Today’s young generation is entangled in the complexities of life, economic pressure, family expectations, academic weaknesses, and inner restlessness. All that was enough, but then another “dream” was sold; beautifully packaged, wrapped in glittering words, and overflowing with false hopes: “Earn online… and make thousands of dollars a month!”
But that wasn’t a dream, it was a marketing product. The course sellers presented it as if dollars would start raining from the sky the very next day and the result? Today, almost every young person whether a matric student, someone who can’t speak English, or even someone with no basic skill, keeps repeating the same sentence: “I want to earn online.”
Online earning isn’t magic. It is a complete field, a science. It’s not about watching YouTube videos or living off cheap hopes. If you really want to enter this field, you must ask yourself these hard questions:
- What skill or service do you have that people would pay for?
- Can you write, speak, and sell in English?
- Can you communicate effectively in English?
- Do you understand personal branding, self-presentation, and client handling?
- Do you have enough patience to work for at least a year without visible results?
If your answer to most of these questions is “No,” then remember, this dream may only lead to disappointment, wasted time, and loss of confidence.
Now let’s talk about degrees, which meme culture, YouTubers, and self-proclaimed “Gurus” have made to look worthless. People say: “Even with a degree, you don’t get a job. The system is broken.” That’s partly true. The system is full of problems but that doesn’t mean university education is useless. A university is not just a place to hand out certificates; it’s a training ground. It’s where you meet new people, are exposed to diverse ways of thinking, develop critical thinking, learn time management, teamwork, and research habits. It shapes your personality, patience, self-control, and ability to think on a broader canvas but a degree alone is never enough.
If you want your degree to truly take you forward, carve this trademark formula in your mind:
- Learn how to learn; especially what the university doesn’t teach: Self Learning.
- Develop communication, creativity, networking, and selling skills.
- Keep improving your confidence, self-esteem, and vision.
- Stay updated on new trends, research, and technologies in your field and the world.
- Most importantly: Read books — not just your course books, but those on psychology, history, society, systems, human behavior, and your area of study.
If during your four years of university, you complete 4–5 quality certifications or courses and read at least 20 meaningful books, then I can say with certainty: You’ll be more capable, talented, and successful than that gold medalist who only chased grades. That’s the real secret of success one that’s not found in any online course or shortcut, but hidden in the process of self-improvement.
Remember:
- Online earning is real but not for everyone.
- University education is essential but a degree alone means nothing.
- Success is neither in the classroom nor on the internet; It lies in those who are willing to learn, persevere, improve, and keep moving forward.
Otherwise, dreams remain just that dreams.
