Growing up in a household where both parents were teachers, I was encouraged to follow the traditional path: go to school, get a degree, and land a stable job. This mindset was ingrained in me from an early age, and for a long time, I adhered to it. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, believing that formal education would pave the way to a secure and fulfilling life.
However, once I entered the workforce, I quickly realized something was missing. Despite having a good job, I often felt unfulfilled. I wasn’t living, I was merely existing. This unsettling feeling led me to seek answers through books and self-education. The more I read, the more my perspective on life changed. I began to see the limitations of the traditional path I had been following and recognized that formal education had shaped the way I thought in ways I hadn’t even realized.
Formal Education vs. Self-Education: A Diverging Path
Jim Rohn once said, “Formal education will earn you a living; self-education will earn you a fortune.” This quote encapsulates a fundamental truth I came to understand: formal education is designed to prepare you for employment, not necessarily for success beyond that. It trains you to think within the confines of a particular framework, often leading you to believe that the only path to a secure future is through employment.
In many ways, formal education can be limiting. It doesn’t encourage creative or entrepreneurial thinking. People who drop out of school are often forced to think outside the box, to create their own opportunities because they don’t have the safety net of a degree to fall back on. This forces them to be innovative, resilient, and adaptable—qualities that are crucial for entrepreneurship but are often stifled by the rigid structures of formal education.
The Employee Mindset vs. The Entrepreneurial Mindset
Robert Kiyosaki, the author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, once said, “In school, you learn to get a job, but if you want to be successful, you must learn to think beyond a job.” This perfectly summarizes the difference between the employee mindset fostered by formal education and the entrepreneurial mindset cultivated through self-education and life experience.
In many societies today, discussing entrepreneurship in contrast to formal education often stirs controversy. People are quick to argue that being an employee is a safer, more reliable choice, with the most common argument being that “entrepreneurship is not for everyone.” While I agree that not everyone may choose to be an entrepreneur, I firmly believe that anyone can be an entrepreneur. No one is born an employee or an employer; we are all born with the ability to choose our own path.
The Cage of Formal Education: A Bird Born in Captivity
It is said that “A bird born in a cage thinks flying is an illness.” This metaphor perfectly illustrates how formal education can confine our thinking. It conditions us to believe that the only way to succeed in life is by following a predefined path: go to school, get a job, and work until retirement. This approach may provide stability, but it often leaves little room for innovation, creativity, or personal growth.
Entrepreneurship, on the other hand, encourages you to break free from this cage. It allows you to see beyond the limitations imposed by formal education and opens up a world of possibilities. However, stepping into the unknown can be daunting. The fear of failure often holds people back, but as the saying goes, “If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.”
Dependency vs. Freedom: The Power of Choice
One of the key lessons I’ve learned is that formal education often fosters a sense of dependency. It prepares you to be dependent on a job, a boss, or a system. This dependency can be comforting because it provides structure and security, but it also makes it easier for others to control your life. You become a dependent, someone who relies on others for their livelihood, and this can stifle your ability to think independently or take risks.
Entrepreneurship, in contrast, is about freedom. It’s about taking control of your own destiny and creating opportunities not just for yourself but for others as well. It’s about recognizing that you have the power to shape your own future, rather than being a cog in someone else’s machine.
The Invisible Prison of Employment
Did you know that the best way to keep someone in prison is by not letting them know they’re in prison? This is precisely what happens when we settle for a job without ever considering the possibility of something more. We convince ourselves that this is the only way to live, and we stop questioning the status quo.
When you work for someone else, you are helping them push their mission forward. You are contributing to their vision, but you have no control over it. You can’t change it or make it your own. There’s nothing inherently wrong with being an employee, but at some point, you should also aspire to be an employer. If you stay in a job for 45 years, how do you expect the younger generation to find opportunities? How can you help others if you don’t create opportunities yourself?
Breaking Free from the Fear of Failure
Many people are afraid to start their own businesses because they believe they have to do it all by themselves. This is a misconception that formal education reinforces. In school, we’re taught that working together is cheating, and that success comes from individual effort. But in the real world, cooperation and collaboration are key to success.
People also grow up with the belief that for them to succeed, someone else must fail. This scarcity mindset is another byproduct of formal education. In reality, there is enough success to go around for everyone. Each person is unique and brings something different to the table. The more we learn to share opportunities and work together, the more we can all succeed.
You Were Born for More
You were not born to simply go to school, get a job, pay bills, and die. You were born to do more. Don’t settle for a life of mediocrity just because it’s what the majority of people are doing. Don’t follow the crowd. Be different. Dare to dream bigger and strive to make a difference in the world.
Formal education has its place, and I’m grateful for the opportunities it has afforded me. But I’ve come to realize that it’s not enough. It’s up to each of us to continue learning, growing, and expanding our horizons. Self-education is the key to unlocking your true potential, and entrepreneurship is one of the most powerful ways to achieve the freedom and fulfillment we all seek.
In the end, life is what you make of it. You have the power to choose whether you want to be the head or the tail. As for me, I choose to be the head.
