fact that you are very young. Unlike my parents generation, most people will probably do many different jobs in their lifetime, rather than the same job for almost a lifetime. You have all of the time in the world to decide. I would just dabble until you find the one that makes you happy and gives you a sense of purpose, even if you don't end up doing it the rest of your life.

When it comes to artistic endeavors, like film-making, you should also keep in mind that you can make a living doing something else while continuing with film as a hobby.

My advice would be to not rush into anything. I wasn't really ready to go away to school right after high school, but I felt a bit of pressure from my parents. They would tell me things like "if you don't go now, you'll never go", stuff like that. So, I ended up going to university and picking a program that ended up not being the one for me. Two years later I had no university degree and $13,000 worth of debt. lol



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28 Apr 2014, 5:12 pm

Make a choice.

You can do these simultaneously:
Get good at the skills needed for that choice.
Meet people in that career. (And ask someone successful for specific advice.)
Get an entry level job or volunteer in it ASAP.


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WantToHaveALife
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10 Nov 2014, 2:54 pm

I often wonder this