Sense of Direction in Life

[CaptainJ]

I was doing an english essay today, and suffering from mental block, when it struck me. What was the point of doing this essay? It was a crap essay, which I had no feel for, unlike some of the other brilliant unique essays I have done. It was just meerly following the teacher's checklist to get the highest grade. Everything I was writing had been said before and it was pointless, there was nothing new or unique to it. I wanted to be writing an essay that didn't have to abide by the teacher's checklist to be seen as brilliant, that required something new or unique inside it. It then got me thinking to what was the point of what i was doing in school (I'm 17 btw).

It was all just about learning a boring set of skills that would never help me in life. I want to be out living my life, not be strapped to a desk all day differentiating a tangent or calculating the Mr of an element. I then realised have another 5 years of this crap in store for me, and most of it probably won't benefit me anyway. I want to be out in the world, living on my own, working my way through the social echelons and career echelons to the very top. I wanted to meet new and great people like me, not jsut be limited to the same old boring people in my school. I'm naturally intelligent and have incredible ambition, and I want to get out there.

I've gone into a slump recently where i can't find the motivation to do much school work (I'm not an unmotivated person, in fact I'm very determined to succeed in all that i do). I could be doing anything with my life, yet I feel I'm wasting it away in school. I really need some motivation to get me hard working again.

I ask some advice. Just how important is school and university work for being successful in life? How much is down to natural intelligence, charisma and wit? I feel a bit lost at the moment as to what to do with myself.

 

[496 Alcamino]

Glad I read your post fellow DJ. 35 years ago i would look at the same guy you are talking about. In my mirror.

I dropped out of high school (a pointless waste of my time I thought). Had a very succesful 30 year career in auto sales. Owned two business of my own and Did well enough to retire @ 50 years old.

THE BIGGEST MISTAKE I MADE WAS QUITING SCHOOL!!

One business I had was selling custom made high performance auto parts. I could think this stuff up(engineering), but lacked the skills to put it on paper(drafting blueprints)
I knew what I wanted to build, but could not program or operate the (CNC )machines required. It was frustrating, and added to my costs. I had to hire or pay people who could do these things.

Multiple world champion drag racer Don Garlits once stated not getting a formal education was also his biggest mistake in life. He said the only people who ever beat him were smarter than him. They out brained him.

So stay in school, and don't just go to take up space. Hit it hard, take all you can away from the experience. Go be the best man you can be in school. (Isn't that what a hard core DJ would do, Be the best man he could?)

There is plenty of time in your future for you to go out and stand the world on it's ear.

 

[Sir Juanalot]

I was doing an english essay today, and suffering from mental block, when it struck me. What was the point of doing this essay? It was a crap essay, which I had no feel for, unlike some of the other brilliant unique essays I have done. It was just meerly following the teacher's checklist to get the highest grade. Everything I was writing had been said before and it was pointless, there was nothing new or unique to it. I wanted to be writing an essay that didn't have to abide by the teacher's checklist to be seen as brilliant, that required something new or unique inside it. It then got me thinking to what was the point of what i was doing in school (I'm 17 btw).

It was all just about learning a boring set of skills that would never help me in life. I want to be out living my life, not be strapped to a desk all day differentiating a tangent or calculating the Mr of an element. I then realised have another 5 years of this crap in store for me, and most of it probably won't benefit me anyway. I want to be out in the world, living on my own, working my way through the social echelons and career echelons to the very top. I wanted to meet new and great people like me, not jsut be limited to the same old boring people in my school. I'm naturally intelligent and have incredible ambition, and I want to get out there.

I've gone into a slump recently where i can't find the motivation to do much school work (I'm not an unmotivated person, in fact I'm very determined to succeed in all that i do). I could be doing anything with my life, yet I feel I'm wasting it away in school. I really need some motivation to get me hard working again.

I ask some advice. Just how important is school and university work for being successful in life? How much is down to natural intelligence, charisma and wit? I feel a bit lost at the moment as to what to do with myself.

It's basically a choice, struggle for a few years in order to have the payback of a degree behind you, which will open more doors. Or "do you want fries with that" thinking "man, i wish i'd have stayed at university".

If you don't have a degree, many doors will remain closed to you, that's just a fact of life. There are some who have made it without a degree, but they are the exception, not the rule.

You want motivation? Think about how many more doors will be open when you have finished with the degree, as opposed to the CV with "dropped out" on it.

 

[496 Alcamino]

I'm back again. I've read your post again, and had more to say.

From what I see you can "talk the talk". Meaning you are walking around all proud of your above average brains and drive.

How many hours a day do you spend in school? 5? mabey 6?

If you are all that you think you are, can you walk the walk? What are you doing with the other 18-19 hours of your day?

Should be enough time for you to cure cancer, solve the global energy crisis, or more.

My point is you should be able to breeze your school work, find something that interests you no end, and go be the best at it. Right here and now.

Pick a field or industry you think you would do well in, and get a job there after school. If they won't hire you or pay you, offer to work for free. You would be better off sweeping the floor for free, learning and observing a business or industry from the ground up while you swept their floors, than mastering video games.

The ONLY thing holding YOU back is your outlook or attitude. School is nothing more than a permant block of time on your schedule. The other hours of each day are yours to use to pursue your dreams. Is that what you are doing with your time when you are not in school?

 

[CaptainJ]

Thanks Alcamino and Sir Juanalot, your posts really helped me. I'm going to pull my finger out and really knuckle down to work. Yesterday I felt very confused, yet today I have more focus on what to do with my life. Damn raging hormones .

I have taken up a lot of hobbys recently, both old and new, so I do spend a lot of my free time out of school well.