You don't need college to be successful - Day 12/90

College is a great opportunity to learn and grow as an individual, but is it a necessary requirement to becoming successful in your career? I don't think so. Here's why.

I have a college degree. More specifically, I have a Bachelor's degree in Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the Pennsylvania State University. I learned so much from my professors and my textbook studies, and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity and privilege I had to attend such an incredible university after high school. I want to make that very clear! I also want to clarify that you do not need to go to college to become wildly successful in your niche.

Over the years, the internet has become a place for many things, but its most valuable ability is the immediate access to unlimited resources on any topic you can think of. If you have internet access, you have the power to learn and potentially become an expert on any subject. Here's what I mean.

The best of the best in every industry is online. They have blogs, they have webinars, they have online courses, they have ebooks... they bring you into their daily life and show you what it takes to be successful in their industry. If we're talking about social media, they will show you their daily habits of building a productive routine, as well as insight into what they've done to create success for themselves. You can literally surround yourself with constant knowledge and value from your role models simply by following them on social media.

There are free video courses on YouTube from something as simple as learning how to tie your shoes to understanding organic chemistry, which I know for a fact was the hardest science class for my colleagues in college. In fact, my colleagues told me that they learned better from an expert breaking it down in a YouTube video rather than the university they're paying thousands of dollars to teach them.

So how do you find what you're looking for? A simple search. If you want a peer-reviewed article on a specific topic, Google search "free peer-reviewed articles" and search through the many credible databases that appear. If you want to learn from a successful leader in the niche you're building a business in, search social media for the title of that person, or search via hashtags that are relevant to the industry. It's all right there at your fingertips.

Okay, I need to be real with you for a second. With all of this knowledge so easily accessible, there is no room for excuses. "I don't have time!" Make time. What do you listen to on your drive to work? Try an educational podcast. "I don't have the money!" I have 2 rebuttals to this one. 1. There are endless free resources online. 2. There are so many ways anybody can make money. If you want to know them, ask me - I've got plenty! "I don't know where to start!" Email me at leahjeanmanagement@gmail.com, DM me on Instagram, leave a comment on this post, or contact me whichever way is easiest for you and I will help you figure out where to start. I'm here for you!

Now, I want to make one thing very clear.

If you have the opportunity to go to school, go. I wouldn't trade my educational experience for the world, and I think it is highly valuable. The learnings within the classroom from expert educators, as well as the accountability of due dates and projects, exams to test your knowledge, and personal help from your professors create an incredible environment for truly becoming knowledgable in a subject. However, I believe the independence of going to college and learning who you are & how to survive & flourish on your own is just as valuable, if not more. That was my favorite part of college, and I wouldn't be who I am today without the experience and wisdom I gained from living my own independent life there.

Just remember: if school is not in the cards for you, or if you learn better when you self-teach, please know that you have all of the education and insight you need right at your fingertips. You can become wildly successful at whatever you choose to do without going to college. You are not a failure if you don't go to school. You are incredibly valuable, and you have the power to become whoever you want to be and grow whatever business or career you want to grow. I believe in you, and you can do this! Again, I am here for you.

Thank you for being you & thank you for being here,

​Leah Jean