Tracy Nutt - Stay in School

Summary

The speaker emphasizes the importance of staying in school by sharing their personal experience. They returned to education later in life to acquire necessary business skills, realizing it would have been easier had they pursued it earlier. The speaker reflects on the long journey of night school, the sacrifices made, and the missed opportunities with family. They highlight the relative short duration of formal education compared to a career span, questioning the rush to leave school and advocating for completing education to better prepare for future endeavors.

Takeaways

• 🏫 The speaker emphasizes the importance of staying in school, reflecting on their personal experience.
• 👨‍💼 The speaker lacked the necessary skills to run businesses, which they realized after starting their own.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Despite being married with two children, the speaker chose to go back to school to acquire a degree.
• 🌙 The speaker attended night school, which was a challenging and time-consuming process.
• 🔄 The process of obtaining a degree took ten years, impacting the speaker's personal life and family time.
• 🚀 The speaker believes that if they had stayed in school initially, they could have progressed faster in their business ventures.
• 🏢 The speaker regrets rushing to leave school and not acquiring the necessary skills earlier.
• 💡 The speaker suggests that the time spent in school is relatively short compared to a career, questioning the rush to finish education quickly.
• 🔢 The speaker highlights the potential benefits of a longer educational period, such as better preparation for future career challenges.
• 👨‍🎓 The speaker's experience serves as a cautionary tale, advising others to consider the long-term benefits of staying in school.

Q & A

Why did the speaker decide to go back to school?

The speaker realized they lacked the necessary skill set to effectively run their businesses.

What challenges did the speaker face while attending night school?

The speaker had to balance attending night school with being married, running two businesses, and raising two children.

How long did it take the speaker to complete their degree through night school?

It took the speaker ten full years to complete their degree through night school.

What sacrifices did the speaker make while pursuing their degree?

The speaker missed out on some evening activities with their family and had to forgo other things to attend night school.

Why does the speaker believe they were in a hurry to leave school initially?

The speaker reflects on their past and questions why they were in such a hurry to leave school, suggesting they did not fully understand the value of education at the time.

What impact did the speaker's decision to go back to school have on their business?

The speaker believes that if they had stayed in school and acquired the necessary skills earlier, they could have progressed further in their businesses more quickly.

How does the speaker compare the duration of education to the working life?

The speaker points out that people spend 20-25 years in school compared to 35 years at work, implying that there is less urgency to rush through education.

What advice does the speaker give regarding staying in school?

The speaker advises staying in school to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge that can prepare one for future endeavors, such as running a business.

How does the speaker's experience highlight the importance of continuous learning?

The speaker's experience underscores the value of continuous learning and acquiring new skills to adapt to and excel in one's professional life.

What is the speaker's perspective on the timing of education in relation to career and life goals?

The speaker suggests that education should not be rushed and that it is better to invest time in learning while young to reap the benefits in one's career and life.

How does the speaker's personal journey reflect a common dilemma faced by many adults?

The speaker's journey reflects the dilemma many adults face of returning to education later in life to acquire skills they did not get earlier, often while managing other responsibilities.