When I was in high school you could say I was definitely… dedicated and that’s to put it lightly. I was heavily invested in my classes and getting excellent grades and being a person everyone else wanted to be. That may seem a little self obsessive, but this was all happening subconsciously. I never wanted to under deliver or lack in anything I felt I should be excelling at. I ensured that whatever I did was uplifting the ultimate goal of graduating in the top of my class and going to college just like everyone else and this is what I thought my best was.

I think I would have continued this way, but opportunities presented themselves and the entire course of my life changed forever. I moved out of the country with my family and traveled and finished my senior year of studies online. I still graduated high school with and in the top of my class, but I discovered that success can take many different shapes and there is more than one way to reach it.

In a way I always thought college was the goal and then a job and blah blah blah, but then I was met with a huge obstacle when I realized that my life doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s in order to be good or pleasurable. I could travel and work in the family business and find myself in a way I never would’ve been able to had I stayed in the other mindset. I discovered talents I never knew I had and met and learned about people that defy the social and financial norms. In a small mindset we could never believe that someone didn’t graduate college or maybe even high school could make over 4 figures let alone 6 and 7.

By learning new things and creating new goals for myself I have found joy and peace and purpose in my lifestyle and even prosperity. I don’t have to go to college to be accepted or successful and especially not happy.

I’m glad I didn’t go to college right out of high school and now should I choose to go it will be because I want to, not because I feel pressured by everyone around me to hurry and rush in to procuring mounds of debt before I even know what debt is. I’m happy with my life and I love the way I’m living it.