Benchmark boundary Synopsis

This section is meant to be a very brief discussion & outline of my benchmark boundary concept, so …. if interested, you can use my links to jump to a more expanded discussion, and not be too distracted from this ‘biography’ discussion.   Your call, of course!!

A. Intro: Our ‘pause’ at a benchmark boundary

Let me now suggest … you & I take a break from my biography to focus on the benchmark boundary between high school graduation and rest of your life. 

 

[pplk: Benchmark Boundary : Options: work, college, family, foreign travel]

 

A Benchmark Boundary is a hypothetical, momentary ‘transition” boundary between our last decade and the next decades. 

Let me suggest you & I take a break from my biography to discuss benchmark boundary.

We encounter our 1st Benchmark Boundary at around 18 years transitioning from parental guidance & public education’s control .... TO …. your control of the ‘rest-of-your-life.    

This post-high school Benchmark Boundary discussion is useful for all ages because many of its issues should be re-evaluated at least each time we pass from one decade to the next.

The Key Life & Foreign Travel Questions we ask at 18>20 years prompts similar questions at least at each new decade of life, BUT with different answers based on your prior life decisions..

 

Here are the Key questions? so you can consider as we move along, but we will wait to answer them a little later after some more discussion.

 

1. Can I still control my life?. Viable options?

2. Should we bound to others signposts? 

3. Can I list what I want to do with ‘rest of my life?

4. Do I have sufficient courage, confidence & will?

5. How I do begin?

 

If you are beyond this post-high school age, you can establish your benchmark boundary anytime you choose , like …right now! Similar questions even though your Wings & Anchors may differ in degree.

 

You can establish your benchmark boundary anytime you choose to, like …right now!,               Launch your own future’s rocket.

 

B. Wings: [pplk: Benchmark FULL: Wings]

Wings: are your enduring innate positive attributes: 1) intellectual curiosity, 2) imagination & creativity, 3) self-worth & other character traits, and 4) Your power to direct your life’s trajectory.

 

Caution, if you think you lack, remember public school system destroys most, IMO.

 

C. Anchors: [pplk: Benchmark FULL: Anchors]

Looking back, I recognize 4 Anchors that may effectr your future depending on the age of your benchmark boundary: 

1) Unaware of Foreign Travel benefits.

 I DON’T want you to miss-out when perhaps too old or infirm to travel, I don’t want you to look back and wish you would have traveled more 

              [pplk: Travel Wisdom: Travel Benefits]

 

2) Lack of High school diploma: 

Not necessary for success & reasonably easy to correct, if necessary, but as the labor market gets tighter & tighter, your personality, enthusiasm & initiative are trumped only by experience.

 

 

3) Marriage & children: 

Profoundly fulfilling, but children will have immense impact decades going forward because must be protected & nurtured at all costs.

             [pplk: Travel Wisdom: Travel Benefits: Marriage & Children]

 

1) Costs & Demands:

2) Financial & Time Demands

3) Opportunity cost:

4) Options & Critical Questions:

 

4) Failure to Invest:

             [pplk: Travel Wisdom: Travel Benefits: Investing]

Most Americans are “ financially illiterate” which results in profligate spending & debt mis-managment of their personal money 

[pplk: Travel Wisdom: Travel Benefits: investing: student loan debt debacle]

 

Financially illiteracy’s lack of investment knowledge puts them at risk of financial predators including banks, auto dealers, stock brokers & scammers.

 

Sadly, financial illiteracy spawns a multi-decade false sense of-financial security which often frighteningly emerges just before retirement when too late to recover your squashed retirement dreams.

Knowledge, skills & youth are the investor’s greatest assets.

 

          1) What is financial Literacy?
      2) Why literacy is Important?
      3) How to become financially literate?
      4) How to learn to invest?

[pplk: Travel Wisdom: Travel Benefits: Investing]

 

D. Key Benchmark Boundary Questions:

Questions:you or I might ask about ourselves & our future.

         [pplk: Travel Wisdom: ???: Key Benchmark Boundary Questions]

1. Do I have right to control my life?  Yes!

NOW, for the 1^st time, YOU have control over your next 60 years UNLESS you wish to be randomly tossed about by the winds of fate .....  like I did.

 

2. Can/should I exercise control over my life?. 

~ At all ages, Yes! Some more easily achieved than others.

Briefly, at all ages you always have options, some more easily achieved than others

ANALOGY:  Imagine, I have magically catapulted you up to the very edge of a 60 foreign high diving platform where you are now perched over the water below. 

 

 

2. Exploring a typical Signpost - ‘college’: Like a wilderness guide, … parents, schools, peers, employers, place signposts in front of us throughout our lives to indicate a direction they would like us to go.        Should we bound to others signposts? 

 

 

3. Should we bound by other’’s signposts? 

 

Parents, schools, peers, employers at all our ages place signposts in front of us to show us the direction we must go to fullfill ‘their’ ambitions for us. Should we bound to others ambitions for us? Let’s exp[lore the college’ signpost

 

At 18 or 20 your road-ahead may look vague & hazy, with only few signposts erected by others (parents, school counselors, peers) to ‘help’ guide us forward into college, career, marriage, family … and far, far, far in the foggy distance — something called ‘retirement.’

 

Usually, we accepted these signposts as gospel from well meaning, res[ected authrity, but, have you ever ACTUALLY considered the pros & cons of those signposts?

 

Let’s Explorer a typical Signpost - ‘college’:

 [pplk: Travel Wisdom: Travel Benefits: College Signpost’s validity]

Summary of Some Online Stats:

More than 50% of college students REALY know why they are there; seldom until forced to in the 3^rd year AND  50%+/-will switch major adding 1-2 years of increased debt & a high % don’t eneter their career choice on graduation.

Elon Musk, Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, & others challenege the value & need of a college degree. Parents & donors are questioning the very core purpose/afgenda of Universities.

 

In Sum, my goal for this ‘college’discussion is not to dissuade you from college to drive you into the trades, but rather to make you question what your choice will be and why. College or no college? College now or later, when I have a better grasp of his value to me? Trades or not?  Travel now, later or not interested. 

Historically maligned ‘trades’ (construction, chef, hair dressers etc) are gaing renewed ‘career choice’ respect. 

 [pplk: Travel Wisdom: Travel Benefits: College Signpost’s validity]

 

3. Should make a list of goals/dreams I might want to consider?

I make list to preserve & organize thoughts during my on goiang investigation of want to do with ‘rest of my life?’

What direction do I start with, knowing best laid plans might change. knowing there is a good chance, you & circumstances will alter that future. (I had at least 5 careers, several small business and bult/managed real estate etc.) Anecdote: Toiling thru law schooI, starting a solo law practice, I nebver imagined that 2 years later I would quit to ride horses in Wyoming, etc.)

 

 

 

4. Do I have sufficient courage, confidence & will?

Character’s courage, confidence & will are not a freebies. You must grow it thru knowledge & experience & & minimum corage tp try

 

 5. How I do begin?

Sole purpose of this website is to provide the motivation, knowledge necessary for foreign travel & thus life itself. Just keep rerading with an open mind. Candace Owens: “That’s life. Get a helmet.”

 

At all ages, it is your life to 'control' AND you always have options, some more easily achieved than others.

 

      Anecdote: Removed from grade & high school & college, finally 2^nd collegegraduating with a low GPA, 13 years later I graduated law school at 38 &broefly practicedchool, the recieved a Teachiing Certificate at 49. I have had menial jobs, several professions,,owned several small businesses,  active real estate & stock investor and foreign traveled. We always have options.

 

      Anecdote: Toiling thru law schooI, starting a solo law practice, I nebver imagined that 2 years later I would quit to ride horses in Wyoming, etc.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

3. Post High School Options:

Having explored Wings, Anchors, opportunity costs & Investing, what are your specific post high school options?

1) Hourly, minimum wage labor:

2) The Trades: McDonald’s, construction clean-up, retail clerk, etc.

3) College/University: STEM careers, fun,. Liberal Arts exposure.

4) Foreign Travel 😀: fun, benefits: [pplk: forign travel benefiots]

 

 

 

CAUTION: If you are going to read this, please do so with an ‘open mind’ …and then make your decision.  Don’t biasis YOURSELF before you have considered all.  You may surprise yourself. 😃

 

a. Hourly, unskilled job: 

Such jobs — McDonald’s, construction clean-up, retail sales clerk, ranch irrigator, mail room etc.—  secure your survival basics: food, clothing & shelter.

 

Ironically, even with a college education, if you lack as specific vocational interest & focus, you may end up in this catagory’

Anecdote: 

Scott’s donut job.

 

b. College: Bachelor degree

Your 1^st 2 years will be simply a continuation of high school with greater memorization demands & testing offset by even more partying with new friends. The early university experience is that specious.

 

Necessary for most STEM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) careers unless you are as gifted & driven as Elon Musk

 

Elon Quote: “ You can learn anything you want for free. It is not a question of learning. I think colleges are basically for fun and to prove you can do your chores. But, they're not for learning,"

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Anecdote: Laws school admission:

My law school Registrar elevated my bachekor degree’s 1>88 GPA to 3.88 because the academic quality of bachelor degree had declined that much. NOTE: that was 45” years ago. 

 

Anecdote: 

Greg Prugh related his AZ 1^st year class of over 300 students illustrating memorization dynamic designed as an efficient 19^th Century production line model for efficiently producing as many “college graduates’ thru the ‘college degree factory’ while stripping off their ever-increasing student tuition underwrite new buildings and professors salaries & dubious research. Cynical? Yes. True.? I believe so.

 

c. The Trades (trade job) : 

[pplk: Travel Wisdom: Trades

1) Definition:

“Trade job” refers to any job, paid regular employment,  that requires advanced training & skills NOT requiring a college bachelor's degree. 

 

Examples: 

Construction industry: plumber, carpenter, electrician, & dozens more. 

Others:  diesel mechanic, chef,  hair stylist/cosmetician, etc - 

 

 

2) ’Trades’ Bad Rap”- make up your own mind!!

 [pplk: Travel Wisdom: Trades]

 

‘The trades’ have been intentionally maligned /denigrated by school teachers, school counselors, self-serving college,& universities, &, of course, well-meaning parents in deference to the ‘cleaner, professional ‘suit’ imagery’ of the college educated.              A destructively false image..

 

 

3) Trade Benefits

The specific ‘benefits of ‘going into a trade’ are:

1) Anyone can apply for an entry level position. 

Key criteria: your personality, enthusiasm, work ethic and any prior experience.

2) On-job training (OJT): also trades schools, Apprentice to master levels

 

3) Paid while you work & learn your trade & gain experience while your college peer: spends 4>5 unpaid years, ultimately burdened with high student loan debt, no employment guarantee, falling 4 years behind trade peers, does NOT acquire ‘sweat equity investing potential’ (huh?)

 

4) Advanced, tech-savvy craftspersons skills in EVEN GREATER demand for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) or Construction Management certification. 

 

5) Move anywhere with your transportable skills

 

6) Investment’s “sweat equity” (unique, valuable ($) benefit

7) Bartered your trade skills for home & rentals investments

 

8) Sabatical vacations & foreign travel

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Trades:

 

 

Anecdote:  Paul Potts & :  IMPORTANT: if you read no further on my website. If you watch, none of my YouTube channel videos, please do this one thing: watch the two Paul Potts, YouTube clips one. Paul Potts America's got talent audition to parentheses his informal, unannounced surprise appearance in a German shopping center and three well the rest is history I just dead for the 10 or 20th time and I'm still wiping away the tears. Inspiring to see a human go from disheveled cell phone retail sales clerk to world famous opera star. And, of course, from dowdy Engllish hamlet church choir to slightly less dowdy international super star.