If you are reading this post, I believe you are standing on the crossroads of your future. The roads are marked: one way, the one laden with thorns, leads to success, another, a lush path of grass, to pain and the final, a freshly tarred road, towards dissatisfaction. How will you choose which path to take? Let me show you how you can select the right path and secure your future.
Planning Backwards – What’s your Ambition?
10 years down the line, what do you see yourself as? A doctor? An entrepreneur? A DJ? Remember, you must focus on always doing something you love doing. For example, I love computer science and entrepreneurship, and see myself as the owner of a large tech tycoon. So, now that I have an idea of what I want to become, I will begin planning the journey towards that goal. This phase is called planning backwards. Here’s how to do it:
NOTE: It is recommended that you proceed only if you have yourself an ambition. Only then will you able to ideally implement the following stages.
High School to College – The First Stage
It is every student’s dream to get into a world renowned college. But how do you plan for getting into that one?
Before starting off, identify at least 20 colleges to apply for. Identify the courses they offer, the duration of those courses, the cost, the entry criteria and most importantly, the scholarships. Log this information in a spreadsheet for better readability. Then, understand the entrance procedure of each of these colleges, and try to identify similarities: maybe a majority of the colleges you shortlisted accept SATs. This makes prep easier, as you have to crack just one exam to open pathways to those colleges accepting SATs.
Now that you have shortlisted 20 colleges with all relevant information, it is time to begin working towards entering those colleges. Purchase material, study guides, resources, practice papers and whatnot for preparation. Set yourself a schedule and work towards achieving weekly targets.
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Identify scholarships. Identify the government grants for students and make another spreadsheet to log that information in it. If you think you are capable, attempt the necessary test, or meet the requirement criteria to get financial aid. Not only will this reduce your tuition fee, but it will also boost your resume.
Focus on skill building, even though it may not be necessary in high school. The moment you are in college, you are facing the real world. Thus, you need relevant skills to be able to survive.
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College to the Corporate World – The Second Stage
College is the best place to safely understand the real world. Here, you are able to understand global trends, pick up necessary skills for your dream profession and estimate how many years you will need to establish yourself. If you wish to become an entrepreneur, the best way is to shadow other successful individuals, or work as interns in large corporations. The best way to learn is through internships. Every successful internship will reflect positively on your resume, and give you a fresh perspective towards the real world.
When you are in college, take initiatives to start businesses, because you will get more support than when you graduate. You develop more connections when in college, which will help you get the boost you need to get your business up and running. Your initiative will be taken positively by the college, considering the success of people like Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Mark Zuckerburg, Steve Jobs and Michael Dell. You are likely to even get financial support for the business, because one day the college could benefit from that.
While in college, make best use of the resources and facilities made available to students. Invest your time in skills like programming, because there is no better place than college to build a powerful resume for jobs. Moreover, make best use of the college’s placement program, so that you can get jobs in your dream company. College is the best place for you to develop your overall self.
What now?
Once you have an ambition and charted a course to achieve it, you have to build the boat to facilitate your travel. Build a boat with too many holes, and you’ll sink. Build a very large boat, and you could not control it. Build a sturdy boat of the correct size so that you are in control, and will reach the destination successfully.
In this elaborate metaphor, the boat is your skillset and knowledge, and the course is the path towards your ambition. Have the right skills, adequate knowledge and the strength to control them, so that you are in charge of your life and career. All the best!
