Subj:		Something To Think About
Date:		5/2/2004 10:03:43 PM Eastern Daylight Time

I was thinking about you after I hung up. I dunno if this comes under the catagory of advice or just an observation, but here goes.

 

I get the feeling that you are thinking that there might not be anything at college you want. I think this because you said, "I want to be outside and work with my hands, build things, etc, etc". At least that's what I heard (and you know my hearing is not so good, never mind about my listening skills.)

 

Anyway, in light of that thought, here's something to consider.

 

I have never met anyone that said, "I should not have taken the time to go to college, or I wish I had not gotten a degree in. . . " But I have met several people, that I work with daily that say, "I wish I had gone to college, or I wish I had finished college". Lots of them, in fact the majority of them.

 

What I'm trying to say is, if you finish college, in any subject you choose, you will have lost nothing, and possibly gained something. What you will have gained is things like, a sense of accomplishment (it takes  work to finish),  some years under your belt to mature (seems a harsh thing to say, but I guess I mean you will have gained a different perspective on what is important in life), and you will have checked a box in your lifes experience that will make you worth more to others (if you decide to work for someone else, and also if you work for yourself selling something to others). What do I mean by that? you are thinking. . .

 

I was watching Larry King live the other night. All the people from Donald Trump's "the apprentice" were on. One of the guys who did not win, who everyone thought could have/should have won did not have a college degree. But he was way smarter and seemed much more a winner than many of the others. Donald Trump offered to pay for his college education on the spot, so he could compete and not have that problem ever again. Trump said, if he had a college degree he probably would have won. That guy jumped at the chance. Here he is, 25 or so, at the top of his game, just off a primetime TV show, and he was thanking Trump for the opportunity to go to college. Makes you stop and think. Why is that?

 

Now I hate Trump myself. But what he said was a representation of the society we live in. A college degree might not open the door of opportunity, but the lack of one can close the door. Any college degree is a ticket to move forward. The lack of one will be an anchor on whatever you want to do with your life.

 

So, it truly does not matter the subject you choose to study. It matters if you finish what you started. Pick something you like and stick it through, no matter what anyone tells you. You are your own boss now. Make every minute of your life from here on out count. Go for your goal, be it NASCAR or whatever. Just don't wait for something to happen, because it most likely never will without your making it happen. Read that Larry McReynolds book again. He worked hard, and after putting himself totally into what he was going, he got the break. If he had been just sitting and waiting at the junk yard, nothing would have happened. Same for everyone else I see in Nascar including those with relative ability. Kerry Earnhardt hasn't made it. Why not? Maybe he doesn't want it bad enough. Do you? Plan your streategy and movve on it. Adjust it if it doesn't work for you. Just don't wait.

 

I have faith in you and so does your mom. Go for it.