Simple Lessons to Succeeding in Education and Business

Like many others in America, my education officially started in pre-school. It continued through college and into the business world as a working professional.

Why should you listen to me? I am honored to have graduated from one of the best colleges in the world and worked at one of the best global firms in my chosen field in my early years of education and business. Also, I care about the success of others. I would like for you to be successful and have an exciting future. From personal experience, having a sense of accomplishment and a mindset that you can do anything that you put your mind to are some of the greatest feelings in the world.

To follow these simple lessons to succeeding in life’s early years, you do not need to be from a wealthy family or particularly talented. Success is possible in everyone.

These lessons may not apply to everyone. I challenge you to read the lessons below and see if they work for you.

Thanks to my mentors, hard work and college internships, I was able to successfully obtain a full-time entry level position after college graduation. Shortly after new hire orientation, I worked directly with individuals at various firm levels. For instance, managers, senior managers and partners. These individuals are typically significant because you primarily work with them and they review and evaluate your performance (which can relate to your promotion, annual salary increase, etc.). Also, many of these individuals were my professional mentors and role models.

The main lesson here is: they deserve a little bit of your time getting to know them while working with them. Hear them out and build a positive rapport. You can learn from their experiences and technical knowledge.

The second lesson is even simpler: work hard. I have found that when working really hard on a project and making someone else’s life easier, it usually did not go unnoticed.

During college, some of my classes were big with hundreds of students in one lecture hall, making student-professor interactions a bit intimidating at first. I learned to adapt and began building a rapport with certain professors and/or graduate student instructors. I would sometimes ask a question or two during class or office hours, lead a class presentation or seek feedback. To me, I was showing the professor and/or graduate student instructor that I was engaged and they were usually aware of that.

Professors and/or graduate student instructors are significant for obvious reasons. Importantly, they help determine your overall G.P.A. which may indicate your ability to achieve to potential future employers or graduate schools. Again, the first simple lesson is: spend a little bit of time talking to and getting to know them.

Again, the second simple lesson is: work hard. While your major and future plans may be uncertain during college, it is a good idea to start planning ahead and raising your G.P.A for potential future opportunities. Click here to learn about transitioning academically to college.

What simple lessons helped me succeed in High School?

Interacting with High School teachers. Being a college-bound student, I would overcome my shyness and let them know of my goals and the extracurricular activities that I was involved in. My High School teacher interactions, whether it be listening to and taking action on extra credit opportunities during class or seeking feedback to improve a certain grade during breaks, typically led to a better overall G.P.A. and fun roles in activities like acting during a student play and competing in an academic decathlon.

High School teachers are significant because they help determine your overall G.P.A. which is one of the many areas potential colleges and scholarship programs consider when evaluating your work. It is worth allocating a bit of time talking to them while studying hard.

Where did my success in High School start? My answer: Junior High School.

My 8^th grade English teacher was very nice and encouraging. She created an environment that made me feel open and excited to learn in her classroom. Her class was the beginning of my interest in Honors and Advanced Placement English classes once in High School. Also, reading mystery books during library hours sparked my curiosity for knowledge. I still remember a handful of teachers in my early years who truly inspired me to pursue education as much as I have so far. I am grateful for their positive influence.

I was inspired to pursue education in as early as Junior High School. In fact, Junior High School is where I first heard of my dream college and I remember thinking, “that is where I want to go.”

Where does success in Junior High School start? Elementary School? How about Elementary School success? Kindergarten? You probably see where this is going.

It is worth noting that, if you are interested in becoming successful during your early years, you can simply Google search on the Internet, “How to be successful in College,” for instance and you will find information to help get you started. Also, generally speaking, people are willing to help you if you are willing to reach out for help.

While these lessons are simple, they are worth reiterating. Over time, we discover that we are responsible for our own success. We learn this by consciously studying our environment. Beyond your own motivation and hard work, the interactions with significant individuals plays an important role in achieving success during your early years of life. I would encourage you to start by reading and talking to others. Be confident – you will have an exciting future.

Best of luck!