Today, in the UK… (as I have many folk from around the world reading this blog), its A-Level results day. This means, young folk who’ve been studying (hard… maybe?) find out today, if they have got the results they need to get on to the University course of their choice.
Sometimes, it goes according to plan. You study hard. You get the results. You get the place at Univeristy and off you go to study a subject of your choice. In which case, you jump around… all happy. (And why not! – you deserve it…)
Sometimes, it doesn’t go according to plan.
Then, it’s Plan B. But for a moment, there’ll be a time when you’re upset. Regretting some of the answers you gave in those final A-Level exams. Thinking, how on Earth did the other person pass and get better grades when they didn’t even study that hard.
That’s Life… it’s just the way it is.
So, what happens now… well, you’ve got options. And that’s the most important thing. You know the drill… you’ve got clearing, there’s jobs you can apply for who are looking for people who have just done A-Levels, etc… there’s options to be explored and then life will be back on track.
But just for a moment, I wanted to share some example of people who didn’t do too well at their A-Levels and went on, to be ok…
First up… Richard Branson.
That’s right. In fact, he dropped out of school when he was 16. But… we know how the story goes… he took some risks and worked hard. Very hard. And in today’s environment, maybe that’s what some younger folk need to be thinking about. Taking risks….
Then there’s Sir Alan Sugar. With only one GCSE and no A-Levels… he’s gone on to do alright.
I’ve picked two of the best… there’s many more like Chris Moyles (the former Radio 1 DJ), John Snow (Channel 4 News), and many others…
The point here is… if you didn’t get the grades you needed – don’t panic.
What you must have is the right attitude. If you want to be successful – you’ll find it one way or another. It’s just a temporary hurdle that’s in your life. Figure out how to jump over it and carry on…
And finally, inspiration from the phenomenal Jeremy Clarkson – if this doesn’t cheer you up, nothing will.
In 2014…
In 2015…
… and then last year,
