How to shut the mouth of those people who says "YOU DON'T HAVE A DEGREE"?

Well, you really shouldn't worry about what others think. That said, 4 figures per month isn't anything that's going to support a family, pay insurance, pay bills, taxes, etc if those 4 figures are $1000 (or even $2000) per month.

However, if your income is stable and sufficient to support your lifeystle, your taxes, your insurance, your family, etc, then that's cool. That said, if you ever fail (and most do) at IM, what are your fall-back plans? Is the line of work you studied for something that requires a degree?

If so, you should continue to pursue the degree, regardless of what others think.

This is a challenge for a lot of us. Your parents should be happy if you are happy. Eventually, they will give in. Just follow your dreams and the money will follow.

Listen to your parents, get your degree and get on with it... Unless you've got other backup options.

I've been in a similar situation to yours, when I was in my last years of high school I was making some full time income and I thought that I was the man and that money would be coming in forever. I totally shoved off my school and focused on making money and now I'm regretting it.

The money I was making didn't last forever, and when it stopped coming in I was absolutely screwed because I had no job and no education. I had to go back and re-do some things to make sure my school was in order and I'm now also going to get a degree.

Things may seem bright now, but always have a plan B man.

get the degree. it will give you a lot more flexibility and options later down the road. i never thought I would use my degree because I always thought I would have my own business.

Turns out I couldn't start my own business fresh out of college so I had to to resort to look for a job. Finding the job was real easy because of my degree. So what I did is that I started my own business in my spare time , at the same time that I had my regular 9 - 5 salary.

Well if you can get your degree and still accomplish your IM goals, then why not. But a degree is not everything. Heck, Bill Gates and Mark Z from Facebook don't have degrees and they're doing pretty well (but remember that's the exception and not the rule!).

The real benchmark -- degree or not -- is your success. Some measure that by your bank account others by your position/station in life. In the end, it's up to you to decide what's right for you.

I'm asking as the person here closest to your own age (probably) - just a question, but these things are different in different places: what would you have to do, to get it? Re-take the whole of the last year, or just part of it, or just re-sit the exams for it, or what? If you don't mind my asking ...

Well, I suspect maybe you do a little, sometimes, on some level, just from the fact that you're asking/starting a conversation about it with a bunch of strangers, perhaps?

So they don't, but maybe sometimes they do, a little (perhaps understandably)?

I don't think I quite agree with Marcia's observation above that you can't control what other people say: on an issue like this, I think you can, sometimes - at the very least, you can influence whether they continue to say it, and occasionally even change their attitudes to it and behavior around it. Information can sometimes change what people think about an issue, and changing what they think is certainly going to change what they say?

Yes don't worry what other people think. Just do what feels best to you (easier said than done I know).

At the end of the day getting a degree is a good step because you never know what might happen in the future - e.g. Google buys the internet and locks it away in a cupboard.

Good luck in all you do, keep your own counsel.

you sound like you have been spoiled your whole life. Stay away from negative people....

Just have fun with it. I tell people I'm a "digital-crack-dealer". And just grin. Sometimes I tell them I run a very upscale, exclusive escort service (I have a lot of female friends and they're over the house a lot, one neighbor thought I was a pimp, so I let him believe it for a while....lol). And then I just grin. Sometimes I tell them I retired at age 15 when I inherited part of the Walmart fortune (people actually believe that one sometimes....haha).

Your self-esteem shouldn't come from what strangers or acquaintences think of you. I wouldn't spend another second of your life worrying about it. Let them think that you need a degree (for whatever reason) and focus on improving yourself and your business.

RoD

"School just teaches you how to work hard for money."- Robert Kiyosaki

@ Alexa Smith

Yes I need to retake next year and then get into the college. So another 3 to 4 years to do it.

@All

Ofcourse I will be doing my degree. Not leaving studies. I am actually doing a course which is completely unrelated to Computers/Internet Marketing. I have interest in both ofcourse. But I gave more priority to IM.

And no I wasnt born with a silver spoon in my mouth and I am not a spoilt guy. We are middle class people which I happened to change in last 2 years by working hard. 2k a month is HUGE here. The average salary earned here is 300 to 500$ a month. So you can guess...

You don't need a degree to be successful, but if there is any doubt in your mind that you will regret not getting your degree now, then you should do it.

I am 30 years old, and I am just now working on getting my degree. I could have gone to college right after high school, and I had actually planned on doing just that, but I ended up making some choices that caused me to put college on the back burner. Because I am doing it now, I have to go part-time, which means it's going to be a long time before I ever see that degree and can put it to use.

My point is, you can always go later or not go at all, but it is wise that you go now while you're young and don't have other responsibilities that will get in your way. Later on, you may regret that you waited.

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you much happiness and success. Try not to let what your family is saying get to you. Ultimately, it's your decision to make.

I have a friend who always wanted a degree but instead he just ended up with a title. It's Sociopath... That shuts people up pretty quick. :rolleyes:

Hi,

Get a degree. You won't regret it.

Especially when that degree matches the needs of the industry as well as enhance your knowledge of the industry you're in. The more you read, the better your mind works and when you talk, people can feel it. You're the kool guy to them.

Do it part-time. Most part-times require you to attend classes 3 times a week. Why not? You gain more friends, you grow your network and you get to socialize. You get to share your experience. Enjoy it.

Some part-time degrees may need you to spend about 3 to 5 years to complete. By that time, you're 26.

You get the status of the Young and Educated plus Rich. Not young and educated plus a whole lot of school debt to pay.

That would be a fun time where you have grown your business well, then you might even go for an IPO of your company.

The value of that company is not only on the income the company gets, but also in profile of the people behind it, including yourself.

You won't get those offensive-looking smirks from other Highly Educated Board of Directors afterwards. You're at par.

So think big. Lots of good things waiting.

You definitely do NOT need a degree to be successful I can not tell you how many of my friends got degrees and didn't even wind up using them. So honestly when people bother you about it I'd just tell them to STFU. For me the pressure never seemed to stop. I got my bachelors then my parents started asking "when are you gonna get your masters". Like they weren't even happy I got my BA.

So I go back for a couple more years and get my masters. Then guess what they want next? "So when are you gonna get your doctorette.... your cousin gianna has one... she's doing really well for herself right now blah blah." That was the point I basically told them to STFU and that getting more degrees wouldn't make me feel any less lost about my life. My parents didn't want to hear it but it was true. I kept doing all this study and research on human behavoir, I LOVED doing it, but I did NOT want to do research for a living so tried the counseling route.

Then I decided counseling definitely wasn't for me. I got very tired of listening to people complain about their problems all day and it NEVER changed. Always the same stuff day after day and people seemed more content to whine about their lives than actually do something about it.

This was when I noticed that *I* need to do something with my life, so I quit my job.
I wound up working as a cashier, with a masters in psych, and that is a feeling you do NOT want to go through. Every single day I had to fake a smile like I gave a damn that customers saved $.50 on their huggies... its not a life I think anyone should have. Cashiers are robots with no souls.. and thats the person I was becoming. I almost wanted to go back to counseling at that point even though I hated it.

Long story short I wound up coming here, and warrior forum completely changed my life. I NEVER had ANY idea what I wanted to do with my life, untill I found these forums. Which makes me wish I found them back when I was in college, as I would have probably dropped out and got an earlier start.

My degree DOES help me a lot though I won't deny that, so I can't really say its useless. Was it worth the $28 grand (I got lucky and had a few grants) I'd have to say maybe. Although my friends who didn't get grants wound up being in debt around $60,000 and I can't honestly say that would have been worth it. College is expensive as hell but apparently it proves to people that you have motivation. Funny thing is I've met so many college graduates who sit around all day smoking pot and have no motivation whatsoever in life.

So with that said, don't worry about your parents. They most of all just want to see that you are CONFIDENT and HAPPY about your life, and if you can really convey that to them, you will notice they'll eventually leave you alone. The REAL reason my parents use to bother me was because I admitted a lot back then I didn't really know what I wanted to do with my life, and that bothered them. But the second they saw me doing work that I actually liked, they left me alone.

I can't say your parents will be exactly the same, and the reality is still till this day they manage to nag me in one way or another. But their parents and its really just their job. You appease them in one way and they just find something else to complain about. A great example of this is now they don't complain about school, but the fact I don't have a gf. "When you gonna find a girl?" blah blah. So I decided that was not a can of worms I wanted to open and just told them I was gay.

Keeping a straight face didn't work though as my dad began to laugh, so I threw my hands on my hips and got insulted.

Now however it has become a game and I love it, because it bothers the hell out of my parents. I was at my brothers engagement party last week, and my mom thought it would be cute to ask me in front of all her friends "when are you going to start seeing girls?". I think she thought I wouldn't use the gay excuse in front of family, but she was wrong.

She has not asked me again in about a week now, but we'll see how it goes. So really, if your parents keep nagging you to go to school, tell them you want to sell drugs on the internet and make a real living. They won't want to ask you again soon, I guarantee it.

-Red

If you're going to get your degree, get it before you have kids. Trust me. As far as the family dynamic goes, scale up your IM earnings well enough while your cousin is in school that you can offer him a job when he graduates. At some holiday/family gathering before his final quarter or whatever, say "Hey, I could use somebody; why don't you come work for me?" Even if you know he'd never do it, you'll get your point across.

Buy a car. And whenever they ask, don't you have a degree, tell them, "No, but I got a car. Do you?"

Sumit.

Your folks and your relatives sound extremely backward. I have the same problem. I have a degree, but I stopped working in the job that was related to my degree. I am treated like a jobless bum for working from home.

If people are primitive enough to think that a degree in this day and age holds some huge value, then you'll never convince them otherwise. In my opinion, you have 3 options:

1. Kill them all. No, I mean - get away from them, go live somewhere else and associate yourself with like-minded people.

2. Ignore them. Reach a zen-like state (read Ekhart Tolle's work) and be unaffected by the opinions of others (this is my personal goal).

3. Get the degree

Trying to convince these people that your way is better will be a fruitless endeavour.

Unless you're interested in a college degree, it's a prodigal waste of time and money!

And it's patently BS that college is any "once in a lifetime opportunity!" Many of us have gone back to college mid-career - and it's a hell of a lot easier if you can afford tuition and all expenses out of your own pocket and still have more "walking around money" than most on campus (including your professors and most staffers)!

Technology (and the Internet in particular) has largely commoditized the traditional perks and benefits of being a college student. No doubt there are severe weaknesses in social media, but no worse than yjr campus cliques = and elitist snobbery always knows no boundaries.

Two grand a month is simply naive, but if you can make two grand you can make seven to ten.

You've also got to think long term. too, and take into consideration all the worst case scenarios. Build your business so it pays you whatever you want and have it pay for all the fringe benefits - train it go fully on autopilot, provide you with a nice gold parachute just in case, yada-yada-yada.

There's really no limit to what you can accomplish beyond the limits you set for yourself or allow others to set for you. Ignoring the critics and doomsayers is you first milestone before you can chart your own course to where you want to go with this.

I posted up a quote of mine on my blog some months ago and a friend happened to see it.

The situation went a little something like this:

-----------------------------------

Blog Post: "I hate people who have a degree. They tend to say things like "I've got a degree"".

Friend (frantically messaging me after reading blog): Hey, cheeky! I've got a degree!

Me: I rest my case.

-----------------------------------

It should not be the fact what others are telling. What you are feeling is the key area you have to work. If you feel you need a degree you can go for that without spoiling your present income. To me, a degree is nothing but a status, a place of mental satisfaction. If you think that is important, you have to try for that.

Don’t get a degree just to make your relatives shut up. Even if you get a degree, the aunt will keep comparing you with her son. Realize that those people are not your well-wishers; they are just passersby who make no difference to your life. Your PARENTS make all the difference. So, get a degree if you feel doing it will make your parents proud and happy.

I would also like to say this ~

"Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've had everything to do, and you've done it." (Margaret Thatcher)

It’s YOUR choice. Ask yourself - After, say, forty years from now, will you regret that you chose not to have a degree? If the answer seems foggy, go get a degree. Else, appreciate yourself for having accomplished this much at such a young age.

All the best!

I learned more in 5 months than most will learn in 4 years at college. A degree is not required to be successful.

Well, because everyone else is quoting...

"If you want to get laid, go to college. If you want an education, go to the library." - Frank Zappa

Doors open for those pieces of paper, but you don't have to have them to succeed. There are countless people who have made damn good livings without going to college, or after dropping out.

It's sad that these degrees have become a status symbol instead of a simple way to prove you have an advanced education. I know several people with degrees. Doesn't make them any better than the people I know without them.

Do what you feel you need to do. It is your life, not theirs.

You can't control or influence what other people are doing or saying. People will always say things
like that for all the different reasons. Pay no attention and move on, they don't know any better.

Stay on your path and get good at what you are doing, and when time comes that you are deciding
whether to buy a boat or a house, and they are stuck in dead-end 9-5 and struggle to pay the
bills - see who's laughing then.

A degree is NOT required to be successful... However, having a degree is an accomplishment for yourself, only if YOU place value on it.

I've been running businesses since I was 16 - 17. By the age of 20 I was making six figures WITHOUT a degree... Have confidence in your beliefs and commitments. If you want to make your parents happy, get your degree... If not, don't do it.

The beauty of life is that we've got the power to make choices. Whether they are good ones or bad ones, our life still goes on. I can tell you this from experience, one of two things will happen in your life:

1. People will hate on you for what you have or have accomplished...
2. People will ask more of you because nothing is ever good enough...

Do what's in your heart and screw the rest. People will always be people and they will always have something to say. Accept that and move on with your life.

All the best!

I left high school with one month left, never got my GED. Was making $50K a year managing gas station when I was in my 20's in 1985, bought my first gas station in 1990, owned 6 locations until 2007 and left that industry to become full time Internet Marketer.
I am sure college may have helped me on some business management decisions but just wanted to share that IMO, you don't need a degree to be successful.

This doesn't apply to everyone who posted here, but it's funny how it worked out:

I can almost guess the age of 80% of the posters in this thread just by their response. We had a few players in their teens, but I don't think they were from the US or UK; quite a few in their 20s; and then us old people who were 30+.

At 18, I went to Georgia Tech to get a degree in Computer Science. At 19 they told me that I wasn't good enough and I needed not come back. I went to a little private school called Truett-McConnell College for the next 18 months and was bored completely out of my mind. I aced every single class I took and I hardly opened any books.

So I quit and got promoted at CVS Pharmacy to assistant manager, then store manager by the age of 22. I was making $35K a year in 2000 and I was happy.

<-- snip the long story -->

I failed and couldn't find a job because I had no degree. This was right after 9/11 and it was tough. So I found an entrepreneur who took a chance on me, and I ended up with my own business in 2004 making $150K a year. That lasted until 2009 when the economy crashed.

Still no degree, no savings, nothing because I was stupid. So I crashed again.

Now I'm working my way up in the IM world, but I'm taking the time to get my degree. I'm 16 years into a 4 year degree, but I only have 18 months left. I took out $13K in loans this last year to pay for 2 semesters. The way this summer's looking, I won't be taking out loans anymore.

But I'm getting the degree as a backup plan so I'm never left hanging again. The degree is in I.T., so it's semi-relevant to what we're doing here, and it pays well if my IM career stumbles or doesn't get to the point of being self-supporting by the time I'm done with school.

It's not about NOW; it's about TOMORROW. Plan for it because it will get here so much faster than you know.

bust your ass off making money in IM then buy a nice house or car and show them buddy!

While it is true you don't need a degree to be successful, it IS a great thing to have even if you just keep it in your back pocket for emergencies. I currently do not have a degree though I have had a couple of years of college. When I was in high school my dream was to be a firefighter. At 17 I joined a volunteer department, and by 22 I was the full-time Asst. Chief of my department. I was then asked by the mayor to accept a promotion to city manager, which I accepted. I ran the day-to-day operations of an entire city at age 25 with NO degree.

However.....

I lost my appointment to that position last year due to political differences with the administration. I now work as a Basic EMT on a private ambulance making half of what I made before. This is because after a year of living off my savings and looking for a comparable job and salary, I couldn't get one. The number one reason I couldn't is because I have NO degree. Thank goodness I still had my EMT license, or it could have been less.

So, yes, you can work your way to success from the bottom up, but a degree will let you restart on the middle of the ladder if you should fall. Think of it like a "save point" in a video game. You never have to go further back than that.

You don't need to shut their mouth, you shouldn't listen to what they are saying.

You are an independent individual and thinker, so choose your own way to success. Sometimes it can be tough to keep going or do something different than your family expects from you, but it's the only way to make things happen.

Do what you want to do, not what others want you to do!!

I think results speak more then anything and by having great results and success you can make them not only shut up their mouth but regret too that they are not in your shoes. Also, you shouldn't care what people around you say, just mind your own business and work your way up.

Based on my observation and experience, a degree, a title, a PHD after your name or whatever symbolic title you may call it, is not a pre-requisite to success. When I was still an employee, I had workmates who got PHDs after their names, I have none. Today, I'm earning their 6-month worth of salary in just a month.

Am I just lucky enough? No!
Is it just a coincidence that I earn better than them? No!

So what is it that makes me succeed? It's knowing that I cannot afford to know all the answers. I just know so little about so many things. I just need to find the ones who know the answer and have them work for me. I have the entrepreneur's mindset.

Just my two cents.

If you have passion and knowledge and ability to work hard then get out of here and dont hear anyone and to focus on adding '0's at the end of your monthly earning and bank it.

Its not always good to hear only, if you got something to show. Show it where needed, its not called show off (ofcsly dont show aggressively or disrespectful manner)

I'd just go ahead and get a 2-year degree. It's just as good as a 4-year degree in terms of pay. If you don't plan on using it anyway, then it would be a sound choice. And once you get the degree and find a well-paying job, you can throw it back into their face every time they bring it up with how much you make. "Uh, I only make $20 an hour, what about you?" They should respond with, "Oh, I make about $15 or so..." and then they will start to rationalize on why it doesn't matter how much money anyone makes. Bullocks if you ask me!

The good news is that classes are now online and you can get a degree in just about anything. It's also cheaper online as well.

If you do decide to get the degree and you want those folks to shut up, make sure you choose a decently reputable university. Trust me on this, people still won't shut up if you went to a community college (which are perfectly fine if you ask me, and still get you the same pay anyway!). This is just how life works.

We wish you only the best, so get your game on!

Hi imer101,
Don't worry about what other people are saying. Follow your own nose. Do not go with the masses because that is what is bringing this world down to misery. All great things have been created by single men and women.
Do well,
Truls

I once worked for a very wise man and as we were traveling from one location to another, he pointed at a man who was walking down the sidewalk in our town.

The man was wearing an old T shirt with Holes in it, and Bib Overalls, his shoes were old and he had on an old straw hat.

As I looked at the man I was sure he was probably homeless, without a penny to his name so I said "You know he looks like he is down on his luck"

My Boss, turned to me and said that man is one of the wealthiest men in this city, he owns over 5000 acres of land, he has more buildings and offices, which doctors and lawyers rent from him, he is one of the top three most wealthiest men in this town.

I sat there with my mouth hanging open thinking about how I had totally misjudged the man because of what I thought about the clothing he wore.

My boss then turned to me and said he has a 8th grade education and never went to college and he is one of the happiest men I know...

The truth is I never met this man, he does not know me and if he did he would not care what I thought about him at all.

I have no academic qualifications to my name, I've never failed an exam because I've never sat one - but equally I've never failed an interview - always got the job!

@Tim:

I don't think anyone questions that it's possible. The argument that I make is that the man in the bib overalls is the exception, not the rule.

@peewhy:

It's great that you always get the job but the bigger question is how many employers never even contact you because of your lack of a degree? How many high-paying opportunities have you missed out on without even knowing it?

In my experience your early 20s are some of the hardest years of your life.

So much pressure from everyone around you...

Hang in there!

And as a suggestion...

You always have the option of selecting your own friends.

Maybe ditch them and go find some friends who are more accepting of you.

And at 21 you're now an adult and it's officially OK for you to not listen to a word of what your family has to say.

@wolfmmiii

Good observations, ever since that day, I have always wanted to be the guy with the attitude and the pocket book of the man in those overalls, I dont actually wear them but I think about them every day, not the clothes mind you but the mind set, nothing ruined that mans day, not what anyone thought about him or what they didn't think about him, its a way of life like you said that few achieve

this thread has become a pleasure to read so thanks for sharing your problem..

This is an interesting question. I come from the other side of the spectrum (i.e. I have an A.S. degree in Computer Science and am studying for my B.S.). That said, you can easily point out some of many well known individuals who never got a degree, some of which even dropped out of either college or highschool. Here's a huge list:

100 Top Entrepreneurs Who Succeeded without a College Degree | YoungEntrepreneur.com

Personally I don't think my degree has helped me at all (well maybe a little, but a marginal amount) in entrepreneurship and IM. It's mostly just a piece of paper.

This is fear of the unknown.

People fear the unknown, they do not know
what internet marketing is. And that's why
they'll never succeed.

Why not build a completely legit business
using the Internet, and wave the cash in
front of her? I'd bet the tables will be flipped.

I mean - past that age, degrees don't
matter anymore. It's all about the income.

Winston Tian

Degree is not at all anything , it's just a 0 for name sake , if you take in my country , the top 20 richest people or top 20 people in power (politicians) are like with no degree , including the head of the country...and if you take most of the college owners here , they will be without degree...degree is nothing my boy , what we do in life , how we enjoy our life really matters..

To the Original Poster

(in case some may not understand the usual designation of OP)

LIfe is what you make of it, there will always be many that never fully appreciate or even understand life, they run around so concerned with the cares of becoming successful or wealthy that they never even realize that success is not measured in how much money you have or how many cars you have or how big your home is.

Success, is about what you do with your life…

Never allow anyone to belittle you without your permission.

If you do not have any spare time, make spare time.

Find something positive to do every day.

Pursue the truth, Pursue life, Pursue love, find the place where you want to be and stand in that place.

The truth is that most people do not know much about life because they have not lived it, they are quick to give out sage advice but they often have never experienced adversity or even a life changing experience, oh sure they will tell you story after story but most of the time they are just stories, when life becomes real they are the first ones to start crying in a helpless wreck of humanity.

Never let what someone says make you feel small because only you can do that to yourself.

Everyone should try to get an education but that is not the definition of success, just consider Steve Jobs, the man was an obvious success, in the material world but all the money he had, by all accounts over 8 billion dollars and counting, in the end he was unable to take it with him.

So, sadly I do feel sorry for some that only define success by what they have or what they can get, Success, is something that is different for many people, I live in a home that is paid for, I live in a place that is full of peace, I have the cattle on a thousand hills right in my back yard.

Yes, I am wealthy, Yes I am successful, I will never compare with Bill Gates or Steve jobs in terms of money or what the world views as success, but never forget that in this world what others think about success does not matter at all.

It is only what you think and do with your life, as the famous man said, some of the most happy people in the world collect garbage, and stink to high heaven, you will not find them on this forum, you will not even find them at the corner bistro.

But in terms of happiness and success they are every bit as successful as Bill Gates and far more happy.

Face life with a fresh breath of air, keep your center of life around you and the ones you love, hold your head high and know that in life success matters only to you and your family.

That is the real story here, not arguing or fussing about irrelevant points that make no sense.

Keep the faith and you will be successful, because success is never what most people think it is.

I read the thread just partly, but I've seen someone saying that some successful people didn't have a degree, pointing to Bill Gates and the guy that owns Facebook.

They might not have a degree, but they have what a degree gives you: knowledge. It doesn't really matter in the world of business if you have your knowledge from a school, or by learning on your own.

I see a lot of people confusing school with some ticket to success, when in fact the school gives you the knowledge that gets you the success. If you can figure out that knowledge without the help of a uni or school, then, at least in business, it's the same.

I hope someone didn't say this before.

And OP: life's too short to care what others think about you, really. Leave this part for the after life when you'll have nothing else to do.

Good luck!

Ignore them and stick to what you are doing. You don't need a degree to be successful in this world. Get the book "The Millionaire Mind". It details a few great stories about very successful people that never even graduated from high school.

Schooling is for some, but not for others and even if you did get a degree it wouldn't mean you have any more earning potential than you do now.

I used to date a girl that was in the process of getting her degree in English and she wanted to become a writer. At the time I was a full time bartender/server going from job to job trying to get my internet business off the ground. She always doubted that I could be successful online.

She finished her degree and couldn't find a job worth taking, so she ended up serving in a bar in Chicago. Me, on the other hand, I am a full time writer, working from home and making triple or more a month compared to what I used to make as a bartender/server.

There will always be skeptics and doubters. They are mainly jealous people and at the end of the day, you only have your own life to live. Do what you want and ignore those that think what you do doesn't make sense. It's not your fault they can't grasp the idea of making money online.

Benjamin

I have a BS in science. Truth is, it has not helped me any. Well, I took a lot of management and economics. Like those are easy "A" course. Yeah, we gotta keep our gpa up. Sadly, that does not put bread on the table for us. Keep on plugging away. Life is never any easy.

i tell myself all the time "who cares what other people think. if i ever did, i wouldn't be where I am today." because everyone will doubt you when you try to make it without a college degree. a lot of my friends used to laugh at my dream but I don't see anyone laughing anymore.

just keep doing your thang

Money talks, but the fact remains no matter how much money you make social standing effects a lot of people, reading your story mirrors my own experiences, but you should use their ill words as fire to the wood, but never under estimate the value of the education.

Dont other about them. Work hard in IM and make your money. Buy a flashy car and drive your family to these families one at a time visiting. Make sure they see your car.

Take your job serious no matter what it is.
The most important thing is your "attitude".

You don't need to have degree to succeed in IM or even in life.

In this economy, in most cases, college is the biggest waste of time/money ever. What's the worst thing you can do in a depression? Get into debt....what does college require? Debt.

You don't have to get a $20,000 student loan to eat pizza and smoke weed all day.

From one of your responses, it sounds like you and continuing on with your degree. That is good. Once you get it, then the weight of people's opinions are off of you.

However, friends, family, and strangers will always try to make you look small so that they can look big, if only in their own minds. Try to look beyond this hurt and let your success speak for itself.

Never lave your head down , so what if you dont have a degree , a lot of rich/ important ppl dont have one or they bought it.... Do what you think it's necesarry and dont live your life by others ppl ideeas

Throw some cash at them and tell them you will pay them to go away.

Or you could just do what many the billionaire has done... go and make a few bill, have a cracking party, invite them around and then say "Ha ha!"

You can always study in your own time and get your degree, whether my attending full-time college or night classes etc.

While you may not see the benefit of it at the moment and it's great that you making a good income it would be handy to have as back-up should anything go wrong. As for people talking about their sons/daughters etc. I wouldn't worry about them - people like to boast, it's just a fact of life.

Just concentrate on what your doing, enjoy what you do and get your degree if/when you really want one.

get a degree..

Desire > Degree

(NOTE: I am NOT saying that a degree isn't worthwhile)

The first thing to do is ignore them. They're advising based on a worldview which is the result of years of societal programming and it's nearly impossible to unwire...even if you want to. Second, start demonstrating results. Results beat degrees any day. Third, watch this video series:

Well, you really shouldn't let what other people think bother you or have any weight. The important thing is to get a degree only if you think this is the only thing you can fall back on after IM. To be honest, it takes quite a lot of expertise to be proficient in IM and businesses indeed hire people who have this skill, despite the degree. Something to think about!

The most powerful thing you can do in this situation is to create and enjoy massive success in your life without a degree.

Its not what they say or want, its what you want.

A lot of successful people didn't make it through the four walls of the university but ended up hiring people from Masters & PHD e.g Mark Zuckerberg.

Am not saying school is not good, myself am a drop out, i regretted it and still haven't given up on it yet. I intend enrolling for Information Technology in the next few months, i know i don't need the CERT for anything because i already have a focus and plan for the future which didn't come from school but natural ability to recognize diamonds in the rough. If you have the guts, you can do and undo with or without a BSC.

A very interesting issue you touch upon there.

Degrees aren't nearly as important as the education they bring and the personal skills they impart.

Having graduated as electrical engineer 15 years ago, I have NEVER had a day-job as an engineer but chose internet marketing as my career instead.

That said, my engineering degree not only added to my confidence that I can accomplish whatever I put my mind to, but also going through the whole college routine for 4-years taught me some personal skills that help me to this day. It's an added bonus that electrical engineering background comes in quite handy when one's dealing with bits and bytes in the internet (marketing) world.

Here's my 2-cents:
With the plethora of opportunities internet brings to your home, degrees are certainly over-rated anymore. However, make sure you don't overlook 'educating' yourself about this life, people, and this planet in general.

Best of luck in your endeavors.

This belongs in the Off-topic forum or at Yahoo Answers.

I'd shove your bank account statement at their faces, while saying: "I'm sure you'd trade your degree certificate for my bank statement, wouldnt you? So STFU already!"

I am a mother of three and I would always encourage my child to work towards your degree. What can it hurt? You can still do what you are doing and go to school. I think education is very important! If you have the opportunity to get your degree do yourself a favor and get it. You may never use it but it can never be taken from you either.

Getting a degree is so highly over-rated it blows my mind people still repeat the mantra. You should ONLY get a degree if you want to have a licensed profession like a doctor, lawyer, nurse, etc..

Otherwise you join the millions of under-employed people whose degrees mean squat in the real world. You're better off working as an apprentice in a profession that has advancement potential.

Most 18 yr olds would be better off doing that. They could start at $20-25k and when they would "graduate" they would actually be employed and highly employable at $40-60k with great experience.

I used to have an offline business. If I had to pick between a guy doing something for 4 years or going to college I'd pick the guy in the field everyday. Most employers feel that way right now.

One more thing... over 80% of people who get degrees don't stay in the field they got their degree. The question then is... could they have gotten that job without their degree? Yes they could!

All I have is an Associate's degree and I do very well for myself so far be it from me to say a degree is "required" to be successful. That said, I know for a fact that there are doors within my own company and others I've worked for (and haven't worked for) that simply aren't open to me becasue I don't have a 4-year degree.

I think there are many in this thread who are confusing their own views and those of the business world at large. Just because you (directed at nobody in particular) feel that a degree is useless or not necessary or a waste of time/money, doesn't mean the business world at large does.

If you are going to advise against a degree, at least support your position with verifiable facts. It appears there are far too many folks in this thread doling out advice they are not qualified to dole out.

I'm not from US. I my country its impossible to have a job with out a degree. Some times its so so hard to have one with a degree. Therefore we can not imagine a secure job life without a degree.

Living well is the best revenge man.

You don't need to prove anything to anyone. Just quietly go on doing what your doing.

Ignore their comments and continue what you're doing.

The fact is, you're in a great position and letting their ignorant comments affect you will only stop you from doing better.

A simple advice. Do what you do and do it the best way possible. Haters will always hate. In this case your friend with good salary and house, are they happy? I bet they aren't that is the main reason, why they are jealous of others.
Just forget about them and focus on IM.

You shouldn't be asking or defending whether you do a degree or not; you should be thinking about what your current goal is and whether a degree will help you reach that goal.

And there is nothing wrong about not using your degree - dreams and goals change all the time. You might even come back to it as you find yourself.

It also doesn't matter if you end up needing a degree ten years down the track either - just go and do one ten years later.

The question should be what do I need to get to being a teacher, pro-surfer, landscape gardener, run an internet based business selling jellybeans, or another <goal>.

Education is just another industrial complex. America has been brainwashed into thinking a degree is necessitous for your success; however, in my reality, education is mostly a for profit business. Not that I take issue with that if people aren't savvy enough to come to that conclusion on their own.

If your trying to study something specific like being a brain surgeon then yes, go to college... you'll need a degree.

Ignore them!
Buil your own little bubble and be happy!

Speaking as someone who has obtained a degree from one of the leading universities in the U.K and has struggled to find a job since leaving, I would say that a degree is severely overrated. Still, I'm glad that I hold a degree, and university was certainly fun.

Perhaps if the U.K wasn't in such an abysmal state economically, my degree would prove to be useful. But with me having spent all my time working towards a degree, rather than having acquired relevant work experience, I can understand why employers want to hire people who have both. In fact, employers prefer applicants who have solely amassed experience, unless you have a 1st from Oxford.

Shaqile O'Neil made millions his first year in the NBA, but as soon as the season was over, he went back to LSU to take summer courses. He eventually got his degree.

Do I think you should get your degree? Yes. Do I think you need to do it as quickly as possible? No.

Get your degree, but do it at your own pace. Forget about what others think. Ten years from now, most of those people will be out of your life and you will be living the life that you designed for yourself.... at your own pace.