The traditional approach to career success is changing. We were once told to go to school, work hard, get good grades, go off to college, get a degree, and after graduation find a good company to work for with room to grow and advance. Do you remember someone telling you this? Oh and when you get that entry level position, grind it out and work really, really hard so you get noticed for that promotion in 18 months. Yeah, the same promotion that everyone else who is working really, really hard is applying for.
“Black entrepreneur, nobody did us no favors, nobody gave us sh*t, we made us.” –Jay-Z ~”I Did It My Way”
By no means should you ever pass up on receiving an education and continuing to educate yourself. Receiving an education and receiving a great college education is the best investment that you can ever make. But at the end of the day no one is going to give you anything. Life doesn’t guarantee you a position or spot. People are going to try to discourage you from starting your company: “How will you make money?”, “Are you going to quit your job?”, or “What if it doesn’t work?” Sound familiar?
“If you’re the only one, and nobody else believes it… then tell them to beat it, and watch you achieve it” -Trey Songz/ Drake “Successful”
You either want to go into business for yourself or you don’t. You have plenty of reasons as to why you are taking this step, but the bottom line is that you are taking it. No need to bash the company, or the people within the company that you were working for. It isn’t about the company it is about you and the entrepreneurial drive that you have to start, run and grow your own business. Sometimes you just have to say F the traditional way. Listen to the advice of others, but follow your own vision, and stay committed to your idea. Reinvent yourself and don’t get your feet stuck in conventional ways.
“They say you’ve become very ambitious in your maturing, and you now wish to acquire yourself a business, a business like my business? But we both know what you are, don’t we, Jake? You’re a man who needs a master. You’re an employee.” ~ “Revolver”
The traditional way of career advancement, and the framework for corporate development has blown all the way up. In the last four years, you have seen companies downsizing and laying you, friends, and family members off. You have seen or heard of reorganizing within companies that leaves even the hardest and most outstanding employees without a job. The easiest thing for a company to cut are salaries, and essentially as an employee you become overhead instead of an asset.
The good news is that you are an asset, and the greatest investment that you can make is in yourself. Stay true to yourself, your passion, and what you believe in. Imagination can get you anywhere.
