The trending conversation about college education as wasted time and money is interesting and unfortunate. The strongest argument against college questions, “Is college worth it?” Specifically, is racking up debt to pay for college justifiable? Coincidentally, I’m conversing with my son, who will graduate from high school in two years. I strongly encourage him to pursue education beyond 12th grade. Yet, I also focus on the question, “What are you good at?” versus “What do you like to do?”
What are you good at?
Let’s explore the question, “What are you good at?” from the standpoint of ‘Abilities.’ The term ability relates to being competent to do something. An ability is a natural aptitude, or skill, to accomplish a task. It’s easy to spot someone who likes what they do. They appear to be naturally good at it. Also, if you are good at what you do, you will likely stick with it.
The topic has been on my mind since graduating from Brown University Leadership and Performance Coaching School of Professional Studies (LPCC). I’m 20 years into my career and still pursuing degrees and certifications. You may wonder, “Is it logical to spend money on an Ivy League school to get a coaching certification?” For me, “Absolutely 100%!” I help high-performing and motivated professionals to communicate confidently. I need to be as adequately educated as the people I coach.
Am I good at my work? Do I like coaching executives? Yes! Breaking barriers in my personal communication obstacles led me to become an expert in helping you realize opportunities that you never thought were possible. For example, I get immense gratification from coaching clients to share their work, which often changes others’ lives in profound ways.
If you are wavering about investing in getting a degree or advanced certification, consider a few of the benefits:
- Holding a degree in a specialty field matters in hiring selection
- Establishing yourself as an expert provides specialized, lucrative opportunities
- Building a professional network increases social and travel opportunities
- A degree sets the foundation to expand your skills to other specialty, certified areas
- Enlisting with an employee health insurance program is cheaper than providing individual medical insurance
What are your natural abilities?
I was inspired to write this article after learning that my dear friend narrowly survived a severe MRSA infection. The drug that saved his life was one he developed while working as a biotech engineer at Abbott. Toward the end of his career, he delved into coaching younger employees. From this experience, his team developed an Abilities assessment tool. We discussed his career from the perspective of Abilities. He mentioned he has a natural ability to visualize strategic development to carry a task from beginning to end. You can’t argue with someone who was cured by the drug he developed. He later developed an aptitude test to help young professionals embark on their career path with consideration to their natural abilities.
If I asked you, “What are the top 3 things you are good at?” Your response is likely to include some of your natural Abilities. Thinking about your career path from this perspective may be the key to justifying the education you have decided not to pursue.
How I can help
I welcome the opportunity to help you whether you are entering college, starting your first job, or developing leadership to thrive in the workplace,
Are you unsure about your career path? I welcome an opportunity to help you explore your Abilities related to over 900 occupations listed in the Department of Labor that coincide with your natural abilities.
Are you a parent, teacher, or career advisor struggling to get answers to the question, “What do you want to do after graduation?” In this video, I share suggestions to address difficulty communicating with young people who don’t want to work or talk.
Ivy League wouldn’t have been available had I not developed a professional legacy in my field of executive speech coaching as a Top Coach in Memphis. Furthermore, ongoing training builds trust with clients who are generally highly educated professionals who value degrees, certifications, and lifelong learning versus the number of likes and followers on social media.
Do you want to discuss more? Book a consultation at www.calendly.com/laurabresee
