| A few business authors and online personalities including Peter Thiel, Grant Cardone, and Gary Vaynerchuk, have challenged the general notion that a college degree is necessary to having a successful career. I also have a few friends in the real estate industry who also believe that college is unnecessary at best and a total waste of time and money at worst. Honestly, there is merit to both sides of the argument. I am particularly skeptical of the wave of for-profit colleges and universities that have emerged in recent years. I’m sure there are some that are good, but most seem a little shady to me. College is expensive, especially private schools, so dedicating four years of your life and a quarter-million-dollars should be something that well thought out. Cardone has been quoted as saying that any degree outside of Harvard and Yale is worthless, and Gary V says 93% of college students are wasting their time. Sorry, but both statements are idiotic. Cardone’s book 10X is great, but he seems to be taking a page out of the Gary V blueprint of “brand building by making outrageous statements” — so who knows what he really believes. The truth is if you are attending college purely to make money, there are probably better ways to invest your time and money. A career in real estate can be extremely lucrative and does not require much in the way of formal education. However, for many people, having a career that is both fulfilling and lucrative is essential to leading a happy, purpose-driven life and different people are fulfilled in different ways. If you want to be a doctor, lawyer, teacher, professor, scientist, engineer, accountant, or an executive at a large company, a college education is required. I’m not sure if Cardone and Gary V believe our country would be better off without doctors and other professionals or if they think those professions shouldn’t require any college — but obviously their perspectives don’t align with realities of our society. For me college was definitely worth it. It expanded my way of thinking and introduced me to some of the smartest and most interesting people you’ll find anywhere. It gave me a sense of awareness of the world we live in and provided me with the intellectual fundamentals to pursue a wide variety of professional relationships and career options. College may not be for everyone, but not going to college could limit your options in life, which is something most of us don’t want for ourselves or our kids. Interesting factoid is that the current number Latinos in college have surged in recent years, with Latinas in particular leading the way.
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There are two types of people in the world: those who add stress and those who subtract stress. Simon Sinek says...if you must choose between loyalty and productivity, always go with loyalty.
Terms like “great, genius,” and “world-class” are overused, perhaps because they mean something different to everyone. Greatness is subjective. Some might say you must be great just to be employed in the film business or to play professional sports, but I don’t think Will Smith or LeBron James think that way. The concept of being great also requires context. You could be a great high school athlete but only an average college player.
The most valuable skill in today's economy is storytelling. O'Leary wasn't the first to say that. Ten years ago, I remember asking Bill Clinton what made him a great speaker, and he said he was a good speaker because he is a good storyteller. As our economy evolves, the ability to communicate will become even more valuable.