Climbing up the corporate ladder!
What exactly does making it to the top of the ladder mean? What are street smarts? What is book smarts? Does passion make you who you are?
I could go on and on with these questions, but with my experience, passion beats both Book smarts and Streets smarts and without passion, you're essentially waiting to intellectually die. Passion is what made Steve Jobs and Bill Gates whom they are today. Forget how rich they are, as it has nothing to do with money but with passion.
Passion makes you want to push yourself to the limits, go further than the person next to you. Any Olympian can give all of you a life lesson on #Passion, if it wasn't for their passion, they would never have been qualified. It's not about Gold, Silver or Bronze but it's about being passionate about your business, what you do, who you work for, you too can too be an Olympian!
Bill gates dropped out of University to follow his passion. Some of you might not know, but Bill also worked for Steve Jobs! Windows would not be around if it wasn't for Steve or Xerox would it? Bill just had the bigger vision, built a platform anyone can manufacture passion and hard work on and released it to the world! IBM never saw it coming, but Bill did!
Anyone ever wonder why Apple has a chunk missing? A huge bite ripped out of it's fruit? People, that's what I call passion! Steve was removed from his CEO status from Apple and started another company by persuading investors. This company was across the street from Apple and in front of it: a Pirate Flag. In no time at all, he reinvented Apple and created Macintosh. I'm not historian, but Steve has passion and that's why he's where he is today!
What kind of education do you needs? Are books really required? The answer is not as simple as the question. Yes and no, Yes you need to be educated and proper coaching and schooling will take you close to your goal, but honestly, your passion will take you to the limits, Books or no Books! If you're passionate enough about what you do, nothing will stop you to get to where you want to be. But let's face it, blogs, internet sites, books and mentors can help you get there twice fast and make you succeed far quicker! (Notice how I'm not employing the word University?)
I've learnt over the years that someone passionate about what they do succeeds far further than anyone else whom crosses their path. As passionate people are then seconds ahead from any competitor.
At 15, my father had me skip school and replace him as he was under the weather and needed someone to make sure the operation was flawless. That day led to three straight days! My father, Richard Belec was sick for the first time in over ten years. That year, my grades at school went from a C to an A+! I learnt what passion was the hard way. I still remeber until this day, Madame Sivigny telling me my father did not no Business. Madame Sivigny, you're so ignorant, look at me now!!! After eleventh grade, I managed ten employees, most of them much older than me, did the purchasing, sales and collecting, I trained new staff, did some head hunting and became a well known Photographer in Montreal. I worked 20 hours a day, had no home and slept at the lab! My dad had me continue my schooling shortly after my triumph in Photography where I quickly earned my Masters in Photography. This is where I quickly realized University taught me terminology, exact science, but none of my success could have been without the passion in what I loved!
Look, no matter what you do, be happy, surround yourself with people who love you and push yourself to the outer limits!