21 Things I Learned When I Was 21

I. Loving ourselves must come from within. It takes personal effort and determination. It takes consistency and most of all it takes faith.With faith we can trust we will not fail. With faith we can believe in better days. With faith there is hope. What more could we need?

II. Reading is the best use of free time.

III. Taking a bubble bath and hitting the sack early on the weekend does not make you a loser.

IV. The hardest things in life are often the best things in life.

V. Maturity often comes with age...

VI. Insecurities and feelings of inadequacy bring out the worst in people.

VII. Some perspectives can only come with experience.

VIII. It is possible to overcome bitterness. 

It is possible to no longer think about the past.

It is possible to no longer care!

It is possible to be so incredibly grateful that,

*that person* is no longer me.

IX. I genuinely learned the secret to happiness.

X. Tender mercies and miracles are a real thing.

Twenty-one brought so many of them.

XI. Maya Angelo was right. 

“Have enough courage 

to trust love one more time...and always one more time.” 

The next time could be the right time. 

Take my word for it. 

XII. Knowledge is power.

XIII.Loyalty is the key factor in friendships. Without it, friendships simply won’t last.

XIV. Books are still the best kind of friends.

XV. Family is truly the most important thing in life. I am grateful every day for the family that surrounds me. Also, kids will always need their parents. I'm not sure if that's good news for them? But it sure is for me.

XVI. Spontaneity shouldn't be so stinkin' spontaneous. Make it a regular thing. Live with the fever called adventure!

XVII. My desire to travel the world only grows more with time.

XVIII. My heart still (wait for it) belongs in Kualalalala Lumpur

XIX. I'm terrified to be a father, and terribly excited at the same time. I don't know how that works, but it does.

XX. You will never have regrets if you react in kindness. 

Always, always be kind.

Especially when they don't deserve it.

XXI. My instincts sucks. So so much.

Thank you 21 for bringing me the people, experiences, situations, and circumstances that I needed. You have taken care of me. You have protected me. You have loved me. And I will cherish the time we spent together far more than I could have imagined.

Dear 22: I can tell we are going to be the best of friends.

Let's do this.

Be Limitless.

 I've been asked: How far can I go without a college degree?

As far as I want to go. The possibilities are endless. Muahahahahaha........hmmm.

Now, let's get realistic.

A college degree in the information age is very necessary and crucial requirement for success in life. Most jobs and careers require a college degree of some kind. However, this does not mean that success in life is unachievable without a college degree. This article is not to encourage you not to have a college degree. It is just a way for me to say that don't ever underestimate your own self.

Frankly, it is depends on what you want to do and where you want to go. For some jobs having a degree is a prerequisite, you cannot get anywhere without it. Say you want to be a lawyer. If you started at a company as a law clerk and someone thought you were bright they might offer to mentor you but you cannot practice without the piece of paper. In some areas it may be just be impressive but not a prerequisite. However the degree can not offer you knowledge/skills about the area that can assist you ... and what's more many people recognize that and promote people who have done the degree.

But other achievements can take their place, or connections, or just really good luck. And in some areas all those connections and luck etc really mean more than a degree or qualification. Are you wanting to get in an area where walking around and making friends with people, or practical knowledge you could gain by traveling or showing off great designs will mean more than a whole bunch of theoretical courses or a PhD.

You really need to know what path you want to take NOT  "how high can I go?" which is very vague.

And please, don't start to compare yourself with Bill Gates. We all know he has no degree BUT he came up with a good idea. What made him rich wasn't his not having a degree, but his good idea, and his millions of dollars in his trust fund, his parents having direct links into IBM, and being a bonafide genius. If you think you are as innovative as Bill Gates then by all means don't do a degree. Sometimes, or in my case you just have to make do with what you got.  

Probably people who do just want to get to the very top, and get there, have a good idea of their strengths and weaknesses and play towards them – are they good at getting high grades or do they really hate study or are they better at other things like networking, and figure out which pathway suits their personality and strengths, instead of just trying for what seems to get the most people the furthest.

I believe the only difference between a degree-person and a non-degree-person, is that it'll take the non-degree person a lot longer to move up the ranks than a degree-person. There are many possible routes to the same destination – some are more difficult or time-consuming than others, and not everyone reaches the destination following a chosen route. 

The opportunities for professional growth and wealth are limitless. With that said, you may not be willing to invest in a college education, but I hope you’re willing to invest in YOURSELF.  If you plan to develop your career, be prepared and ready to study and learn more. All successful people share the mindset of focus, determination, and openness to change. If you’ve got that, then you can go anywhere. One thing that I know is that honesty and hard work will (eventually) get you somewhere.