Monday, August 10th 2015
There is a common opinion that if you study hard and graduate with an “A diploma,” it will guarantee you will find a great job that pays well. Unfortunately, the reality is different. Although, most positions require you to have a diploma, no one will look through your grades. When you graduate, the only thing that matters is your knowledge and the ability to operate within the system.
So why is it that students that you could barely get their “C” at the end of a semester manage to become super successful? Let’s look through 7 reasons why “C” students will be the most successful people in the world.
1. They understand what they want earlier than others
“C” students don’t spend much time on the unnecessary classes we all have to.
If you are trying to become a technician, you obviously don’t need to write a hundred of annoying essays about culture and your summer experience.
They stop taking the required classes and focus on vocation-related subjects that can help them during their work. World famous innovator and entrepreneur Steve Jobs never finished college and made it to the top of IT industry only because he was focused on doing what he liked. During his famous speech to Stanford graduates he emphasized that “The only way to succeed, is to love what you do. Keep looking, don’t settle”.
2. They get first-hand experience.
Most “C” students start working earlier than their peers, which lowers their marks as they have to skip classes to make a living. At the same time, they get priceless experience every “A+” graduate is missing. And we all know that you are less likely to be hired without actual experience.
3. They build networks.
While “A” students are stuck learning unnecessary subjects, C students read tons of useful literature and communicate with dozens people every day. In real life, knowing powerful people as well as the ability to communicate can make a difference in your career.
4. They know how to enjoy life.
When in college, they visit parties and come to the lessons a little bit hangover, nevertheless, they enjoy their life. Same happens when they start working. Plain and simple: happy people are more successful than those who are not. It happens because they are fun to be around, proactive team players who will cheer up the entire team, which is one of the best skills your boss can look for. Stressful, negative people, no matter how intelligent they are won’t be in the top list of candidates.
5. They find the simplest solutions.
Billionaire computer specialist Bill Gates is one of the many successful people who cannot show off with their college marks. Nevertheless, he managed to get to the top by building Microsoft, one of the giant IT corporations. Bill Gates is very open-minded and unlike others, he never looks at grades or even diploma. Moreover, he thinks it is important to think outside-the-box. One of his famous quotes: “I will always choose a lazy person to do a hard job. Because he will find an easy way to do it”.
6. They follow their dreams.
Much of success comes from loving what you do. When you enter college you are very young and might not understand what you actually need.
That’s why it is important to understand that you are not obliged to follow the choice you made when you were 18 or worse, if your parents made it for you. Look at the youngest female billionaire Elizabeth Holmes, who is revolutionizing medicine. She dropped out of Stanford, one of the most prestigious colleges to follow her dreams. Another great example is all-known fun-lover Richard Branson, he dropped our school at the age of 15, now he is managing a giant air company “Virgin.”
7. They understand what it is to struggle.
Success requires emotional intelligence, perseverance, passion and, most importantly, the ability to overcome failure. In business as well as in life, you will go through ups and downs no matter what grades you had in college. “C” students become more successful because they know what it means to struggle, starting with passing an exam and ending with finding money to start their own business.
At the end of the day, grades are just numbers. True achievement is to become someone in a real world. And, if you graduated from college with lower grades, don’t despair. Real life and real lessons occur when you leave the classroom.