“I don’t need anybody, I’m fine on my own!”
I used to tell myself this during a period in my 20s when I was so beaten down by my inability to meet other people’s social expectations that I gave up.
My awkwardness [autism, ADHD] pushed everyone away, and I was essentially friendless.
I also see this mindset in young adults who say, “I don’t need school; I’m going to [easy-solution, shortcut] instead.”
They’re sick of working so hard (without the strategies they need) and getting poor results, so they retire from being a compulsory student as soon as they can.
Once I understood how my brain worked and what it needed to create the results I want, new solutions became more apparent and I’ve accomplished more than I’d imagined prior.
Not everyone will find their life’s work in a college classroom, nor do they need to.
However, I’m cautioning against abandoning the pursuit of growth and learning altogether, as it may lead to a future filled with unmet potential and missed opportunities.