Answering The Same Question Again
I first faced the question of "what's next" when I graduated from high school in 1963. I really had no doubts about a career. An intense interest in electronics compelled me toward engineering, and I was college bound.
I wasn't alone. The ranks of prospective engineers literally swelled with new recruits. But early encounters with the formidable foes of chemistry, physics, and calculus took a quick toll. Many changed majors; others just dropped out. But some of us made it through.
When I later had a chance to teach, I discovered that many of my students were older than I was. Home from military service, they had families and full-time jobs. Still, even those who had failed in their first try at college were bent on an education. But they had something that was noticeably lacking in many of their younger peers: maturity and focus.
Recalling this past colors my view of the future -- and the future of a son who has just graduated from high school himself. His graduation has raised the same question again: "What's next?" It must be answered, but how should I advise him? Choosing a career is not a cookie-cutter process. What seemed right for me may not be right for him.
But here's how I've settled on the matter at least for today, a father's "words of wisdom" for a crucial question in his son's life:
Don't be in a hurry; 18 is not nearly as old or as prepared as you think. I'd prefer that you defer full-time college for a while. Though you may think that everyone else will outpace you in the race to success, it's just not so. Graduation is not an end in itself; it's more of a checkpoint where one phase of life fades into another. Despite our degrees, many of us are in career fields outside our formal training; many of us would have made different decisions had we waited a bit.
You already have a thriving business. Pursue that and see how things go. You'll learn the value of hard work, how to deal with people, how to make money, lose money, and pay taxes. The spice of experience will add flavor to your decisions ... and they'll be better.
In the long run, you'll be better off learning how to create a job rather than "find" a job. But whatever you choose to do, do it with diligence. Strive to leave clear footprints of hard work, integrity, and moral uprightness. Others are watching ... and following. Don't be wise in your own eyes by forsaking the counsel of your parents.
Finally, apply Albert Einstein's three-part formula for success: working, playing, and keeping your mouth shut. The last one's the hardest -- for all of us.
Congratulations, and God bless you. We love you.
Copyright 1999 James McAlister
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