Growing up in a small, hard-working factory town, life revolved around steel manufacturing. Almost everyone I knew was connected to the mills that sustained our community. My father was a steelworker, my grandfather a bartender, and my great-grandfather worked for the railroads. For families like mine, college was an abstract concept—just something we heard about when watching Big Ten Conference games.
As a kid, I knew nothing about higher education. I didn’t see the point in studying and planned to coast through school, waiting impatiently for graduation. But one day, an inner voice told me to at least find out what college was all about.
I was stunned when my high school guidance counselor bluntly told me I would never go to college—ever. She was emphatic. I still remember the look of disdain on her face when she said the best I could hope for was a job at McDonald’s.
Looking back, I’m sure she thought she was being realistic. But writing off someone who hadn’t even entered adulthood yet was shocking. Her absolute certainty about my future left me speechless. I’ve since learned that people who judge others harshly often judge themselves even more harshly.
Her fundamental mistake was believing that a single life decision could define a person’s entire future. Unfortunately, many people subscribe to this limiting belief. As a result, they live in fear, avoiding calculated risks and being terrified of failure. They worry that one wrong step could erase everything they’ve achieved.
But here’s the truth: making a mistake is not the end—it’s an opportunity to adjust your path. The key to success is taking action. If it works, keep going. If it doesn’t, pivot and try something else. Don’t let the fear of failure paralyze you. Dr. Susan Jeffers wrote a powerful book titled, Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway. It’s a mantra I’ve embraced wholeheartedly.
Courage isn’t about being fearless. It’s about feeling afraid and taking action regardless. That’s how you grow, learn, and ultimately win.
As for me? I did go to college. I earned degrees in Business Management and Music Education. I felt the fear, but I did it anyway—and you can too.
Never let someone else define your future. Never settle for less than you’re capable of achieving. Take that leap. You have the power to rewrite your story.
Wishing you all the success and happiness life has to offer.
David
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