Daily Prompt – March 5, 2026

I feel like I’ve written about this a lot but hey, what’s one more time?

If I hadn’t failed out of college, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It’s really as simple as that that.

That failure allowed me to experience life before I got my first degree which ultimately led to me learning about myself more. Additionally, it gave me the opportunity to pick up a number of work experiences that make me the well rounded and valuable employee I am today.

I am successful in my career and in my life because of that failure. I learned how to rely on my skills and knowledge and not on a piece of paper. I had 3 really good paying jobs before I ever got a degree. And when I finally did get a degree it was only because it was required for the job that I wanted which was skill and knowledge based. You still had to pass exams and prove you learned things, it wasn’t as simple as here’s this piece of paper, hire me.

All the skills I picked up in that journey come in to play in my current job. All the experiences I had make me better at the work I do. I know, in my heart, that if I hadn’t failed out of that first attempt at college, I would likely still be a research grunt and while I might have enjoyed that, it would ultimately not have been as fulfilling as what I do now. The dreams of youth are rarely what the reality holds.