105 replies
That will be me in 1 month.

It's not because I am making enough money online to fully support myself.

It's not because I "think" I can make it.


It's because I know the value of school and I know the value of determination.

I am a complete entrepreneur at heart and I will die before I spend the rest of my life working for someone else. School is great for most people, and society teaches us that.

But what society does not teach us is how to choose a future as free as we dream.

What do you guys think?

My Short Story

21 years young. I learned about internet marketing 3 years ago. Slowly learned for 2 years, then started getting into it. 3 Months ago got serious (kinda). Last month saw my first real money online ($670). I come from a very educated family who believes school is the answer.

My parents like my entrepreneurial spirit but no matter what school comes first. And coming from a parents point of view I get that. Still living under there house I feel obligated to be in school but really do not apply myself as I am constantly distracted with my ideas for my business. It's all I think about.

Come January 1st I will be moving out and fully supporting myself (bar-tending job) in order to fully pursue my future. I know what I want and I know that nothing can stop me from getting there.

Any parents out there please leave your input!

Everyone's advice is greatly appreciated

"Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
-Norman Vincent Peale
#college #dropout
  • Profile picture of the author braincandy7
    Congratualtions on earning that $670 last month. That is a good achievement and a good start.

    Are you totally sure about dropping college though? I fully understand what you mean about college not being for everyone but there are more diverse courses these days.

    In UK we call them NVQ's, GNVQ's and many other names but in essence instead of learning something like history which is unlikely to help you in the modern day workplace these actually teach things relevant to industries, some of which would help with your online empire building

    What was it you actually want advise about though? In your statement you pretty much say your mind is made up and that you already have some online earning process' in place.
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      Braincandy

      Your right I do have my mind made up lol

      & obviously that would be weak of me to let someone change my stance.

      I guess the advice I am asking for is just any general ideas/thoughts/advice on where I'm taking my life with my internet business.

      Appreciate your positive words and advice.

      & to others all criticism is also welcome, I understand everyone may not agree with my decision.

      Cheers!
      Signature

      "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
      -Norman Vincent Peale

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  • Profile picture of the author Keanuhawaii
    I know the feeling i just graduated from high school and im so determined to make this work for me to get the best leverage id suggest making your own info product thats what im doing trust and believe this the money you make as a affiliate i make too because your going to be selling products other people made like that 670$ some creator made almost triple times that from allowing them to sell the product well if anything hit me with a pm im young but i know what im doing and dont let anybody get in your way of success we all have our ways of creating income other people cant hate on something were all after best wishes
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      Originally Posted by Keanuhawaii View Post

      I know the feeling i just graduated from high school and im so determined to make this work for me to get the best leverage id suggest making your own info product thats what im doing trust and believe this the money you make as a affiliate i make too because your going to be selling products other people made like that 670$ some creator made almost triple times that from allowing them to sell the product well if anything hit me with a pm im young but i know what im doing and dont let anybody get in your way of success we all have our ways of creating income other people cant hate on something were all after best wishes
      Your right across the ocean from me, I am in Washington.

      I really appreciate your advice and insight. I can see that you have a great attitude and are on the right track. Being young it's hard to surround yourself with people your age that have the same mindset.

      I'm just about to send you a quick pm
      Signature

      "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
      -Norman Vincent Peale

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      • Profile picture of the author wilsonljx
        Originally Posted by FitnessNut View Post

        Your right across the ocean from me, I am in Washington.

        I really appreciate your advice and insight. I can see that you have a great attitude and are on the right track. Being young it's hard to surround yourself with people your age that have the same mindset.

        I'm just about to send you a quick pm
        Yeah its hard to see young people really taking action towards their success.I am 19 this year and have been doing internet marketing for around half year.I hope I will know someone in real life that is around my age who is also doing that so that we can exchange some pointers.Unfortunately,it is very hard to find.
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  • Profile picture of the author aeri
    Hello I have pretty much a similar situation, though I don't think my parents would like it that I'm pursuing something like this when they have their own project going, so we should all be frugal about using money. I haven't had any success with my amazon affiliation sales yet, but I've only been over a month in it, and I guess it's a pretty competitive market for my first time doing this...just have to keep working hard

    What I'm doing right now in college anyway is that since I'm only 1 class away from getting my degree, I might as well finish up my last semester this coming spring, and I will get to learn more about the financials and what not by taking the opportunity to enroll in classes to get my Entrepreneur major (Double-major and a minor, hopefully I can be able to work a lot with it!)
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      Originally Posted by aeri View Post

      Hello I have pretty much a similar situation, though I don't think my parents would like it that I'm pursuing something like this when they have their own project going, so we should all be frugal about using money. I haven't had any success with my amazon affiliation sales yet, but I've only been over a month in it, and I guess it's a pretty competitive market for my first time doing this...just have to keep working hard

      What I'm doing right now in college anyway is that since I'm only 1 class away from getting my degree, I might as well finish up my last semester this coming spring, and I will get to learn more about the financials and what not by taking the opportunity to enroll in classes to get my Entrepreneur major (Double-major and a minor, hopefully I can be able to work a lot with it!)
      Aeri that is awesome, nothing wrong with having a solid degree or even double major as you speak of. I wish you the best of luck in school and with your business.

      You have a great attitude towards your IM business. Don't get down if your not seeing the results. Just keep learning from everything you do and you are on the right path.

      Cheers!
      Chris
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      "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
      -Norman Vincent Peale

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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    I loved college right up until the moment they threw me out on my ass for being a slacker. Now I produce or 'slack off' on my own time and have no one to blame for my failure or success but myself. Feels good.... Most of the time, that is. :rolleyes:
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      Originally Posted by travlinguy View Post

      I loved college right up until the moment they threw me out on my ass for being a slacker. Now I produce or 'slack off' on my own time and have no one to blame for my failure or success but myself. Feels good.... Most of the time, that is. :rolleyes:
      Tralinguy based off the name doesn't sound too bad? lol

      Appreciate the experience insight!

      Cheers,
      Chris
      Signature

      "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
      -Norman Vincent Peale

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  • Profile picture of the author sprice
    Sounds like me I dropped out my first semester of college to pursue IM. My parents HATED the decision though. Bugged me about it for quite a while.

    If it's what you want to do then honestly nothing is going to stop you. The big thing is to actually put in the work online and start making it happen, don't lose focus.
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      Originally Posted by sprice View Post

      Sounds like me I dropped out my first semester of college to pursue IM. My parents HATED the decision though. Bugged me about it for quite a while.

      If it's what you want to do then honestly nothing is going to stop you. The big thing is to actually put in the work online and start making it happen, don't lose focus.

      Sprice you are right on the money my friend and that is one of the biggest things I have had to learn.

      We all have great ideas, but we must take action!

      And try and try with a smile on our faces until we succeed

      Then repeat with bigger goals

      Hope business is well for you!

      Chris
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      "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
      -Norman Vincent Peale

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  • Profile picture of the author DallasK
    On one hand I agree, school has become fairly worthless
    unless your passion is teaching or you want to enter a more
    technical field such as engineering or the sciences. It's
    obvious that you've been planning at least months ahead
    so you can pursue your goals. This side of the coin says
    "you've made up your mind, go for it..." experience is the
    best teacher of all.

    Though it's not necessarily society, but it's the "system"
    that's in place that needs followers, i.e. employees. From
    a child's entry into the public school system, it's all about
    conforming to the system. Schools no longer teach the
    basics about how to do everyday business tasks that an
    individual needs, much less teach or inspire someone to be
    an entrepreneur. As you said, it comes from the heart, or
    possibly from an encouraging family. But beware of family
    members and friends, they can be the most discouraging
    people of all if your dreams don't align with theirs.

    Unfortunately schools have lost their way as governments
    have extended their conformity policies to the school
    systems themselves in order to continue receiving money.
    Government principles are upside down and unfortunately
    their system has been a success because society is upside
    down to tolerate the sad state of affairs we find ourselves in.

    On the flip side of the coin, the cost of living on your own
    won't be getting any cheaper in the foreseeable future. I
    would say stay at home, soothe your parents concerns by
    staying in school, but drop it back to part-time to accommodate
    your bartending and/or internet marketing (IM). Shift your
    school focus for the short term to things that will only help your
    IM... like maybe some business classes, or an accounting
    class, or even a psychology class where you can later focus
    on the psychology of the whole buying, selling, & marketing
    concept. Never pass up the chance to learn something
    that can push you toward your ultimate goal.

    Best of luck...

    Dallas...
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      Originally Posted by DallasK View Post

      On one hand I agree, school has become fairly worthless
      unless your passion is teaching or you want to enter a more
      technical field such as engineering or the sciences. It's
      obvious that you've been planning at least months ahead
      so you can pursue your goals. This side of the coin says
      "you've made up your mind, go for it..." experience is the
      best teacher of all.

      Though it's not necessarily society, but it's the "system"
      that's in place that needs followers, i.e. employees. From
      a child's entry into the public school system, it's all about
      conforming to the system. Schools don't even teach the
      basics about how to do everyday business tasks that an
      individual needs, much less teach or inspire someone to be
      an entrepreneur. As you said, it comes from the heart, or
      possibly from an encouraging family. But beware of family
      members and friends, they can be the most discouraging
      people of all if your dreams don't align with theirs.

      Unfortunately schools have lost their way as governments
      have extended their conformity policies to the school
      systems themselves in order to continue receiving money.
      Government principles are upside down and unfortunately
      their system has been a success because society is upside
      down to tolerate the sad state of affairs we find ourselves in.

      On the flip side of the coin, the cost of living on your own
      won't be getting any cheaper in the foreseeable future. I
      would say stay at home, soothe your parents concerns by
      staying in school, but drop it back to part-time to accommodate
      your bartending and/or internet marketing (IM). Shift your
      school focus for the short term to things that will only help your
      IM... like maybe some business classes, or an accounting
      class, or even a psychology class where you can later focus
      on the psychology of the whole buying, selling, & marketing
      concept. Never pass up the chance to learn something
      that can push you toward your ultimate goal.

      Best of luck...

      Dallas...

      Wow Dallas thanks for your depth of input I think you are completely right about the family thing. Which is actually one of the main reasons I want to move out...

      To keep it simple, it's not the best family environment and support of my goals and dreams for my future are hardly recognized. It's just not the positive environment that I need to be in, in order to wake up every morning, jump out of bed and kick ass from the get go!

      Appreciate it,
      Chris
      Signature

      "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
      -Norman Vincent Peale

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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel Wilson
    Dude we're almost the same. I'm also taking a pause this year from college. Anyway this is the year we work hard.

    Getting money from internet is just like any other business. It takes about 1-2 years to get in going. You just need to stick to basic stuff that works.
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    • Profile picture of the author MattVit
      Originally Posted by Daniel Wilson View Post

      Getting money from internet is just like any other business. It takes about 1-2 years to get in going. You just need to stick to basic stuff that works.
      This is true. While you won't be an entrepreneur by running a business which copies other successful, workable business models (an entrepreneur is someone who profits from risk, innovation and initiative on a large scale), you'll still be very successful.

      On the topic of dropping out, maybe I missed it, but what course are you doing?

      College definitely equips you with a few important things. Firstly, if nothing else, it gives you contacts, friends, and teaches you social interaction with a variety of different people. (I'm not American and in Australia we call them Universities, but I assume they are similar in terms of the social elements).

      Secondly it gives you the ability to critically analyze issues, and to think critically in general.

      Finally it improves your grammar and spelling beyond what you thought you are capable of (this is through the assessments you have to write). In fact I noticed you spelled 'there' wrong (should have been "their house") - not being a spelling/grammar Nazi because everyone stuffs up occasionally - just highlighting that an education makes you more prudent about these things.

      Best of luck with your decision.
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  • Profile picture of the author ProScribe
    You've got a great attitude I'm sure you will do well. You can't fail if you don't give up.

    I've got more than one degree and I've almost always worked for myself so they haven't had a lot of practical use. Probably the most use I've had out my degree is getting visa easier.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ken Marc
    Congrats on getting the xxx$, but more importantly, the feel-good-factor that amount entails.

    I am puzzled, IF your mind is made up, and nothing won't change it, why would you post this thread? If you just wanted to share the news (read happiness), I understand. But then, you seem to invite constructive criticism as well - what for?

    That as it may be, I wouldn't skip off on education. That's just NOT good. If you can mine up proper info on how to earn xxx$ in one month, and line up your efforts for actually making it happen, I see no reason why can't you find a suitable place to further educate yourself in the area that you may love to pursue (say Business Administration)? At 21, it seems to be some sort of escapism to me (no offense, been there done that!)

    You must observe that you are not only leaving college studies, but college life as well (so important), and leaving that to become a bartender (no offense again) cum IMer!

    Best luck in whatever you choose to pursue.

    Ken
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  • Profile picture of the author wfhblueprints
    Hi Fitnessnut,

    Great news on getting the $$$...

    But as a teacher.....not as a parent.....can I give you some advice....

    College is not only about the qualification that you will get at the end, yes some people will think its important.....but to you it seems to me that you heart is set in getting your business started ASAP.

    College for me would be about the "life experiences" you will receive that set you up in life. For me they are the most memorable part of my life and most importantly allowed me to network with some amazing people.

    As an entrepreneur you could go to college and leverage the most powerful minds of your intake by networking with them.....this would put you at a great advantage from other entrepreneurs who do not have access to a pool of very driven people.

    My personal advice would be to go to college and subsidize your studies with your IM work.

    Make relationships with like minded people in college......target people who have incredible wealth of knowledge and use them to help you develop you business.

    At worse you will gain a qualification, life experience and a bunch of people who you will never forget about.

    However if you skip college and fail.....there is no fall back.

    Kind regards

    Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    Seems to defeat the purpose to bartend to pursue Internet marketing when the education you get from school would benefit you your entire life, whether you choose an entrepreneurial route or not.

    If IM fails to work for you, you'll be a bartender. With an education, you have a lot more options and you'd also be a smarter entrepreneur.
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    • Profile picture of the author nickhumph
      Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

      Seems to defeat the purpose to bartend to pursue Internet marketing when the education you get from school would benefit you your entire life, whether you choose an entrepreneurial route or not.

      If IM fails to work for you, you'll be a bartender. With an education, you have a lot more options and you'd also be a smarter entrepreneur.
      Believe + Work Hard + Persistence = Success
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  • Profile picture of the author Craigb182
    Education in my opinion will never teach you what real life scenarios and getting in there knee deep will. You can only go so far on theory and sure it's great to know some but you don't really learn anything of real value until you take action. Just my thoughts even though I have decided to stick out my honours and get my honours degree as a back up if IM doesn't work out for me which will not happen!

    Good luck and I hope you look back on this decsion fondly.
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  • Profile picture of the author marcuslim
    There is a book 'The Education of Millionaires' that addresses exactly this issue. It's about how success in the 21st century depends on street smarts, not book smarts. So the premise of the book is that you'll learn stuff in college but you won't develop these skills. So with the exception of things like law and medicine, if your heart is set on being an entrepreneur, then having a college degree won't get you very far.
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  • Profile picture of the author wildjohnny
    Finish your education. You are young and have enough time for everything. Yes, it will be hard, but now it's the best time to hit the life as hard as you can.

    good luck!
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    • Profile picture of the author DavidMoore557
      Originally Posted by wildjohnny View Post

      Finish your education. You are young and have enough time for everything. Yes, it will be hard, but now it's the best time to hit the life as hard as you can.

      good luck!
      I wanted to use this quote to open my remarks.

      First, I want to encourage you to "NEVER" finish your education! Always keep learning. It took me 18 years to earn a four year degree. Along the way, I also got a career (20 years military service), a family, a house, and thousands of memories.

      College is not a requirement - but it will make your road a little smoother. This just my opinion looking back.

      I wish you the best of luck.

      -DaveMike
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  • Profile picture of the author dvduval
    I was also a college dropout. I had some problems early in my adult life. but the internet was so wonderful for me. I was able to study and learn new skills. search engines were not yet well developed. I was able to start optimizing sites before search engines were as the village as they are now. and of course I met some interesting people along the way.

    I think now more than ever college is not as important as it once was. There is so much you can learn on the internet. And there are out right scams going on with college is right now. People are graduating from college and they cannot find a job. There is a great risk that You can find yourself In debt yet not be able to find a job.

    What is most important is that you set goals And you find mentors. You must be motivated to Develop your self And work hard to find us a place in this world. Sometimes slow times like now with the economy are when some of the greatest leaders and business people are born. cheers to you for working 2 become 1 of them!
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  • Profile picture of the author rooze
    Well you've made your mind up but maybe there's still an opportunity to influence others
    As a 21 year old male you still haven't reached emotional maturity. You may think you have, (we all did/do) but you haven't. So you're still evolving in that regard. School, as awful as it is, actually serves as a platform for developing youth through the different stages of maturity. It isn't all about what you learn in an academic sense, it's also about teaching you things like discipline, respect, routine, punctuality and many more seemingly worthless enterprises, which when looked at singularly, may not amount to much, but when used as part of a 'whole entity', can shape who you are for the remainder of your life.
    There are many people who drop out from college and regret it down the line. There are even more people who have a college dropout somehow woven into their lives, who wish the person had completed this important phase of their emotional development.
    So you might be big and bold and gutsy and full of entrepreneurial spirit and ambition, but there are some 'life-tools' which have not yet been bestowed upon you that you'll be missing out on when you cut short your formal education.

    Good luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author absolutelee
    Originally Posted by FitnessNut View Post

    That will be me in 1 month.

    It's not because I am making enough money online to fully support myself.

    It's not because I "think" I can make it.


    It's because I know the value of school and I know the value of determination.

    I am a complete entrepreneur at heart and I will die before I spend the rest of my life working for someone else. School is great for most people, and society teaches us that.

    But what society does not teach us is how to choose a future as free as we dream.

    What do you guys think?

    My Short Story

    21 years young. I learned about internet marketing 3 years ago. Slowly learned for 2 years, then started getting into it. 3 Months ago got serious (kinda). Last month saw my first real money online ($670). I come from a very educated family who believes school is the answer.

    My parents like my entrepreneurial spirit but no matter what school comes first. And coming from a parents point of view I get that. Still living under there house I feel obligated to be in school but really do not apply myself as I am constantly distracted with my ideas for my business. It's all I think about.

    Come January 1st I will be moving out and fully supporting myself (bar-tending job) in order to fully pursue my future. I know what I want and I know that nothing can stop me from getting there.

    Any parents out there please leave your input!

    Everyone's advice is greatly appreciated

    "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
    -Norman Vincent Peale
    I'm a parent. Two kids. Not quite as old as you are. I'm also an educated parent. Here's what I tell my kids...The world has changed! You know all those confused losers in the Occupy Wall Street and whatever movements? They all say things like "capitalism sucks because I have a big student loan and no job."

    The problem here is these kids were operating under a series of false assumptions that no longer work. Their parents were operating under the same set of false assumptions. The parents saw their 401k's cut in half a few years ago. Their kids are "educated", but can't figure out how to be productive, much less fulfilled.

    They think the problem is with the "system".

    It's like you're all ready to play a sport. You've got your glove, your baseball, and your bat...but guess what? We're all playing hockey, now! My bad! You're completely out of luck.

    The world we all now live in has already changed. Money goes to where it's most productive. All those jobs the US lost? Gone! They are never coming back. Should never come back!

    Why should I pay $300 for a pair of shoes made in the US when if they're made in China, they'll cost me $40?

    The sooner you get with the new paradigm about entrepreneurship, globalization, etc, the sooner you're going to be making more money than you ever thought possible, while everyone else is going to be wondering who stole their food stamps.

    My kids are an integral part of my online business precisely because I want them to learn entrepreneurship. My daughter says she wants to go to college. My son, maybe not. Either way is fine with me, if they develop skills they can use to make money.

    Hope that helps throw some light on things.
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  • Profile picture of the author andrewpgpg
    Originally Posted by FitnessNut View Post

    It's because I know the value of school and I know the value of determination.

    I am a complete entrepreneur at heart and I will die before I spend the rest of my life working for someone else. School is great for most people, and society teaches us that.

    But what society does not teach us is how to choose a future as free as we dream.
    Glad to hear there are like-minded persons out there.

    I'm in my early 20s too, finished college just for the sake of parents but never planned to get a job.

    My parents are also firm believers in the school system but I know what I want. Looking back at the education system, I'm sad when I realize that the system encourage everyone to try to get things right; and 'punished' those who get it wrong.

    These universities are simply not preparing the students for life. They are preparing students to get a job.

    Today I earn my living doing IM... I'm glad I didn't get a 'job' and to say that it feels great to work at home is an understatement.

    Originally Posted by FitnessNut View Post

    Come January 1st I will be moving out and fully supporting myself (bar-tending job) in order to fully pursue my future. I know what I want and I know that nothing can stop me from getting there.
    All the best for you mate, keep the spriit going and I believe you will be a very succesful person in the future.

    Best wishes,
    Andrew
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  • Profile picture of the author flocon
    That is remarkable that you have been able to get this achievement. However, I think that it could be less stressful if you can stay with your parents and organize your time to pursue both school and internet marketing.

    Additionally, it is not like they don't want you to try to make money online. So, you are not in a situation where you don't have that freedom.

    Today as it seems, earning money online is possible. However, if it is possible,why not finish your college education in order to have more than a way to earn a living?
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  • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
    I would like to thank you all for your positive words and criticisms.

    It seems that the primary argument that I am seeing against leaving school is that I am potentially missing out on great networking opportunities. As well as learning skills such as critical thinking, general business, etc.

    In response to those criticisms I would like to add a few things...

    To my understanding it is the skills you learn in and the networking opportunities that make school of value, and not necessarily "what you learn". I strongly believe that all of these things can also be accomplished "outside the classroom." I already own 1 business separate from IM (offline) and the tests of a business are nowhere near anything school could ever prepare me for.

    I am not saying leaving school is just going to turn me into a superstar...
    But I can wake up every morning, put on my armor, and know that I am working towards exactly what I want in my life.


    Most importantly, I will not quit

    Thank you all so much. I wish everyone the best of luck with their internet businesses and life!

    -Chris
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    "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
    -Norman Vincent Peale

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  • Profile picture of the author samuelsss
    I would try to find very good internet marketing courses instead so you can learn something new and apply when you are ready.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dash Evra
    Hey FitnessNut,

    Kudos on making $600+ online in such a short period of time. A lot of people here have been struggling for a year without making that much.

    Please take a moment to read my short experience. Maybe you'll get something out of it.

    I am currently a 20 years old college Junior. I was in your position a little over one year ago. Then, after doing some thinking, I asked myself "why not do both?" and that was probably the best decision of my life.

    I got serious about IM earlier this year. I started out by doing Fiverr writing gigs for a mere $5 and invested those money in something a bit bigger after about two months. Now, I am "working" less than 10 hours a week and earning more than I would be if I had a part time job like every normal college student. What I am trying to say is, the fact that I am going to college had zero negative impact on my IM world. So, why not do IM while going to college and enjoy both world?

    It's awesome you want to make it on your own at an early age but, dude, you don't have to. There is no need for you to force yourself into the "real world" right now and make your financial life harder. I am assuming your parents are currently providing you with a place to live and food on your plate. Why not take advantage of it? If you look at it on a business perspective, it is the most efficient choice. You'll have less bills hence more money left over to invest in your business in order to grow bigger at a faster rate.
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      Originally Posted by Dash Evra View Post

      Hey FitnessNut,

      Kudos on making $600+ online in such a short period of time. A lot of people here have been struggling for a year without making that much.

      Please take a moment to read my short experience. Maybe you'll get something out of it.

      I am currently a 20 years old college Junior. I was in your position a little over one year ago. Then, after doing some thinking, I asked myself "why not do both?" and that was probably the best decision of my life.

      I got serious about IM earlier this year. I started out by doing Fiverr writing gigs for a mere $5 and invested those money in something a bit bigger after about two months. Now, I am "working" less than 10 hours a week and earning more than I would be if I had a part time job like every normal college student. What I am trying to say is, the fact that I am going to college had zero negative impact on my IM world. So, why not do IM while going to college and enjoy both world?

      It's awesome you want to make it on your own at an early age but, dude, you don't have to. There is no need for you to force yourself into the "real world" right now and make your financial life harder. I am assuming your parents are currently providing you with a place to live and food on your plate. Why not take advantage of it? If you look at it on a business perspective, it is the most efficient choice. You'll have less bills hence more money left over to invest in your business in order to grow bigger at a faster rate.

      Dash I really appreciate your story and you have a lot of good insights.

      The current issue I am having is with my parents. It's a near impossible environment to get positive energy towards what I am doing. The only way to break free of that is to do things on my own. I have always been very independent and never collect a dime from my parents, though they do provide me with food and shelter which I am very thankful for.

      Appreciate everything and congratulations on your successes!

      Cheers,
      Chris

      I understand the financial burden I am taking on, but believe it is what needs to happen
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      "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
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      • Profile picture of the author Dash Evra
        Originally Posted by FitnessNut View Post

        Dash I really appreciate your story and you have a lot of good insights.

        The current issue I am having is with my parents. It's a near impossible environment to get positive energy towards what I am doing. The only way to break free of that is to do things on my own. I have always been very independent and never collect a dime from my parents, though they do provide me with food and shelter which I am very thankful for.

        Appreciate everything and congratulations on your successes!

        Cheers,
        Chris

        I understand the financial burden I am taking on, but believe it is what needs to happen
        Did you show them that you've made profit? Maybe that'll convince them a bit.

        Also, if the main problem is being around your parents, then, you can always rent an office. Keep yourself productively busy so you don't have to be home as often. If you put your mind to it, I am sure you'll find another solution that's not as drastic as quitting college to be a bartender (no offense) while putting all your hope on IM.

        As others have pointed out before, what happens if IM fails? If you're going to quit college, then, at least wait until you got results that prove you can make it online.
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        • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
          Originally Posted by Dash Evra View Post

          Did you show them that you've made profit? Maybe that'll convince them a bit.

          Also, if the main problem is being around your parents, then, you can always rent an office. Keep yourself productively busy so you don't have to be home as often. If you put your mind to it, I am sure you'll find another solution that's not as drastic as quitting college to be a bartender (no offense) while putting all your hope on IM.

          As others have pointed out before, what happens if IM fails? If you're going to quit college, then, at least wait until you got results that prove you can make it online.
          You ask what happens if IM fails?

          IM has failed, and I will continue to "fail" with IM. Everyone does!

          But I don't see it that way. Everything is simply an opportunity to learn, and you can never fail if you never give up.

          I am staking my existence on a vision. Never letting myself think about what if.

          Your idea about getting an office is golden and I will be looking into that immediately.

          Regards,
          Chris
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          "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
          -Norman Vincent Peale

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  • Profile picture of the author HarryS
    I admire you. A decade ago I graduated college but if I had to do it all over again I would have never attended.
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  • Wow, I couldn't wait to leave home. I would do almost anything to escape. Any odd job or temp job I could get.

    fLufF
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  • Profile picture of the author LeeLee
    By my calculations, at 21 you should be close to graduating. If you are close to graduating, I would say stay in school and complete what you started. Staying the course and staying focused is going to be just as important in IM.

    If you are not close to graduation then my guess is you have been slacking in school anyway or started late because you weren't all that committed in the first place. In that case you may as well move on.

    Getting your own place at 21 is a big deal these days. Used to be common to be grown at that age but not so much anymore. Add a bartending job to that and I see a lot more fun and hanging out than IM'g.

    You may doubt that but believe me, your less mature friends who are still flush living at home with mom and dad are going to become your really best friends because you have your own place.

    Whatever you choose good luck to you.
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    The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of nonessentials. ~ Lin Yutang
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      Lee you bring up a lot of great points thank you!

      As far as graduating you are correct I have about 2 years to go to graduation, slacked off too much in the beginning. Obviously that looks poor on my behalf. However, I just have a hard time immersing myself in something I am not passionate about.

      It is very funny you mention the fun and friends that come along with your own place, and the distractions involved. Fortunately I have a good group of close friends who know me as the guy with a vision. They respect my space and compulsive obsession to be successful.

      Sure any 21 year old loves to party, but I would much rather Celebrate successes when they come, than party every week.

      I wish you the highest level of success with your online business ventures!

      Cheers,
      Chris

      Originally Posted by LeeLee View Post

      By my calculations, at 21 you should be close to graduating. If you are close to graduating, I would say stay in school and complete what you started. Staying the course and staying focused is going to be just as important in IM.

      If you are not close to graduation then my guess is you have been slacking in school anyway or started late because you weren't all that committed in the first place. In that case you may as well move on.

      Getting your own place at 21 is a big deal these days. Used to be common to be grown at that age but not so much anymore. Add a bartending job to that and I see a lot more fun and hanging out than IM'g.

      You may doubt that but believe me, your less mature friends who are still flush living at home with mom and dad are going to become your really best friends because you have your own place.

      Whatever you choose good luck to you.
      Signature

      "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
      -Norman Vincent Peale

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  • Profile picture of the author nickhumph
    This was my dilemma exactly a few years ago. I posted it here on Youngentrepeneur.com -
    My Dilemma: Is School Vital To Be Successful?

    I remain undecided still, taking a gap year right now.

    Then again.. 100 Top Entrepreneurs Who Succeeded without a College Degree

    I want to go to college for the social life.
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  • Profile picture of the author RobHiness
    Your story is literally almost exact as mine.

    Same age, same situation.

    I'll tell you this. I followed my heart, and my brain. Both allowed me to see the benefits of internet marketing, and I took it to the fullest.

    Now, I'm very happy and supporting myself in a way I never thought possible, and I'll never look back!

    Advice is advice, some is great, some is horrible! At the end of the day, you make the call and the choice is ultimately yours!

    Just remember to follow your heart and your brain, and you'll have your answer! Just like I did!
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    “It’s much easier to double your business by doubling your conversion rate than by doubling your traffic.”
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      Rob very powerful hearing the success of another young entrepreneur!

      This decision I am making is truly based on following my heart and it's great to hear such positive feedback.

      Wishing you the best continuing success,
      Chris

      Originally Posted by RobHiness View Post

      Your story is literally almost exact as mine.

      Same age, same situation.

      I'll tell you this. I followed my heart, and my brain. Both allowed me to see the benefits of internet marketing, and I took it to the fullest.

      Now, I'm very happy and supporting myself in a way I never thought possible, and I'll never look back!

      Advice is advice, some is great, some is horrible! At the end of the day, you make the call and the choice is ultimately yours!

      Just remember to follow your heart and your brain, and you'll have your answer! Just like I did!
      Signature

      "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
      -Norman Vincent Peale

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    • Profile picture of the author nickhumph
      Originally Posted by RobHiness View Post

      Your story is literally almost exact as mine.

      Just remember to follow your heart and your brain, and you'll have your answer! Just like I did!
      ..So that's how you got a nice car
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  • Profile picture of the author Rick Tew
    I just wrote something about this last week on my facebook page. I will re-post it here or you can read it on my facebook which should be clickable from under my profile picture.

    Should one stay in School?

    Just because you give up on school does not mean you give up on life!

    I wrote this as a response to a question and thought it might be nice to share:

    My advice regarding a typical school education can get me in a lot of trouble. My TEW Cents is based on my own experience and works if you have the mind power I outline in my book, Winjitsu.

    First, you will need to do what is right for YOU. You will regret not taking actions according to your own rules. The default response is always - stay in school. But, if you have the spirit to do and be more and you feel school is a limitation - you might be ready for the school of life. There are many successful people that dropped out of college. Consider Bill Gates, Henry Ford, Michael Dell or the founder of facebook. Though I doubt many would have dropped out if they didn't believe in their ideas.

    With that being said, maybe one should never consider dropping out if they don't have a burning passion to pursue something of equal or more value.

    The point must be made that it's not only about success or failure, but to make a point that if you DO depart school that it doesn't mean you are going to be sitting on a curb with a can in your hand and a sign around your neck that says, "feed me."

    I think it is similar to the martial arts. The martial art system does not make the man, but instead, the man makes the martial art. If you take a successful martial artist - they probably would be successful in most arts that they pursued. My point being that the martial art is like the school and regardless of how good the school is, it still requires the student to perform to reap any of the benefits. Chuck Norris takes his personality into other areas of life as a person with drive and passion.

    I myself look at the traditional academic institution with a non-interactive classroom as a potential waste of my limited time. But again, this is how I perceive the world. If I was someone else, I might look at it differently. So please DO NOT take my thoughts out of context because every decision is unique to the individual.

    I believe in the school of life and the ideas laid out on this page of my martial arts program:

    See the "Lifestyle" page on my TotalWarrior website.

    If you had 2 years left to finish school, should you complete the process?

    01 One could say you only have 2 years left to stick it out.

    02 We could say you already wasted years, why waste 2 more.

    Again, this is from my view and I make this strategy work in my own life. If you do depart the traditional path, you will need to carry a lot of weight on your shoulders, but if you are doing what you want and or what you love, then you should feel GREAT about the ups and downs in life that follow from your choice.

    There are Social Rules and then there are Life Rules. I think we all take social rules and the NEW Survival concept (as compared to caveman days of survival) way too seriously. Will LIFE end should you leave school? The truth might be that life will BEGIN when you leave school.

    Regardless of your choice, I am still a firm promoter of EDUCATION and regardless of your path you will still need to study something and work hard to hone your craft and personal attributes. I do believe you will learn more in the school of life. But then again, I believe that LIFE RULES over Social Rules. That's a mind twister

    You have one life and though we all hope to live the full extent of our human capabilities, it's a fact that many won't. If you had 2 years left to live, would you pursue staying in line with Social Rules? I think you would see life with a new perspective. Regardless of how many years you have left, they are still VERY short. Even living to 100 is short. Do you want to waste any of these years in a scenario where you are WONDERING if you should be there? I can suffer and sacrifice for the future, but if I know I am not where I am happy to be, I will take the effort to make a change. This change is what gives you the future ability to adjust and to survive, (Darwin can back me up on that one).

    Also, if you spend 2 more years doing something you will NOT use in the future - you could actually be setting yourself back. This is because if you jumped on the life bandwagon - two years from now, you might actually be doing what you really want to be doing as opposed to just getting started.

    Happiness is NOT a collection of toys, or material possessions and it is the same with education. You will not be happy because you collected a lot of data from an institution. You will be happy DOING what you love to do. True survival and a good use of your skills and intelligence is being able to apply it to improve your life. This life should be as you define it.

    If you are not smart enough, passionate enough to succeed on your own and take on bigger challenges that this world has to offer, then please - stay in school, I don't want to feed you

    Hope this helps,
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    Tew Be Me
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  • Profile picture of the author World Marketing
    With an attitude like that you will succeed!
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    I make $5,000+ a month online [CLICK HERE] to see how you can do the same starting today!

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    • Profile picture of the author Sue Bruce
      Interesting that you asked for input from parents. You know that they have your best interests at heart.

      First of all, I would not call myself a dropout. It will make you feel like a loser. Tell yourself and everyone else that you feel it's time to be independent because you are a business owner and your business is making money. You always have the choice to go back to college and take courses that will help you become a better entrepreneur. You may return and you may not. Leave it open.

      Bartending is exactly what I would do if I was in you position. you finish work (with hopefully big tip money) sleep til noon and have the afternoon to work on your business. Hopefully, you have taken a bartending course. It increases tips, big time.

      Parents who are in their forties and fifties grew up with the idea that you have to have a college education to be successful in life. That was mostly true unless you sold high ticket items (airplanes, yachts, etc lol) or sought a career that you could work your way to top levels that didn't require a degree or diploma.

      I would remind your parents that they reached a point in their life that they weren't happy because they were not independent and at this moment it is very important to you. The reason I say "at this moment" is because you may change your mind or be in a position that you would rather live at home. leave that door open, as well.

      Also, I would tell the warriors what area of IM you are working. You never know, there may be help for you so you do not have to spend as much time bartending!
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  • Profile picture of the author Cali16
    Originally Posted by FitnessNut View Post

    21 years young. I learned about internet marketing 3 years ago. Slowly learned for 2 years, then started getting into it. 3 Months ago got serious (kinda). Last month saw my first real money online ($670). I come from a very educated family who believes school is the answer.


    Everyone's advice is greatly appreciated
    Do you really want honest input? Because it seems to me you've already made up your mind, so I'm curious as to the very mixed message in your original post.

    You say you got "kinda" serious about IM just 3 months ago. That's a far cry from being dedicated.

    You also say you're 21. You didn't say how much college you've already completed. If you started at 18 then you should be a year or so away from finishing. Personally, I think you're foolish to stop now.

    You said somewhere that you're determined to not work for anyone else. I didn't read all your posts in the thread so maybe I missed something, but I got the impression that you think a degree automatically means you'll become an employee. Many entrepreneurs have college degrees and advanced degrees -for very good reason. Sometimes it's because they needed the education (and the credentials) to start the business of their dreams. Other times it's because they did initially use their education to work for someone else and gain real world experience, then went on to start their own business.

    A college degree is what you make of it. But, (and this is just my 2 cents), why not finish what you've started? You can continue working on IM part time, and then when you're done with college you'll have MORE opportunities because you didn't drop out. It will NEVER hurt you to have that degree, but there may come a time down the road when you will regret NOT finishing school because you do need the degree for one reason or another.

    Right now, you're putting all your eggs in one basket. Not a wise decision. IM may work for you - some people do well, a few do extremely well, and the vast majority don't get anywhere. Also, IM is changing constantly. What sounds like a great idea to you today at 21 may not be such a great idea 10 years from now. Who knows? I guarantee it will be a lot harder to go back to school years from now than it will be to finish now.

    These are just some things to think about - if you are truly open to the advice you requested. Stay at home, finish your degree, continue with IM part time (and continue growing your monthly income from it) and then when you're done with college, focus on it full time if you like (and then you won't have to bartend). That's my advice to you.
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  • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
    Sue really appreciate the parental feedback lol

    I say dropout with sarcasm because that's how others will see it, but really I am just following my dreams.

    Pertaining to school, I like the point you made about always having the opportunity to go back. Others seem to forget about that option!

    I am far beyond the point in my life where I feel the need to be completely independent. It will help me grow and develop much quicker as a person.

    To give everyone a better idea of what I am doing online. Last month I made the majority of my money as an affiliate creating small niche review websites for digital products. I am also working on my most exciting project which is a fitness membership site that correlates with a mobile application to provide everyone the most convenient and accessible workout plans/nutrition/plans and progressions etc.

    Cheers,
    Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author bl
    Originally Posted by FitnessNut View Post

    That will be me in 1 month.

    It's not because I am making enough money online to fully support myself.

    It's not because I "think" I can make it.


    It's because I know the value of school and I know the value of determination.

    I am a complete entrepreneur at heart and I will die before I spend the rest of my life working for someone else. School is great for most people, and society teaches us that.

    But what society does not teach us is how to choose a future as free as we dream.

    What do you guys think?

    My Short Story

    21 years young. I learned about internet marketing 3 years ago. Slowly learned for 2 years, then started getting into it. 3 Months ago got serious (kinda). Last month saw my first real money online ($670). I come from a very educated family who believes school is the answer.

    My parents like my entrepreneurial spirit but no matter what school comes first. And coming from a parents point of view I get that. Still living under there house I feel obligated to be in school but really do not apply myself as I am constantly distracted with my ideas for my business. It's all I think about.

    Come January 1st I will be moving out and fully supporting myself (bar-tending job) in order to fully pursue my future. I know what I want and I know that nothing can stop me from getting there.

    Any parents out there please leave your input!

    Everyone's advice is greatly appreciated

    "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
    -Norman Vincent Peale
    I like the idea of pursing your dreams but I don't think you should be willing to end school so easily. Just because your determined does not mean that your going to make it exactly how you want to make it. You might need the education, skills, and the access to better jobs that a degree will give you. School cost money yes, but if you go to an affordable school, you should be able to get an education and continue on to your dreams.
    I understand that the majority of college educations are not worth the price however, it is not wise to exclude your self from a livable income. Fast food, home health aide, etc are not jobs you can live on even if you do them fulltime, they are part time salaries. And this is all that is out here for those without a college degree. Internet marketing is not fail proof. I just can't see limiting myself to just one type of income.
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      I understand the concerns you show and appreciate them.

      However with the job I have, I have the ability to make more than anyone looking for a job with a degree right now. School does open up opportunities but I am young and have a future filled with opportunities outside of school that I will capitalize one.

      Just so it is clear to everyone I do not plan on fully supporting myself with my (small) online income I am currently able to generate.

      Sometimes we must take our own path, though school can be very valuable to many people I am choosing not to continue down that path in order to start an all out sprint on the trail I have chosen.

      Thanks so much,
      Chris

      Originally Posted by bl View Post

      I like the idea of pursing your dreams but I don't think you should be willing to end school so easily. Just because your determined does not mean that your going to make it exactly how you want to make it. You might need the education, skills, and the access to better jobs that a degree will give you. School cost money yes, but if you go to an affordable school, you should be able to get an education and continue on to your dreams.
      I understand that the majority of college educations are not worth the price however, it is not wise to exclude your self from a livable income. Fast food, home health aide, etc are not jobs you can live on even if you do them fulltime, they are part time salaries. And this is all that is out here for those without a college degree. Internet marketing is not fail proof. I just can't see limiting myself to just one type of income.
      Signature

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  • Profile picture of the author NolanHill
    wow good luck! and congrats on earning enough for a decent wage, just scale and you maybe be living an extraordinary life.

    College isn't really essential, but I find it useful with the information it provides
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  • Profile picture of the author Izaya
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      I don't plan on fully supporting myself of my internet business yet. I have a job but obviously as my business allows I will leave there when the finances are right. Appreciate the advise. I also own another offline business that I receive income from.

      Cheers,
      Chris

      Originally Posted by Izaya View Post

      Ah Good luck am kinda in the same position, but am almost done so am going to stick it out to the end. Personally you should have waited longer, $670 isn't much and if your relying on one form of income for it that's risky. I promised myself I'd quit university when I can make my teachers yearly income in 1 month, that hasn't happened yet unfortunately though
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      • Profile picture of the author WebmasterDeluxe
        Not a good idea....I use the internet as supplemental income...I went to a 4 year school for not much money, now make 150k a year....just don't go to an overpriced school only to become a school teacher.......use your brain
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        • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
          First off I would like to congratulate you on your success. The income that you have been able to bring in is much more than most people ever hope to achieve.

          I was once asked by a friend, "Chris would you rather have a guaranteed income of $10k/month starting today (no more, no less) for the rest of your life,or be where your at today?"

          I would choose to be where I am at today, any day!

          You are correct school can be very powerful and help set you up with a job that will comforatbly support you and your family.
          We are taught that jobs give us security.

          What you must understand is I respect and commend those who have worked hard, gone to school, and got a well paying job (like my parents for example). But I honestly feel that it is not the path for me.

          Understandably many will disagree with my position and I completely respect that.

          One of the main reasons I created this thread was to hear not just positive encouragement, but criticism. If I can overcome any doubt or fear in my mind I will be successful regardless of how hard it is or how long it takes.

          Thanks a million for the feedback,
          Chris


          Originally Posted by WebmasterDeluxe View Post

          Not a good idea....I use the internet as supplemental income...I went to a 4 year school for not much money, now make 150k a year....just don't go to an overpriced school only to become a school teacher.......use your brain
          Signature

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      • Profile picture of the author Dan J
        What an interesting post, much of this, if not all, resembles exactly what my life is all about right now. I only got into IM properly 6 months ago, however I did start IM about 2-3 years ago, but with not enough determination, patience, motivation etc. Bearing in mind I was only 17-18 back then, so I guess I was easily discouraged by others when regarding IM. Nonetheless, fast-forwarding to now, I am 20, currently in my second year at Uni of which I have almost, pretty much, quit. I had to restart on a different course though because originally I was studying Accounting (which would save me some accounting fees if I got a degree in it lol), but I didn't like it to be honest, I was out of my depth.

        Now, or shall I say was, studying Business Management...did I like it? Nope. Am I starting to become more in debt? Yes. I haven't made much online to be fair, but there is something about IM that triggers off something positive through my body, I feel like once I start, I can't stop. Never had this feeling in my life. Sounds cheesy I know.

        It is the first thing I think about and the last thing I think about at times. To be quite honest with you, I have never had a full sense of direction on where my life was going to head. I chose to continue onto college and uni simply to buy myself some time...expensive time at that too!

        I wont discourage the fact that my education has taught me many aspects, both in life and academically. However I do not feel that these are the reasons to why someone like yourself who is determined to succeed at IM should have to undertake. Look at it like this...you're 21 right? Whilst all, if not most of our mates are getting hammered, going on some mad, drunken nights, etc...you are building something that will ultimately provide you with not only a sustainable income...but a better quality of life! More time to do the things you want to do, catch up with the time you feel you may have lost.

        I'm a firm believer on having a Plan B in life, kinda hypocritical on my behalf as I haven't actually got a solid Plan B at this time in my life. But everyone has to take risks in life. Risk nothing, Gain Nothing!

        I take my hat off to you. It cannot be easy speaking to your folks about something that does not match their expectations. You just need to try and block that out and if you can, use it as motivation! Prove them wrong! I love my mum to bits, but to be quite frank, I know she thinks im living in my own bubble...but boy is this bubble going to explode into something more than the naked eye can see!

        In life you got to learn more from your own actions rather than others. If it goes wrong, you can learn from YOUR own mistakes, and if it goes well, you can pat yourself on the back. I'm hardly the one for wisdom, but..you get my drift.

        Feel free to PM me. Good luck with your future and I hope things work out with you online.

        *Sorry for the long response, I guess I got a bit carried away lol.

        Dan
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        • Profile picture of the author nickhumph
          Originally Posted by Dan J View Post

          What an interesting post, much of this, if not all, resembles exactly what my life is all about right now. I only got into IM properly 6 months ago, however I did start IM about 2-3 years ago, but with not enough determination, patience, motivation etc. Bearing in mind I was only 17-18 back then, so I guess I was easily discouraged by others when regarding IM. Nonetheless, fast-forwarding to now, I am 20, currently in my second year at Uni of which I have almost, pretty much, quit. I had to restart on a different course though because originally I was studying Accounting (which would save me some accounting fees if I got a degree in it lol), but I didn't like it to be honest, I was out of my depth.

          Now, or shall I say was, studying Business Management...did I like it? Nope. Am I starting to become more in debt? Yes. I haven't made much online to be fair, but there is something about IM that triggers off something positive through my body, I feel like once I start, I can't stop. Never had this feeling in my life. Sounds cheesy I know.

          It is the first thing I think about and the last thing I think about at times. To be quite honest with you, I have never had a full sense of direction on where my life was going to head. I chose to continue onto college and uni simply to buy myself some time...expensive time at that too!

          I wont discourage the fact that my education has taught me many aspects, both in life and academically. However I do not feel that these are the reasons to why someone like yourself who is determined to succeed at IM should have to undertake. Look at it like this...you're 21 right? Whilst all, if not most of our mates are getting hammered, going on some mad, drunken nights, etc...you are building something that will ultimately provide you with not only a sustainable income...but a better quality of life! More time to do the things you want to do, catch up with the time you feel you may have lost.

          I'm a firm believer on having a Plan B in life, kinda hypocritical on my behalf as I haven't actually got a solid Plan B at this time in my life. But everyone has to take risks in life. Risk nothing, Gain Nothing!

          I take my hat off to you. It cannot be easy speaking to your folks about something that does not match their expectations. You just need to try and block that out and if you can, use it as motivation! Prove them wrong! I love my mum to bits, but to be quite frank, I know she thinks im living in my own bubble...but boy is this bubble going to explode into something more than the naked eye can see!

          In life you got to learn more from your own actions rather than others. If it goes wrong, you can learn from YOUR own mistakes, and if it goes well, you can pat yourself on the back. I'm hardly the one for wisdom, but..you get my drift.

          Feel free to PM me. Good luck with your future and I hope things work out with you online.

          *Sorry for the long response, I guess I got a bit carried away lol.

          Dan
          Good to see so many of us in the same situation.. I always felt like the only one. Most, if not all of my graduating class went to university.. although I had every chance to do well in school, I knew what my heart was set on.

          If you have a dream, chase it and never give up on it.

          Still, I feel like I have to have that social life for at least a semester. I mean life is all about experiences right?
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      • Profile picture of the author jhuman
        Only you could discover the value of an education because your experiences are your truths only, nobody elses. And the most important thing is to not lose yourself in the process of figuring out what's right for you - you have to own your happiness.

        People tend to compare things in life on a black and white scale making things extremely distorted. e.g. when Thiel announced that he was going to invest $100-200k toward students to not go to college but instead work on an entrepreneurial venture, this news fed the media to expose the entire premise of the value of education and the value of business in a very poor light.

        Then you have the statistics of college drop out versus college graduate versus their success. How is it possible to equate someone elses hard work and success to your own? Theoretically, there is no possible way to quantify talent, luck, genetics, etc...it's a combination of everything.

        One of the most important things that an education offers is the unique opportunity to experience life in the direction you want your future to go around like-minded people and often times with life-long friends.

        I would ask myself, will it be possible to finish college and pursue my dream? If you were to ask me, if it was worth it (i went back to get my degree) absolutely. Would I have done it differently? yes, I would have focused more on how I could have leveraged the educational resources to springboard my dream forward and search for other like-minded individuals.

        Someone once said to me, "you don't become the title, the money, the "man of the year", the celebrity, the millionaire, blah blah blah, but instead you become who you need to be to satisfy your inner world. Your focus expands the imagination then the imagination will transform you to become that person."
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    First I think you've gotta look at what they're teaching in college. I have a half brother who is 26. He spent nearly 7 years in college and racked up nearly $70,000 in student loans. He has a BA in bullsh!t. Almost all of his courses were pass - fail.

    He took a bunch of nebulous stuff that will do nothing for him in his quest for a career... That is, if he had a quest, which he doesn't. But here's the thing. He's a consumate writer. And like his older brother, me, he has no formal training.

    But unlike me, he's a natural, an artist. He had a feature article in Time magazine three years ago, a full page. That one article could/would set him up for good in life if he'd just take his head out of his ass and recognize it. This kid doesn't even have a resume. Go figure, huh?

    But he won't. And so it goes... By the time he figures out how much he has/had going for him, it will probably be too late. I guess the saying, youth is wasted on the young (or whatever) is true.
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      I agree.

      We are all fortunate enough to be blessed with talents. It is what we choose to do with the tools we have that determines where we end up.

      Much like you are saying, the necessity for a constantly moving target in life is all too often forgotten and ignored.

      Success is what we make it

      Thanks!
      Chris

      Originally Posted by travlinguy View Post

      First I think you've gotta look at what they're teaching in college. I have a half brother who is 26. He spent nearly 7 years in college and racked up nearly $70,000 in student loans. He has a BA in bullsh!t. Almost all of his courses were pass - fail.

      He took a bunch of nebulous stuff that will do nothing for him in his quest for a career... That is, if he had a quest, which he doesn't. But here's the thing. He's a consumate writer. And like his older brother, me, he has no formal training.

      But unlike me, he's a natural, an artist. He had a feature article in Time magazine three years ago, a full page. That one article could/would set him up for good in life if he's just take his head out of his ass and recognize it. This kid doesn't even have a resume. Go figure, huh?

      But he won't. And so it goes... By the time he figures out how much he has/had going for him, it will probably be too late. I guess the saying, youth is wasted on the young (or whatever) is true.
      Signature

      "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
      -Norman Vincent Peale

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  • Profile picture of the author nicholasb
    i'm a high school drop out and that has never prevented me from accomplishing many successes in business and in life.
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  • Profile picture of the author zaco
    I would suggest that you stay in college, not because its the best choice..it is the worst choice lol I took a 2 years IT program and graduated 2 years ago, I understand your point of view and seriously with all these students graduating..the companies are paying people less and less.. you will probably find a job and make 40-50k and that is not what you want + you will be working for someone which sucks big time...

    You should think about it this way, you need a backup plan, it might take you a while to get to the point where you make enough money to support your self or maybe it won't take you a time and you will be making 10k a month thro IM but what if you lose your business? hmmm what are you going to do? you have a house/car/bills.. you need to pay them off or your credit is screwed..

    my 2cents : stay in college and graduate, find a job and get some EXPERIENCE 2 - 3 years and on the side work on your business, if you find its enough then quit..if anything happens after that and the business is not good then you can go and find a job and since you have 2 - 3 years experience then your chances to get hired are way better.. I know you might not like the idea buddy but this is reality , I am 25 years old and I had the same idea you had before, I thought abt it and this was my conclusion, I haven't made enough money online ( I actually lost alot) but I am still determine and working on it + working at my current job which pays a decent amount..
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  • Profile picture of the author stephenwaldo
    Hey there Chris, I thought I'd jump in here since I was in a very similar situation about 3 years ago...

    I was a semester into college and had started actually seeing money from my online ventures when I decided to drop out. The difference between our stories is that I didn't wait a few years to make my decision, which may or may not have been a good decision, but I also wasn't living with my parents and thus didn't have that pressure to stay in school. Here's why I dropped out:

    • I went through the entirety of high school without doing a lick of work and I didn't learn a thing other than how to speak Spanish really poorly, which is a skill I plan on never using.
    • I started college and the trend continued...I didn't learn anything at all and found myself unchallenged, disinterested and spending my time looking forward to being out of school
    • I'd always had a very strong entrepreneurial streak, which still to this day goes hand in hand with a deep aversion to anything perceived as a waste of time
    • I decided that I didn't want to waste anymore of my life than the 12 years required to get a high school diploma on what would likely be 4 years of partying and busywork learning nothing that I couldn't learn for myself on the Internet (that I would want to learn, anyways), so I dropped out
    • I fancied myself (still do) a natural writer, which I knew to be a great skill to have and didn't see it developing faster in college than working for myself.

    And guess what? There hasn't been a single day that I regretted dropping out. Not a one. I haven't even remotely thought about going back.

    However, that's not to say it's been roses since dropping out. I faced some challenges:

    • I freely admit that I had trouble with shiny objects
    • I had to learn how to motivate myself towards long term goals without getting distracted. Honestly though, I think that the current school-model would have only made this worse, since it ingrains a habit of only doing work on someone else's schedule.
    • I had to learn confidence, again, something that I don't think I'd ever have learned in school
    • I had to learn time management, which is somewhat tangential to the first challenge
    • I had to learn that everyone is equal, myself included. I think most entrepreneurs have an elitist streak, but I also think this is counter productive to seeing both happiness and success. It took me a while to really 'get it'.

    I'm sure there was more I had to figure out, but the main point is that these are all lessons that people have to learn without a crutch, and school and its scheduled routine and predictable outcome is a crutch. I'm still working on all of those things, and I know I'll still find more challenges as the journey continues.

    As for the typical arguments people give regarding staying in college, I'll give my own biased opinion:

    • It builds a network of contacts - What do you call Warrior Forum? I've met more legitimate business contacts here on this very forum than I think I ever would have in college. I mean, the Internet is defined by social networking...You can build as many contacts as you want
    • It gives you something to fall back on - If you're an entrepreneur then you already plan on falling back, the point is you can bounce back up. Falling back shouldn't mean giving up
    • It teaches you...[Insert Anything] - In my experience no matter what skill you're trying to learn (outside of science/math/engineering etc, although who knows), you will learn it faster and better just doing it yourself and learning as you go than sitting in a class room and doing homework assignments.
    • School makes you learn how to work hard - No it doesn't
    • School/Education makes you a well rounded person - I would argue that experience and learning empathy towards people makes you a well rounded person. Plus, if you're passionate about what you're doing then you'll never stop learning.

    In the end, I would say that I learned very little from school that I will ever apply in my life. Doing Internet Marketing as an entrepreneur there hasn't in 3 years been a day that I don't learn something new about myself or my business.

    What's more? As I'm learning I'm making money and gaining real life experience...Two things you will NEVER get from under graduate education. Even an internship isn't anything like having a real job.

    Anyways, my 2 cents. I know it's biased. Take it as you will.

    Kindly,
    - Stephen
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    • Profile picture of the author Dennisknows
      Originally Posted by stephenwaldo View Post

      [*]It teaches you...[Insert Anything] - In my experience no matter what skill you're trying to learn (outside of science/math/engineering etc, although who knows), you will learn it faster and better just doing it yourself and learning as you go than sitting in a class room and doing homework assignments.
      Great Advise Stephen. Very good advise

      If it's one thing I've learned, it's that you can get a colee education for free. With the amount of audiobooks and written literature in the world (written by other successful people), it's a complete waste if you ask me.

      I've read books by copywriters that were self taught, listened to audiobooks of like minded people that had it rough and rose to success.

      Tim Ferris, Dan Kennedy, Gary Vaynerchuk, and many more. Listen to these guys while driving in your car and it will be more valuable than any college education if you ask me.

      Anybody else feel the same?
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      "May the optimism of your tomorrow fuel your drive for today"
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      • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
        Dennis I know you know haha

        You bring up some very great examples and it's funny you use the words "self taught". Which was actually an explanation I told my parents when I notified them of my plans.

        I believe the ability to teach yourself could possibly be one of the most powerful tools an entrepreneur can have. From a sense that if you can teach yourself how to do anything, what is to stop you from accomplishing anything you wish?

        Very true thanks man!

        Chris

        Originally Posted by Dennisknows View Post

        Great Advise Stephen. Very good advise

        If it's one thing I've learned, it's that you can get a colee education for free. With the amount of audiobooks and written literature in the world (written by other successful people), it's a complete waste if you ask me.

        I've read books by copywriters that were self taught, listened to audiobooks of like minded people that had it rough and rose to success.

        Tim Ferris, Dan Kennedy, Gary Vaynerchuk, and many more. Listen to these guys while driving in your car and it will be more valuable than any college education if you ask me.

        Anybody else feel the same?
        Signature

        "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
        -Norman Vincent Peale

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      • Profile picture of the author nickhumph
        Originally Posted by Dennisknows View Post

        Great Advise Stephen. Very good advise

        If it's one thing I've learned, it's that you can get a colee education for free. With the amount of audiobooks and written literature in the world (written by other successful people), it's a complete waste if you ask me.

        I've read books by copywriters that were self taught, listened to audiobooks of like minded people that had it rough and rose to success.

        Tim Ferris, Dan Kennedy, Gary Vaynerchuk, and many more. Listen to these guys while driving in your car and it will be more valuable than any college education if you ask me.

        Anybody else feel the same?
        I completely agree.

        I love Tim Ferris! Although I think he went to a Ivy league college..

        Love Gary Vanyerchuk aswell!

        Being self-taught is much more valuable that getting information pounded in your head from a lecturer and studying the night before.
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  • Profile picture of the author Osman_M
    Your mindset will take you a long way. School or IM are just tools but its your mindset that contributes to ones success. You have that sorted out not its all a matter of doing it.
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      You are exactly right my friend.

      I know what I need to do in order to get where I plan to be.

      Just gotta take action and stay consistent day in and day out until I can afford to take a long vacation and begin my journey as a full time IMer

      Wishing all the best,
      Chris

      Originally Posted by Osman_M View Post

      Your mindset will take you a long way. School or IM are just tools but its your mindset that contributes to ones success. You have that sorted out not its all a matter of doing it.
      Signature

      "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
      -Norman Vincent Peale

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  • Profile picture of the author Winson Ng
    One step at a time, build a solid foundation 1st and head towards your desired goals. I'm pretty sure you can make it to the top in no time at all in whatever you do !!

    Icons like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg are the best examples for the description above. Study their behavior and their methods of their success business models and apply it to your future business.

    Cheers,
    ThinkMaverick
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    Information to guide start-up entrepreneurs to grow and strategically manage a small business online, using market researched Intelligence.
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      Great advice Winson!
      Sounds stupid but everytime I watch the movie Social Network I get pumped about my IM business haha

      Cheers and best of luck to you,
      Chris

      Originally Posted by Winson Ng View Post

      One step at a time, build a solid foundation 1st and head towards your desired goals. I'm pretty sure you can make it to the top in no time at all in whatever you do !!

      Icons like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg are the best examples for the description above. Study their behavior and their methods of their success business models and apply it to your future business.

      Cheers,
      ThinkMaverick
      Signature

      "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
      -Norman Vincent Peale

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    • Profile picture of the author millionairemoney
      First to OP,

      You're bright. College is a systematic thing that has been ingrained in us. Profiteers have completely exploited the concept to the point where it is very hard to come out ahead on a cost/benefit analysis - especially with a graduate degree.

      I pay $1,300 in student loans a month and not all of the interest rates are fixed so my loans could go higher. A lot of students - and even parents - when they borrow think of student loans as more friendly but they're actually the most ruthless loans out there as they cannot be extinguished - even if you file for bankruptcy. If you don't pay them, your parents are on the hook (most kids must get their parents to co-sign to borrow).

      That said, go to undergrad and take practical courses and ones that expand your level of thinking in different fields. You will most likely gain valuable knowledge.

      If you don't continue the college route, continue to educate yourself anyways in different areas.

      My recommendation: Go to a state college and have a lot of fun --- a lot, a lot of fun. Take courses that sound fun and interesting to you while majoring in something business related like marketing that you can apply to IM. PLUS, it's not like you can't continue IM while you go to school.

      Second to whoever this was,

      You know all those confused losers in the Occupy Wall Street and whatever movements? They all say things like "capitalism sucks because I have a big student loan and no job."

      This isn't the core message out of OWS. Although there are different voices within the movements, the main message is better summarized as we're tired of the government teaming up with private powers and stealing money from the citizenry.

      The overwhelming majority of OWS are not losers. That's the mass media portrayal designed to take attention away from the fact that the OWS movement is a lot of regular people that are tired of being exploited for the gain of politicians and corporations.

      I'm glad people are rising up and saying NO MORE. Damn, have they not robbed us enough? The OWS people should be commended for at least standing up to the very open and abundant deceit, fraud, and corruption in government and Wall Street.
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  • Profile picture of the author dagaul101
    These day and age, it's always a good idea to have something to fall back on
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  • Profile picture of the author Beven
    I'm in my final year of college and I know what it feels like, wanting to control your own life and not be pushed around by people who don't really know you.

    I also find it frustrating when I get ripped for not having a job, even though I earn the same if not more than my friends :/

    Keep at it though dude and congrats on the moneysss
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    • Profile picture of the author Fred Young
      I think it's great that you have ambition and know what you want to do. Being twice your age, though, I will tell you that life doesn't always turn out the way we want, even if we work hard and persevere.

      My advice, for what it's worth, is to stay in school and get your degree.

      Here's my reasons:

      1) You've only got 2 years left and you can work on IM while you finish your degree.

      2) It's always a good idea to have something solid to fall back on and although people will say that a college degree doesn't mean much anymore, I disagree.

      If you have a degree in underwater basket weaving, then yes, it's probably useless. However, if you pursue a degree in a useful field, it can make a huge difference if , for some reason, you can't work for yourself and have to get a job.

      3) Like others have said, you can form some great relationships and make
      some good contacts.

      4) Lastly, but most important, don't ever cheat yourself out of life building experiences or your youth for the sake of money. You're young, enjoy yourself, enjoy the college experience. The money will still be there in a couple of years.

      That's just my opinion. Good luck to you on whatever you decide.
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  • Profile picture of the author danstelter
    Sounds like your mind is made up! I say go for it. I have always hated working jobs because I've never done well at them. I feel too much pressure to have everything done just so and can't deal with the neverending stream of crap that comes in my direction no matter how good I do.

    In the freelance arena, I've found that people mostly appreciate what I do, and it's possible for me to choose who I want to work with.

    I've got a 2 year degree, a BS, and an MS, and I plan on doing my own thing at all costs. Your parents may not realize the potential ceiling of a business is much higher than a job in most cases.

    It's just a different lifestyle. You probably value independence and freedom, while they value rule-following and structure.

    It's my belief that if you work hard enough at anything, it'll happen for you at some time. It sounds like dropping school and being an entrepreneur is the right choice for you. You have my best wishes!
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  • Profile picture of the author Casper C
    If you don't want to be in college, you shouldn't be. I think you're making the right choice for yourself. Nobody should go to college for their parents. Sure they've done plenty for you, but you can pay them back once you're doing well for yourself in something you truly want to do. My parents haven't always agreed with my decisions, but I've always understood that I need to be my own man if I'm to succeed. The quote you included in your post is a great one.

    Many legendary entrepreneurs dropped out of college to pursue their dreams. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerburg... look what they achieved

    However, there are many successful entrepreneurs who went far in education, and some whose success even came from their education, e.g. Larry Page and Sergey Brin of Google. They developed the first version at Stanford, and would have never even met if they hadn't been studying. You can very much argue that Google is a result of higher education. College can be a great place for entrepreneurs to meet others like themselves.

    Still, you're following your heart and making the tricky decisions in order to do so. Best of luck to you.
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  • Profile picture of the author K Meier
    Studies have shown that many successful entrepreneurs that became millionaires are college dropouts.

    Just look at the leading companies in the IT industry.

    Bill Gates, college dropout and founder of Microsoft.
    Steve Jobs, college dropout and founder of Apple.
    Mark Zuckerberg, college dropout and founder of Facebook.
    Michael Dell, college dropout and founder of Dell.
    Sergey Brin & Larry Page, (technically) college dropout and founder of Google.

    Most major and game changing companies in the IT world are founded by college dropouts.
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    • Profile picture of the author Fraggler
      Originally Posted by K Meier View Post

      Most major and game changing companies in the IT world are founded by college dropouts.
      OR

      Most major and game changing companies in the IT world are founded by people who went to college (and good ones at that).

      Do what you need to do to reach your goal. What's the worse that can happen; is it really that bad; what's your plan if the worse case scenario does happen?
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      • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
        As fluffy as it sounds, there really is no worse case scenario.

        The way I see it is, I have a job that pays my bills and I will continue to work my job until I a have a reached my initial desired level of success. Then of course grow from there! Always.

        It's really quite simple. I have a goal, and I will continually work and learn at whatever level is required to meet with success.

        Will Smith once said "why have a plan B when it only distracts from plan a"

        Cheers my friend, truly wishing you the best!

        Chris


        Originally Posted by Fraggler View Post

        OR

        Most major and game changing companies in the IT world are founded by people who went to college (and good ones at that).

        Do what you need to do to reach your goal. What's the worse that can happen; is it really that bad; what's your plan if the worse case scenario does happen?
        Signature

        "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
        -Norman Vincent Peale

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  • Profile picture of the author ry6782010
    Originally Posted by FitnessNut View Post

    That will be me in 1 month.

    It's not because I am making enough money online to fully support myself.

    It's not because I "think" I can make it.


    It's because I know the value of school and I know the value of determination.

    I am a complete entrepreneur at heart and I will die before I spend the rest of my life working for someone else. School is great for most people, and society teaches us that.

    But what society does not teach us is how to choose a future as free as we dream.

    What do you guys think?

    My Short Story

    21 years young. I learned about internet marketing 3 years ago. Slowly learned for 2 years, then started getting into it. 3 Months ago got serious (kinda). Last month saw my first real money online ($670). I come from a very educated family who believes school is the answer.

    My parents like my entrepreneurial spirit but no matter what school comes first. And coming from a parents point of view I get that. Still living under there house I feel obligated to be in school but really do not apply myself as I am constantly distracted with my ideas for my business. It's all I think about.

    Come January 1st I will be moving out and fully supporting myself (bar-tending job) in order to fully pursue my future. I know what I want and I know that nothing can stop me from getting there.

    Any parents out there please leave your input!

    Everyone's advice is greatly appreciated

    "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
    -Norman Vincent Peale
    Glad to meet a fellow college drop out like yourself! . I'm 23 and I dropped out of community college last year. I had wanted to go, but, meh. Hell, even before I started high school, I had plans to sell stuff on Ebay. So, I guess like you, I've always had that entrepreneurial spirit.

    As George Burns once said: "I'd rather be failure in something I love, than a success in something I don't".

    I think also part of the reason I actually chose not to go college was Steve Job's commencement speech. Really got to me.
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    • Profile picture of the author Chicago87
      Hi,

      I am 24 years old, I went to a good state university, I was in a honor society, and I am currently working as a paper pusher making chump change.

      I wake up at 6 am and I don't get home until 7-8 pm, that is 13 hours! If there was a way out of this I would take it.

      Having said all that, I was glad that I went to a good university and got my degree even though it isn't doing much for me right now other than a 5 figure debt. I feel it is one of those things you just have to experience in life.

      I am currently trying to generate other means of income, with one of them being IM.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dennisknows
    One quote

    "Fortune favors the bold"

    I want to commend you on your decision. I WISH I had a mindset like you when I was 21. I was just getting settled into my "work for someone" lifestyle. It took me til 25 to wake up and realize what you saw at 18.

    College is a ripoff. Yea it works out for some but I dont like the numbers. Especially now with the college degree not meaning what it did 5 years ago. I have friends in college and I hate to hear their stories of them not knowing what they're going to do when they get out; because they decided to trust in a system that was designed to keep us from living free.

    Your parents may not like your decisions but you have to live your life or you'll deprive yourself of the most important part of what being truly successful is.. Happiness.

    Times have changed. Most successful people are college dropouts and most of the ultra-successful that finished college dont use their degrees.

    It takes a masters degree to get ahead now because everyone has a BA or an associate degree. You can get those online. Pay enough and you can print them like the government prints money.

    70k of debt to work for someone else making enough to barely afford the "American Nightmare" while also paying off the 70k is not appealing. Luckily for people like us, we figured it out early.

    I remember my old job sent me a letter in the mail telling me that if I worked for them until I was 60+, I would have 125k waiting for me in my 401k. Are you freaking kidding me?

    We want to enjoy our freedom NOW, not 45 years from now...

    Do your thing and I wish you the best. Check out my eBook, The Definition of Success. I can almost guarantee you'll love it. It talks about just what you're going through. You can get it at dennisknows.net.

    Best wishes
    Dennis
    Signature
    "May the optimism of your tomorrow fuel your drive for today"
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  • Profile picture of the author vtotheyouknow
    Being young it's hard to surround yourself with people your age that have the same mindset.
    You alluded to one of the best piece of advice in the Universe - surround yourself with successful people, inspired people and people who are going places. If that means moving to another city and saying goodbye to your friends for a while, that's the price of your future. Are you willing to pay it?

    Good luck!
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      Can't be stressed enough!

      A prime example of why people fall victim to the norms of society. Surrounding yourself with positive motivated people helps mentally propel you towards your destiny.

      You say: "are you willing to pay it?"

      My response: "I'm willing to die for it"




      Originally Posted by vtotheyouknow View Post

      You alluded to one of the best piece of advice in the Universe - surround yourself with successful people, inspired people and people who are going places. If that means moving to another city and saying goodbye to your friends for a while, that's the price of your future. Are you willing to pay it?

      Good luck!
      Signature

      "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
      -Norman Vincent Peale

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  • Profile picture of the author Will Edwards
    Originally Posted by FitnessNut View Post

    "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
    -Norman Vincent Peale
    Well, if my son had your attitude when he was your age, my reaction as a parent would have been ... delighted! It's rare to see that kind of focus in someone so young.

    Good for you! Go for it.

    And good luck.

    Will

    PS Nice quote too.
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      Thanks Will, really appreciate the positive feedback!

      I feel that mindset is everything, and what separates success from failure and our perception of such.

      Wishing you great success,
      Chris

      Originally Posted by Will Edwards View Post

      Well, if my son had your attitude when he was your age, my reaction as a parent would have been ... delighted! It's rare to see that kind of focus in someone so young.

      Good for you! Go for it.

      And good luck.

      Will

      PS Nice quote too.
      Signature

      "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
      -Norman Vincent Peale

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  • Profile picture of the author ThereIsAlwaysHOPE
    Consider yourself lucky to be blessed with such strong will , eagerness and courage. Not many out there can do what you are pursuing. I believe you will make it big one day. Just get up quick when you fall and you'll be ok
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  • Profile picture of the author tayuyaa
    I think no one has the answer, as for me here what I think because I'm in the same situation.

    I think it depends on what it is that you want. What do you want to do in your life. If you are at school learning how to become a doctor but you want to be a lawyer than there is no point staying at school and graduate, you must change and do what you want to do, lawyer.

    I'm sure you get my point, if you're goal is to become an entrepreneur, be your boss, create companies, become a salesman, than you need to learn all of this, you can go to business school, read books about salesmanship, marketing, management, copywriting, all the skills you need to know to become good at what you want to do. Of course if you can find a school where you can learn all of this then you should go there and study, or you can learn by yourself and work as a salesman or sell affiliate products as you do now. All this process makes you become stronger and stronger at what is it that you want.

    So first of all define what you really want in your life and I'm sure you'll do whaatever it takes to get there.



    to your success!

    PS- I gotta go to school now leaning Italian
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  • Profile picture of the author sudheerdunga
    Hey Pls tell me the process how you made money. I am confused of seeing lot of products in the market. Thank you in advance
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      What I've done is created niche affiliate sites for new and existing digital information products. So basically what you know as review sites.

      I have had good success ranking for long tail keywords, which bring the majority of traffic to my sites. (with little to none off page seo)

      Sorry for the vagueness. If you have more questions send me a pm I can help you out!

      Cheers,
      Chris

      Originally Posted by sudheerdunga View Post

      Hey Pls tell me the process how you made money. I am confused of seeing lot of products in the market. Thank you in advance
      Signature

      "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
      -Norman Vincent Peale

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  • Profile picture of the author vpunch
    Do what you love doing and what you know will make you happy and successfull.
    Signature

    Jonathan Perry - VaultAffiliates.com Affiliate Manager

    TOP OFFERS - HIGHEST WEEKLY PAYOUTS - 24/7 SUPPORT

    PM Before Signing Up
    http://vaultaffiliates.com/sign_up.html

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  • Profile picture of the author SandyDuPlessis
    I am a parent of three "children" all of whom are in their 30's.

    This is pretty much the same general advice I gave to them.

    Whatever you choose to do work-wise, if possible make sure it is something you can do working for yourself rather than for someone else, simply because there is very little secure employment available.

    Having decided what you want to do in life you need to study those subjects that will assist you in setting up your own business. e.g. you need to study business practices and finance as well as studying/apprenticing to be a plumber, doctor or IMer (or whatever).

    Learning basic accounting or bookkeeping might seem boring, until you realize that this is part of a learning curve required to ensure the success of your OWN business. It is not really any different from learning about SEO or the ins and outs of CPA marketing. (My brother lost his business because he was too "clever" and didn't think it was important to fully understand the money side of his business and his bookkeeper took him for a six figure sum).

    Put a business plan together as well as a study plan. You will need to work on them in tandem.

    The study plan is to give you a guideline of what you need to learn in order to create a successful business.

    The business plan is for the steps you need to take in order to ensure success rather than failure. (you are likely to find that there are some things you don't understand - those will then have to be added to the study plan)

    The choice is yours and yours alone as to whether you decide to leave school or not at this stage. Do remember though that for every action you take there WILL be a reaction.

    It is important to consider all possible outcomes. If you do "A" then "x", "y", or "z" will occur. It is important to ensure that you have clear plans in place to deal with each of those options as well as for the options that will result. You need to figure out what you are going to do at least five steps ahead, rather like a chess game.

    Once you decide to go it alone expect to struggle. Whether online or real world, a business remains a business and it will take time to achieve success. Don't expect anybody to be there to bail you out. The world owes you nothing. So make darn sure you have a back-up plan.

    Having said all that, I wish you every success.
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  • Profile picture of the author Law guy
    I would stay in school a couple of more months to see whether your online income increases. $670 after 3 years is not something to be proud of, let alone drop out of college for.
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      I think you may have missed the point. I "learned" about IM 3 years ago does not mean I took action three years ago, or even 1 year ago. I started taking action in the past few months, and now I see what the potential is for me here.

      Along with the 2 other businesses I own (pressure washing/personal training).



      Originally Posted by Law guy View Post

      I would stay in school a couple of more months to see whether your online income increases. $670 after 3 years is not something to be proud of, let alone drop out of college for.
      Signature

      "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
      -Norman Vincent Peale

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      • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
        Thank you Sandy!

        Your advice as a parent is greatly appreciated. The main points you touched on are very important. I think having a plan is the #1 thing, and having a direction. Along with the education side of things as far as it concerns to a business.

        I will be sure to continue learning the things necessary to make each aspect of my business a success, as well as grow as a person.

        Wishing you nothing but the best,
        Chris
        Signature

        "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
        -Norman Vincent Peale

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  • Profile picture of the author ASouth03
    I can completely understand you when you say you are a entrepreneur at heart because I am 100% that way myself. I did attend college but new that all I ever wanted to do was be my own boss. When I graduated I didn't even look for a job I just went out and started a business and did very well for sometime. Then when things got tough and my business wasn't supporting me like I had become used to I was forced to get a J-O-B and if it wasn't for my degree to fall back on i would have been seriously in trouble. Now I have a good job making good money am able to grow a new business on the side. I definitely recommend you following through with your dreams of owning your own business but even more I would recommend finishing your education. You are still young and will have plenty of time to pursue your dreams.
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  • Profile picture of the author leespitzer
    You can try to apply for Peter Thiel's entreprenuer scolarship.
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  • Profile picture of the author Elluminati
    Finishing school doesn't guarantee anything. It makes you more well-rounded as a person. Lord knows, I struggled with finding a good-paying job after I finished, which lead me to pursue my own business and it has worked in my favor. Best of luck to you : )
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  • Profile picture of the author Bruce Myron
    I'm 40 years older than you are and quit my last job before you were born. I've been working with small businesses since then doing computer programming. After I got out of college I realized that computers were the coming thing and I had two choices.

    1. Go back to college for a computer science degree.
    2. Get any job I could in the computer industry and learn as I worked.

    I took option 2 and have never regretted it. I have won many competitive bids against people with computer science degrees and have found that what trips them up is they seem to have little imagination or creativity when it comes to designing programs that are simple, inexpensive and flexible.

    I'm a firm believer in education, but I think that most colleges these days do not educate. Instead they kill your creativity!

    If I were you I would dump the bar tending job and go to work for an entrepreneur. The biggest advantage you have right now is the ability to live cheap. If you can keep your expenses super low, you will be able to take jobs that might not pay that well but will give you an incredible education in how to put businesses together and how they make money.

    My plan was to stay with each job at least a year, but not longer than two years, unless it was what I wanted to do long term. I forced myself to keep visualizing the environment that would help me the most and, when I met a business person that seemed to be doing what I wanted to or had skills I knew I had to develop, I would find a way to work for them.

    I changed jobs five times in six years and, by the end of that time, quit my last job and started working from home. I had my second "college degree" - and that is the one that makes all the money!

    One final thought - prepare yourself for one more thing: being happy from the start. I think that what makes people happy is not necessarily success, but being on the way to success. When whatever job you are working at now is not just work, but a part of your success path, it becomes something completely different. The other employees are just putting in time but you are using this job as part of your plan and you are in control!

    Go for it!

    Bruce
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  • Profile picture of the author scraig
    You have to keep believing! "Whatever the mind can conceive and believe the mind can achieve".
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    • Profile picture of the author FitnessNut
      Man thank you guys so much for your support I can't tell you how much it means!

      Life is what we make it
      Signature

      "Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
      -Norman Vincent Peale

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  • Profile picture of the author Hoodyy
    I have had similar thoughts in the past, but far more conflicting.

    I'm currently half way through a degree in Engineering, which is also a passion for me so I decided to keep with it and it allows a good route to fall back on if ever I try to go full time with the IM.

    What I will say however is that my degree has helped a lot. I'm currently working a placement year in industry and although in an engineering company I've managed to secure a project manager type role. I have only been here for 4 months and already have learnt such a great deal about business, managing people, managing tasks etc. I think the aspect of my job which involves me working with people all over the world and seeing how different cultures operate and think has opened up my eyes to a much bigger picture.

    Of course, you can get experience like that in other jobs and in life in general. However, it was my education that allowed me to get this job and since starting the job (and actually having less time to work on IM), I've actually started making more money.

    Bartending may not offer as useful experience for use in business / IM.
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  • Profile picture of the author bitriot
    I would stick around and get my degree (I did). Wanting to make it on your own is an honorable goal and the reason we are all here, but in the event you need something to fall back on, a college degree will help phenomenally.

    When google decides to dump all your sites, you will be glad you have a wider range of options for a day job as you work to get your online business back on track.
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  • Profile picture of the author nickhumph
    Hey so it's been almost two years! What happened?
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  • Profile picture of the author katequinn1983
    Banned
    I understand what you mean. I have graduated University and it is almost impossible for me to find a good job. However, I think you shouldn't give up college. You never know when you need a diploma. It is just a point of view. The decision is yours.
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