“Education is not the learning of facts but training the mind to think.” – Albert Einstein<\/p>\n
This is a big reason why I dropped out of Stanford before ever completing a homework assignment…<\/p>\n
…that was not part of my independent study work with Steve Blank.<\/p>\n
I took a gap year after high school and after spending a few weeks on ‘The Farm’, I realized I could train my mind better in the Dojo of the Real World, than I could in their beautifully impressive but rapidly antiquating, de-personalized, industrial era originating Educational Factory.<\/span><\/p>\n I do not regret my decision to drop out of Stanford.<\/p>\n In fact, the only times I’ve ever considered returning to Stanford have been in the difficult transition periods after ending projects when I was too weak and too permeable to social influences from some friends and family who pray at the False Altar of Affiliation.<\/p>\n Brand Affiliations are incrementally nice. But they are supplements to one\u2019s path, not meals or milestones.<\/p>\n Hacks are nice though, such as when I realized when I was considering dropping out that “there was way more Effort\/Reward in getting into Stanford than getting out.\u201d In hindsight, it was a few essays vs. 4 Years of Sub-Optimal Drudgery.<\/p>\n I could not have gotten to where I am now, as quick as I have, without making bold decisions like trusting my gut to drop out of Stanford within a Quarter.<\/p>\n “I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led, and bearding every authority which stood in their way.\u201d – Thomas Jefferson<\/p>\n “Freedom lies in being Bold” – Robert Frost.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"