Job Security VS Creativity

Since I can remember, I have a problem with hierarchy.

The traditional way of doing things implies going to school, having good grades, getting a job, and hopefully hold on to this job until you retire around 65 or 70 with a fat nest egg.

When you’re a teenager or young adult saying to your folks, “mom, dad, I won’t go to college…” it is like blasphemy in many families. There’s a stigma about not going to college and take another route. Even when we become wealthy, we cringe when someone asks us, “which college did you go to?” and you know the answer is, “none.” Often times, we hunch our backs, our shoulders slump, the one question we didn’t want to get asked, got asked, and often in front of others.

After all, having a degree means we’re intelligent, perseverant, it is the symbol of success and that now we go on and accomplish even more things.

Speaking out against going to school is the equivalent of speaking out against the church oftentimes, you might be lynched.

In my personal experience, I butted heads with my mother and step father when I told them I didn’t want to go to College. “You’ll regret it, you won’t feel like going back when you’re older”, “if you have a degree you’ll have job security, you’ll make more money, etc”, “In the field you want to go in many are called but few are chosen…” Etc…

I heard them all. I hated it. I still cringe when I think about those times. The truth is, even when I was broke I never regretted not attending college.

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against college, I respect anyone going after what they truly want, whether he wants to be an engineer or a painter.

I just believe College isn’t for everybody.

Back then, without realizing it, I had chosen the path of creativity. The truth is I never wanted job security. I never wanted a job, period. I never wanted to work for money, I wanted to work because it stimulated me, because I had fun. Yes I want the money, it’s part of the equation, but it’s not the sole purpose of my work. From an early age, I knew job security wasn’t for me and I had no problem with that; others did though.

The book <<If you want to be rich and happy don’t go to school>> by Robert Kiyosaki, is one of my favorites. In it, he defined what I want in my professional life;

• To work when I want, with whom I want, and where I want.
• Achieving what I want without damaging myself, my family, or anyone else.
• Not having to work at anything I don’t want to.

And I should add: - Achieving my financial goals doing what I love and care about.

So many people without degrees walk around with an inferiority complex: “The reason I have this low-paying job is because I don’t have a degree,” is one sentence that seems to come up over and over again. My parents would agree, saying, “I told you so…”

I don’t.

Trust me, when I said that I wanted to be a writer practically no one told me, “Good! You’ll make a lot of money! Go for it!” But I didn’t care, this is what I wanted to do and I was going to do it, period.

Bottom line is, in my opinion, in this day and age opportunities are everywhere, and for those of us who are bored with school and who wish to explore other ways to make a living, I believe the doors are wide open. I truly believe that ANYONE with a little bit of drive, ambition, and self-esteem, can accomplish anything they want.

With Purpose, Passion, and Love,

Frédéric Byé