5 Things I Never Learned in School that Made Me Successful

Seeing all those beautiful and happy pictures of students wearing toga and their newly-updated Profile Picture of Grad Pic while I’m browsing my Newsfeed, made me reminisce the time when I’m about to graduate after the grueling 5 years of my life in college.

Just like them, na-feel ko rin before ang excitement na finally I can say, “Sa wakas! Ga-graduate na talaga ko!”

I graduated last 2012 when I was 21 years old with a degree of BS Industrial Engineering. Just like any other student na kaka-graduate pa lang, ang alam ko lang gawin that time ay yung traditional way which is to start sending my resume, pass the exam and/or interview, and get a job (na dapat fit sa tinapos ko). Little did I know, madami pa pala akong kailangang matutunan when I enter the REAL WORLD.

Akala ko noon, I have to be excellent in school para magtagumpay ako sa buhay ko. Hindi naman pala. Hindi lahat nakadepende doon. And here are the 5 things I never learned in school that made me successful today:

1. My grades and medals are only by-products of the VALUES I embraced when I was studying. What really matter is the PERSON I BECOME because of those experiences.

I received a lot of medals, ribbons, awards and certificates ever since Kinder ako. Normal na yun sa akin upon growing up. And happy naman ako na I was able to make my parents, family and relatives proud and happy as well. At least, nakita nila yung fruits of their labor.

Thank you to my parents for sending me to school and for working hard para hindi na namin ma-experience yung mag working student tulad niyo before. And lahat ng ito ay para sa inyo 🙂

I realized a year after my graduation, that grades are just numbers and they are the results of me being COMMITTED, RESPONSIBLE and TRUSTING woman.

● I am Committed

I will always remember the time nung Feasibility Studies namin and IE Research way back S.Y. 2011 to 2012. Umiinom pa ko before ng energy drink na “Sting” pag kailangan magpuyat para tapusin ang study. May times pa na I went to school ng hindi natutulog dahil ang top of mind ko lang ay “kailangan kong matapos ang required ipasa bukas para makapagpacheck kami” and “gusto kong gumradweyt ON TIME (March 2012)”.

● I am Responsible

Kung ano ang naka-assign sa akin na gawin, I will do it. I will put my heart into it kaya I was able to understand deeply kung ano ang ginagawa ko. I can explain kung ano nangyari and I can defend pag magtatanong ang Prof or lalo na kapag “defense” day na. Sa sobrang responsible ko nun, even other responsibilities na ng other people, ako na din ang pinapagawa pag hindi pa nagagawa. Though may mga times na talaga na I will complain pag ganyan, since may deadline I will do it anyway. But the advantage of that is I WAS ABLE TO LEARN MORE kasi mas malaki ang naging scope ng aking tasks.

● I am Trusting

Super thankful ako sa family ko dahil lumaki akong puno sa affirmation like “Ang galing-galing mo” at “Ang tali-talino mo”. Because of that, kahit di na sabihin ng ibang tao, I know magaling at matalino ako. And dyan nagsimula ang pagkakaroon ko ng mataas na Self-Confidence. 🙂 (So parents and family members, habang bata pa ang mga anak, kapatid o pamangkin niyo, give them positive affirmations)

Every time na magsusubmit ng reports, gagawa ng project study, magpepresent sa unahan, I KNOW I CAN. I trust myself because my family believes in me. 🙂

2. After college, IT’S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT STORY.

Kahit na never been employed ako, I was able to observe na iba na talaga pag “real world” na ang usapan.

Pwede akong maging ballerina…

Or pwede ding sumali sa karera..

Haha! But the reality is, kahit ano pang course na tinapos mo, YOU STILL HAVE A CHOICE WHICH ROAD TO TAKE.

Some of my college friends, bago pa lang kami mag marcha, na-absorb na ng company na pinag-OJTihan nila. Some of them, after grad sama-samang nag apply ng jobs. And some, just like me, opted to rest muna at magbakasyon kasi na-stress kami sa paggawa ng Research namin para lang gumraduate on time. Haha!

Yung iba, upon graduation, Php 14,000 salary as engineer. Yung iba ang offer between Php 9,000 to Php 12,000. And syempre dahil first job, nagco-compare sila ng salary. Bakit ganito offer dun? Bakit ganyan? Bakit siya mas malaki offer eh same position lang naman ang pinag-applyan nila?

Doon ako napaisip how one person got that job, how the another person got that starting salary. Kasi syempre depende din yun sa performance nila doon sa exam at sa interview. Kahit Cum Laude ka pa or not, pero you know to yourself, you didn’t do your best nung nag apply ka, don’t expect too much na maganda din ang result.

All those awards and achievements that I got, may gamit lang naman siya if after grad, nag-apply ako agad. But if nagpahinga muna ako ng 6 months o 1 year (for example papasok ako sa corporate world), paso na yan. It doesn’t have value as compared nung kakatapos mo pa lang. Kaya para sa mga kabataang kaka-graduate pa lang, CONGRATULATIONS and start applying na for your dream career. And ask yourself, “How do I see myself 5 or 10 years from now?”

It’s another book of your life. If you didn’t perform well in school before, it’s okay. You can start all over again and start making your dreams come true. 🙂

3. Learn to manage your finances as young as possible.

I remember when I was 18 years old, kakatapos lang ng mga exams nun kaya very relaxed ako at home. Puro laro sa computer. And suddenly, napaisip ako, “Pano ba mag manage ng pera? Kasi sabi ni Daddy, pag naubos na itong monthly baon na bigay nya, wala ng hingian”

I googled MONEY MANAGEMENT and stumbled upon the different Money Jars na nakatulong sakin para i-manage ang baon ko na mga P3,000/month (knowing na magastos ako!!!) and really helps me until today to know where I spend my money, even for ENJOYMENT or INVESTMENT. 🙂

Here’s the picture of my 5 Money Jars na nagserbisyo sa akin ng matagal since 2008 or 2009 (when I was 18 years old) hanggang 2015. Tinuro ko na din itong money jars sa mga pinsan ko na High School pa lang para mas maaga silang matuto mag manage ng sarili nilang allowance/money 🙂

Ganito ang gamit nyan:

Start having 5 Cans or Garapon na meron dyan sa bahay/hingi ka sa kapitbahay. Then label mo sya ng ganito.

EDUC or Education – ang purpose ng jar na ito ay mag allot ka ng 10% of your allowance or income or money for books, training or seminars, lessons or anything that will help you grow as a person.

LTSS or Long Term Savings for Spending – you should allot 10% ng allowance or income mo at ilagay mo sa jar. Ipunin mo ito hanggang sa maka-save ka ng big amount for your big purchases like for example your new phone, new laptop, dream vacation, dream car.

GIVE – you will allot 10% of your money to give or bless other people like give it to charities, tithe sa church, or kahit simpleng pang regalo or treat your family outside.

FFA or Financial Freedom Account – you should allot 10% of your money to SAVE or INVEST. You should NOT TOUCH THIS JAR unless ang purpose is TO GROW like you will use this as Capital for your Business. Pwede yun. Basta gagalawin mo lang ito kung mapapalaki yung pera mo para mas marami ka na namang mai-divide sa different money jars.

PLAY – this is MY FAVORITE JAR! You will allot 10% of your money to this jar and you will spend all of this money EVERY MONTH for you to experience the feeling of being RICH. For example, you want to reward yourself with brand new clothes, bag, a pair of shoes or eat in a fancy restaurant. Basta yung bagay or experience na hindi mo nagagawa o nabibili before. Pwede dito basta kasya sa money inside this jar. If you have Php 5,000 then you will have Php 500 to spend. If you earn Php 15,000, you have Php 1,500 to spend for your LUHO or LIFESTYLE. Exciting di ba?!?! You’ll have more motivation to Earn More!

NECESSITY – the remaining 50% will comprise all your basic needs like transpo, food, load, bills etc. Basta yung mga NEEDS mo talaga araw-araw. Not wants ha! Kasi possible sa ibang jars mo sila dapat kunin. Pwede mo itong ilagay sa Wallet mo or sa ATM mo (since very accessible sayo).

NOTE: Yung mga percentage per jar na nilagay ko dito ay applicable even for students and for people na nagsisimula pa lang kumita ng sariling pera / small income pa lang. In the future, kapag ang 50% allotment ng budget for necessity ay malaki na masyado, you can distribute it to other jars or you can have additional jars. For example, ako, since 5 years na kong kumikita ng sariling money, nagdagdag ako dyan ng 2 jars. One is for my Health Fund which includes yung pambayad ko sa Health Card ko, pambili ko ng mga vitamins ko, for medicines if kailangan etc. where I allot 10% of my income. Second is for my Business/Capital where I allot another 10% na ginagamit ko my Real Estate business (such as pambayad sa online ads ko, incentives at lunch treat sa broker group ko) and to my Philam Life business (like gifts for all my clients). In this case, I have money na pwede kong magamit sa different purposes ng di magagalaw yung ibang jars.

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Ikaw? Are you struggling in managing your finances? Don’t worry! Ganun din naman ako before. Kahit na naglagay pa ko ng mga jars na ganyan, may mga times na kumukupit ako for different purpose. Mahirap talaga i-break ang habit na nakasanayan but you just have to make a different choice na “It’s okay. Let’s start all over again” hanggang sa masanay ka na. I’m very sure if ngayon pa lang masanay ka na habang maliit pa lang ang nahahawakan mong pera, you will be thankful pag kumita ka na ng mas malaki or when you earn your First Million, kasi na-develop mo na yung discipline mo with regards to money. 🙂

4. Ask support from your Family

I am so blessed to have a very supportive and loving family. We live with my grandma, cousins, aunts and uncle sa aming Ancestral House. Kung gaano kami kadami sa bahay, ganun din kami kasaya.

Super happy ako na alam kong andyan lang sila lagi to be by my side during my ups and downs. Hindi ako natatakot to take risks pag alam kong andyan sila to support me and to pick me up when I fail.

It really helps to have someone to lean on. Hindi naman lagi Pasko. Hindi naman lagi happy ka. May mga times din talaga you become sad, frustrated and other negative emotions. Okay lang yun. At least you were able to experience both sides. You’re just being You, being Human. 🙂

Thank you sa aking family. Buti na lang, kayo ang pamilya ko. I LOVE YOU ALL!

5. DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY.

There are a lot of ways, vehicles, roads to take to become successful. All you have to do is to ask yourself, “Dito ba ko masaya?”, “Ito ba ang gusto kong gawin?”, “Will this help me to reach for my dreams?”.

If your answer is YES, go for it!

Do you remember yung time na naglalaro ka with your friends before? Kahit na madapa ka, masugatan, magkasakitan, mag-away, mamaya lang, pupunasan mo na ang luha, magbabati na kayo agad at balik sa paglalaro dahil doon ka MASAYA.

Magaan ang feeling at madaling gawin ang mga tasks pag ikaw ay masaya.

So always find time to do the things that made you happy when you were a child and things that make you happy today 🙂

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MY LAST WORDS…

It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s HOW you PLAY the Game of Life. 🙂