From our childhood we learned that Education is the key to success. We are told that doing well in school, going to college and getting a degree will help us get stable jobs and achieve our dreams. Although this is true to some extent for many people, history has shown us that some of the greatest innovators in the world were once school dropouts. The stories of those innovators shows us that not just formal education but their passion for learning and the courage to think differently was the key to their success.
If an individual drops out of school, it doesn’t mean he will never learn. In fact, many famous innovators who left formal education early continued to learn in their own unique ways. They read books, experimented, observed the world and gained knowledge through real-life experiences. Their stories teach us that the classroom is not the only source we can get life lessons from, we can get it from anywhere, anytime. Some stories alike are shared here to depict how passion can pave the way to success.
The Story of Steve Jobs
One of the most famous examples of a dropout who got success by being an innovator is Steve Jobs. He is the co-founder of Apple. Jobs dropped out of college after just six months. According to him, there was no value in taking courses that didn’t interest him. However, after dropping out, he started learning on his own.
He started taking calligraphy classes and later it influenced him to make the beautiful typography of Apple computers. He traveled to India to explore spirituality. He developed different ways of thinking by this. The most important thing to mention is he remained curious and passionate about technology. With his vision, he went on to revolutionize the tech industry and gave the world the iPhone, iPad and Mac computers.
Bill Gates: From College Dropout to Tech Giant
Another name to be added in the list is Bill Gates. He is the co-founder of Microsoft. He dropped out of Harvard University to start his own company. He was not just an ordinary college student. He was skilled in programming and had a deep interest in computers. Even after leaving school, he kept researching and developing his knowledge about technology and business.
Microsoft, one of the biggest technology companies in the world, is the result of his continuous learning and innovative thinking.
Oprah Winfrey: Learning from Experience
Oprah Winfrey is one of the most influential media personalities. She faced many hurdles in her life. To pursue a television career was the only reason for her dropping out of college. However, she never stopped learning. Through her work as a journalist and talk show host, she gained knowledge about practical life along with people, emotions and society.
It was her ability to learn from life that helped her create one of the most successful talk shows in history. She built a media empire that inspires millions of people worldwide.
Elon Musk: Self-Taught Innovator
Who has not heard the name of Elon Musk?! This man is the face of Tesla, SpaceX and many other futuristic projects. Though he completed formal education, most of his knowledge about space, rockets and electric cars come from self-learning. He read countless books on rocket science and engineering. He applied that knowledge to build SpaceX, a company that is changing the future of space travel.
Musk believes that anyone can learn anything if they are curious and dedicated enough. His success shows that passion for learning is more powerful than any degree.
These are just some of the million examples of those who followed their passion and did not stop learning even after school or dropping out of school. You will find numerous examples around you who didn’t give up on their dreams and eventually succeed in their life. So, don’t take academic education as the only pathway to your success. Find out what interests you and thrive on the quest of knowledge to achieve your goal.
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Writer
Kazi Mirana Mainuddin
Intern, Content Writing Department
YSSE