Career

Your Career Isn’t Off-Track. Here’s How You Can Forge Your Own Path

Let’s be honest, the one-size-fits-all path to a “good education” is starting to show its cracks. Today, learning is more decentralized, accessible, and thankfully, more affordable than ever.

Sure, if you plan on flying a plane or designing a bridge that doesn’t collapse, please, by all means, go to school. The world desperately needs you to get that formal degree. But for many of us, the path to success is no longer confined to lecture halls and years of study and debt accumulation. You can learn almost anything and become very good at it with a lot less of the prerequisites required before.

As you may know, I didn’t take the so called “scenic route” through a formal university education. I mean I tried but I quickly realised that it wasn’t meant for me. My journey was more of an off-road adventure, marked by some bold choices and more than a few bumps in the road, which I’ve shared a bit about before in a GQ article. The most crucial decision I made was to reject the standard-issue career plan and tailor-make my own education.

During this challenging process, I developed a three-step framework that continues to guide me in my career. If you’re feeling a bit lost, I hope this article can help you find some direction.

 

Step 1: Research Like Your Time Depends on It (Because It Does)

Ever bought something, only to find it for half the price five minutes later? That feeling is what happens when you commit to a life decision without doing your homework.

Before you invest your two most precious resources—time and money—you have to do the research. This isn’t just about Googling “best online marketing courses” but a deep dive into who you are, what you actually want to do, and the most efficient routes to get there.

 

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” – Benjamin Franklin

 

Google was a huge help during this process. I searched with the intensity of a man looking for guranteed buried treasure, and I found it. It’s how I found every course I took and every skill I acquired. This stage isn’t about finding one right answer; it’s about understanding all your options so you can make a calculated move, not a desperate one.

Pro-tip: This research-first approach works for almost everything in life—except medical symptoms (seriously, avoid WebMD)—and with the rise of consumer-accessible AI, you now have all the information right at your fingertips.

 

Step 2: Commit and Go All-In

Once you’ve mapped out an action strategy, you then need to execute it. Pick the course, the internship, the program—and commit. Go forward and don’t look back.

This is where the real work begins. When you’re forging your own path, you are both the student and the drill sergeant. There’s often no professor to chase you for deadlines. You have to find the discipline to show up when you don’t feel like it. It’s going to be frustrating. You’re going to question your sanity. But remember why you’re here.

This was a challenging period for me, especially during my film school days, but I learned to be my own motivator. Don’t stop researching during this phase, either. Keep digging. Build your foundation and keep adding it. Set yourself apart from everyone else who just did the bare minimum.

 

Step 3: Practice Until It’s Second Nature

Knowledge without application won’t get you far. All the reading and studying in the world won’t do you any good if you don’t put it to work.

You have to apply what you learn.

  • If you’re learning to code, code every day.
  • If you’re learning design, design every day.
  • If you’re learning marketing, create campaigns every day.

It’s simple, but it’s not easy. I’ll be the first to admit I haven’t always been as consistent as I should have been. Fear and procrastination have won more than a few rounds against me. But I’ve learned that progress isn’t about perfection; it’s about persistence. Even as I write this, I’m recommitting to my own practice.

I’m certainly not the poster child for “making it,” but these principles have been my north star. Take them, apply them, and do even better.


All the best out there.

 

Looking for a little extra help? Lets see if we can set up a quick call on how I can help you through your journey. You can contact me here.