Making that A+ in School and the Universal A+ which delivers career success

Young People, believe me, making As in school helps. But As are not the destinations. The real ultimate barometer for success is the processes you used to get the As. To make As, you must have had an A-lifestyle on managing your time and other things. Those are great signs that you can get things done since everyone desires to make an A. Yes, right there, you were able to get that A you had aimed at. 

How do you manage the small budget you have in school? Before the mobile phone era and fintech age, running out of money was basically leaving school to go back home to reload. What is the opportunity cost?

Do not diminish the process to an excellent grade. A is a letter but the process is a career-in-making. Statistically, if you follow the same principle you used to make A when you start work, you will likely succeed over someone who made Bs because his processes were sub-par. But note, someone can have a great process but end up with C. Magically, that C student will thrive in life; he failed the medical board exam but went on to build a great grocery chain business!

In summary,  we can find success in life irrespective of whatever letter grades we have, provided we use the best processes for those grades. The processes are universal while letter grades are not, and that is why as you develop, keep deepening your processes because those define success more.

A student with talent to make A but ends up with C may struggle in life  (unless he changes attitude) than one whose talent is best for E but ends up with D with superior processes and determination. Go for the A+ in your processes because processes are graded universally while letter grades are largely localized; your A+ with Mr Ben may be B with Ms Ken.

I wish you all A+ grade in your process; if you do it, this world will reward you. That student who attacked Calculus with absolute determination, perseverance and hardwork, but ended up with C will likely score A in something in life which may not be related with Calculus using those principles. Check, he may open a business and build it up because he scores A+ in the subjects of life success.

Comment on Feed

Comment: Subject matter is well presented and delivered however, it is noteworthy that the difference between school and life is that processes in school is regimented and pre envisaged by curriculum developments while in life it is largely undefined, uncharted and collectively personal (collective due to communities, professionals and political). Thank you for your efforts in sharing practical knowledge Sir.

My Response: You are correct but the fundamental unit of any process at work, life and school is the same, just like a cell is the unit of life even though it gives tissues, organs and systems. There are deadlines at work. There are deadlines in school. If you break school and life to the basic unit, there is a convergence.  Go back to your university days, look at those students who slept when everyone was going to class. Check where they are today. If you do not believe in time in school and you take that attitude to “life”, it will give the same result.

But check those students in your class. They were not academically talented but they worked really harder than everyone. It is possible they employ many people today because that hardwork has been transferred to something even if the school path was challenging.

Those days in the bank, we used to give applicants 150 questions to answer in 25 minutes knowing NO HUMAN would complete it. During the grading, if you fail 2 consecutive questions, we stop there. What was being tested? Ability to be correct under severe pressure, not even if you can do those maths because they were REALLY EASY. But under that pressure, do you have the process to count N40 million naira and balance the ledger in hours and still be alert not to sign the bank away. That was the skill required for that bank job: speed and accuracy.

Register for Tekedia Mini-MBA (Feb 10 - May 3, 2025), and join Prof Ndubuisi Ekekwe and our global faculty; click here.