A New Approach 2


For all of the reasons that I should finish college, only a few are common. Although they are no less important, the common reasons only differ slightly from person to person. For me, money, occupational improvement, and self-worth are all factors but not enough. People rarely truly understand what really inspires them. In fact, asking most people will almost always result in a monetary response. If that were indeed the case, many of our habits would be different. Our spare time would certainly be spent differently than it is now. I am inspired by how others see me, so my strongest reasons identify with that. Networking, social interaction, being a role-model, and satisfaction play a much larger role here.

If money is the measure of all value, then of course it will play a part here. For the past 10 years, I have worked in the information technology world. The money here is generally better than in most fields and the stability is solid. You can work virtually anywhere… no pun intended. As in most fields, eventually moving into a middle-management position without a college degree will signal the end of your upward mobility. You can know everything there is about your field, but unless you can convince upper management that you can control people, resources and direction within your area of expertise, you, along with your salary, will have peaked.


A New Approach 3


Since the bills never stop, making money becomes a game of shaving margins to increase profit. It is not fun and certainly not stable. While some people will choose a second occupation, most will agree that more education will push you further in your current field. Money, while not an inspirational motive, is still the popular opinion.

Moving up the corporate ladder is always the general...