As I’m taking my son to college this month, I thought I’d continue on the logic that I initiated in my last blog.

As he gets ready to embark on a new journey as a college freshman, I have tried to offer him some solid advice along the way. (Of course, some he heard, and others he only pretended to listen to.)

With all the graduation ceremonies this time of year, there’s a lot of wisdom being shared. Screenwriter and journalist Nora Ephron compared college to that of a play when she said, “Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.”

Now, of course, when you get that first semester grade, whether it’s great – or a bit disappointing — it’s obvious that college is a bit more than a dress rehearsal. (Especially for the parent paying the tuition bill.) 

I especially like the words of Dell Founder and CEO Michael Dell:

“As you start your journey, the first thing you should do is throw away that store-bought map and begin to draw your own.”

That really is the message here at Clearfield: Set your own course.  

It’s also the direction of best-selling author JK Rowling: “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.”

And while you’re trying not to fail – just remember: “You can’t climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets.” Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger