Optionality And School

As I spend more and more time working, playing, etc., I’m starting to really appreciate that one of the biggest obstacles to participating with the intensity, jam, and love that I can bring is the feeling that I could be doing something else. That sense of optionality holds me back from digging deep into that extra 10-20% that allows me to perform at my best.

I started thinking about this as I was building a program for our students that tackles that intangible motivation-commitment piece with which so many students struggle . I’ve noticed that when students genuinely believe school is optional, specifically an alternative to learning a trade or a skill on YouTube/Skool/etc., that will land them a six- to seven-figure income before the age of 20, they half-heartedly participate in their classes.

My belief is that we need to effectively transition the narrative from “school and entrepreneurship are alternatives” to “school and entrepreneurship are complementary." Two of the most important skills you learn in school are learning to prepare and perform under pressure and learning to allocate your time, energy, and focus to something you might not want to do but know you need to do. Those are two skills that are integral to any success I’ve experienced as an entrepreneur.

So how do we accomplish this? Well, there are some critics who claim the whole system needs to be torn down and rebuilt; however, my contention is that re-contextualizing the educational process is a brilliant way to bring kids onboard. This isn’t about necessarily becoming a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer, etc. - school is a playground for learning those lessons that let you learn about yourself in a controlled, high-stakes environment - something that shouldn’t be considered optional for anyone looking to be a high performer in any field.