I wish someone had told me that being “Self-Employed” was a career option when I was in elementary school!
When I was in primary school, we were often asked in class or by family members, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” When I was around seven years old, my answer was always, “A soldier.” That dream was purely inspired by watching the movie Commando! 
By the time I finished primary school and was ready to enter secondary school, my thoughts had shifted. I started dreaming of making a lot of money after finishing school.
When people asked me what I wanted to do, or when I chatted with friends, I considered careers like becoming a doctor or a lawyer—probably because my father worked in a court.
The Harsh Reality We Live In!
After secondary school, I had a better view of reality, and my focus shifted again. I realized the importance of choosing a field of study with a higher chance of landing a job.
Given the economic realities of the country I live in, the goal became simple: to secure employment as soon as I finished school. The industry didn’t matter much—I just didn’t want to graduate and be unable to find work.
But even getting admitted into a school and program of my choice wasn’t as easy as I had imagined. I eventually ended up studying for a Diploma in Marketing.
Looking back, I wish I had known in secondary school that being “Self-Employed” was a good career option.
Entrepreneurship Should Be Taught at an Early Age!
I wish we were taught entrepreneurship from an early age—not the kind of entrepreneurship they teach nowadays in schools or the kind they rushed to teach us at the end of our diploma program. That version of entrepreneurship is just for “SHOW.”
I’m certain that many youth wouldn’t be stuck in financial prison if they had access to real-world entrepreneurship knowledge early on.
I know everyone’s journey and circumstances are different, but I firmly believe that if you have real-world entrepreneurship knowledge—and the willingness to do hard things and resist the trap of instant gratification—you can find something that works for you.
The Key Takeaways
Here’s what I want you to take away from this post:
Never stop learning from people with practical experience. Watch entrepreneurship podcasts, read books on the subject, and expose yourself to as much actionable knowledge as possible.
Engage in practical learning. This means learning through action and implementation. When you learn something new today, find a way to put it into practice immediately.
Focus when you find what resonates with you. When you find something that resonates with you, and you know it works for people in your circumstances, go all in on it.
Ask yourself these questions:
Do you want to work for others for the rest of your career?
Are you okay with having your life controlled by someone else forever?
Or would you rather fight your weaker self, rise above mediocrity, and take control of your financial future?
When I decided I didn’t want to be poor anymore, I told myself every single day: “The only thing that will stop me from succeeding is if I don’t live long enough.”
If you have that kind of determination, you’ll figure out how to make things work.
Cheers to achieving great things 
