The Dropout Paradigm

You’ve probably already heard the big, beautiful, inspirational stories of dropouts who left university to become entrepreneurs with their own brand-new startup ideas – Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates. Their success stories are tempting.

But what’s at stake when you make such a move?
This article is about risk, probability, and opportunity.

Today, I gave an important presentation for my master’s thesis and felt completely out of place compared to everyone else – why? Despite having interest and motivation for the subject, I know that the world of scientific research is no longer how I want to contribute to the world. There’s this weird, slightly egotistical sense that I’m capable of more than just that.

I’ve had this thought a few times in my life – that I don’t fit in. Which is kind of dumb, because I also believe that fitting in is a choice.

So, what’s the takeaway? It seems I’m choosing not to accept to fit in – like if I wasn’t part of that ‘university’ category even though I physically am. This is introspective –  what’s my identity? Apparently, not doing research. Why? Because I believe life gains meaning when it involves risks and opportunities – something profoundly lacking in the comfortable cocoon of university life.

Let’s go back to what’s at stake when dropping out. What’s the difference between a university-based career and any kind of entrepreneurship?

In university, you usually succeed at an exam. If you fail, you likely succeed on the second attempt. That’s what I’d call a high probability of success. From there, if you complete your studies successfully, you probably land a job as an employee. Again, a high probability of success.

High probability of success – low risk – job opportunities. At first glance, this path looks like a priceless gem.

Entrepreneurship, on the other hand, is about building something out of nothing. There’s no clear path to success, you might not even know what success is, and you rarely know your best first move.

To make things more challenging, you’re probably slightly incompetent – not because you’re incapable, but because your curiosity is driving you into unfamiliar territory. You’re exploring new mental and physical landscapes. How could you expect to be great at it from the very first step?

This is what we’ll call a low probability of success: your success involves multiple expected failures. And then, when your project starts to mean something – when it begins to generate money – you need to find ways to keep the boat afloat. That’s no picnic.

Failure implies financial, physical, mental risks. Those risks, then, lead to any type of instability and discomfort. In entrepreneurship, you have a low probability of success (statistically assuming one single random event) and consequently deal with higher risks at stakes. However, you have greater expansion opportunities than a university-based career. Is it enough to make it more attractive than the university-based deal? Not really.

What really matters is defining the reward. Does a low success rate and high risk matter if the reward behind success is extraordinary? No.

When you build something, it’s your project. Your ideas shape its development – and that’s the root of something called pride. That’s the first reward. When you’re proud of what you’ve built, it inspires – first of all, you, but also the people you love.

Then comes freedom. You worked all night? That was for your own project – something you believe in, something you’re proud of. That’s the second reward: freedom.

So, to conclude — what’s at stake when you drop out is the deep sense of security that university and a corporate job provide. But what you gain is something else entirely: opportunity, pride, freedom — and yes, risk.