52 - Get an education . . . your minimum requirement in starting down your career path!

Reason for this Goal . . . to get an education:  A good education will give you the foundation for establishing your career.  Unless you are an entrepreneur who will succeed regardless of education, you’ll need an education—if for nothing else, as an insurance policy to ensure you get that first good job, or as a lead-up to starting your own business.  Many employers won’t consider you without the requisite education.  They assume that a person with education:

• Has the discipline to complete a rigorous program of study
• Has the intelligence for the position being hired
• Is committed to the field in which they were educated

For the majority of people, a good education is your safety net for ensuring you can make a living.  

The most popular options to get an education . . . 

Based on your self-assessment and passion(s), choose from the following types of education possible for you:

• Community college - A community college is for students who have graduated from High School (secondary school) and is typically less costly than a more formal university level education. 
• University, undergraduate program - An institution of higher education that awards degrees in various academic disciplines, and is generally more advanced (and costly) than a community college.
• University, graduate program - Once you complete your "undergraduate" at University, typically within 4 years, you may continue and earn a more formal graduate degree to further distinguish you in your field. 
• Vocational school  - Also referred to as a trade school, a vocational school prepares students for more job specific training typically one of a skilled trade. Many people are better suited for a more hands-on job than an academic one.  
• Alternative education programs - There are other education options, some of which are unique to the country you live in.  

In our family, our children chose education at the University level, with one of our children taking Human Kinetics and the other Nursing. I myself graduated from an alternative education program offered by DeVry Institute of Technology.  My wife Kathy took a Community College course in accounting. There is no right or wrong answer, just what is best for you at the time based on your interests, aptitudes and financial resources to attend.  Your education is a building block and starting point in your career.  Many people end up moving on from their initial education field. 

If you’re fortunate to know someone very successful, who is willing to mentor you directly and start you down what you think could be a great career path, then bypass the formal education; and only return to the formal education if it doesn’t work out.  Seek advice before going down this path, however.  

After you get an education, if you really want to exceed beyond making a living, it is your self- education that will make you a fortune.  See Personal Development Goals, 1-10. 

Suggested Goal(s):    Get an education.
Your Outrageous Goal:  Achieve the highest level of education in your field.

Return to career goals.