School of Thought No matter what you studied, your education can help guide you.
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Did you know what you wanted to be when you were 21? Were youone of those "born to be an BIZ Experiences" types? I knew Iwanted to be a journalist--that's why I attended the renownedMissouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri,Columbia--but I sure didn't set out to be the editor of abusiness magazine.
I was reminded of this last night when I attended my first-everMizzou alumni function (yes, it took me 31 years after graduatingto show up at one of those events). In addition to the alumni,about a dozen students from the university were there, all membersof the advertising club. As they introduced themselves, most ofthem told us what they wanted to do/be after graduation. I'msure many of them won't fulfill their current dreams.
That's not necessarily a bad thing. Some of us may know whatwe want to do when we're that young, but many of us don't.I suspect most of you didn't set out to be BIZ Experiencess. Sincethe average age of BIZ Experiences readers is 39, most of youdidn't have the option of studying BIZ Experiencesship incollege--there simply weren't a lot of options. It may be alittle late for you, but if your children want to follow in yourentrepreneurial footsteps, clickhere and check out our 3rd annual ranking of the nation'stop BIZ Experiencesial programs.
As I chatted with my fellow J-school graduates, I realized thatmany of us had detoured from our original paths--some just a bit,while others headed in completely different directions. WhileI'm a practicing journalist today, my "sequence"major was broadcasting. In fact, I hated the one magazine course Ihad to take. This being Southern California, several of the alumniwere (naturally) trying to break into show business. One aspiringscreenwriter told me that studying journalism taught him thateverything can be edited, and that helps him in his currentendeavors.
All of us have learned things in the past that we may think haveno value in our present lives. But think again. As I mentioned, Imajored in broadcasting. Though I'm not a broadcaster today,the skills I learned 30-something years ago have still come inmighty handy. I've been a guest on Martha Stewart Living,Oprah and the Today show. Once, after a TV appearance,the producer remarked on my comfort on camera. I'm certain if Ihadn't spent two years of my life studying broadcasting, Iwould be a little more camera-shy.
Think back to your own student days. Some of the skills you weretaught may come back to you naturally; others might require a bitof practice or a quick refresher. (Relax--I don't mean you haveto go back to school. Sometimes just reading a book or a magazinearticle might do.) Learning doesn't stop when you're handedyour degree. One of the positives of getting older is the moreexperiences you have, the more knowledge you have to draw upon. Asentrepreneurs, part of your job is to keep your eyes and ears open,to adapt other industries' best practices as your own and toremain flexible--ever ready to turn on a dime. And I'll lendyou two skills every journalism student learns: Always listencarefully, and never stop asking questions.
