Why The Ones Who Have Bad Grades Are Often The Ones Who Are Most Successful

This is an ode to all students who have ever gotten B’s, C’s, D’s (and sometimes even failed). It’s a declaration to the kids who calculated the exact number of points they needed to get on their finals in order to pass. This is for all those kids who didn’t get extra credit or get placed on honor roll. After years of inadequacy and a lifetime of feeling average and unremarkable, your time has come. Someone is finally here to tell you that even if your GPA’s lower than 1.2, you can be great.

For years, society has placed a disgustingly large stigma on bad grades and an overwhelming importance on good grades. There’s a predisposed instinct to strive for A’s and cast anything lower to the side, to deem as unworthy. Well, it’s time to let the children learn that it’s okay not to be an A student, it’s okay to fail. Because here’s a little secret the older generations are unwilling to divulge to you: it doesn’t matter.

To all those tight-ass intellectuals out there, it’s time to get the facts straight. For all those years that you spent cooped up in the library, poring over facts and stats, soliloquies and Greek mythology, the average scoring kids — the ones partying and getting C’s in college — are the ones obtaining the skills that do matter: life experiences.

Failing is a life experience. Not getting that A on the exam you spent all night studying for, is an experience. Life experiences are a composite of all the skills necessary to get along in the real world. It’s comprised of all those skills that are only learned through failure and the obstacles of life, like how to hold a conversation, get away with a lie or entertain someone you really don’t like. It’s all those skills that high-paying Fortune 500 companies value above all else.

In college, it’s all about grades. In the real world, it’s about experience, balls and drive. Because once you get past the first job, no one is ever going to ask you about your GPA or how you did on that Psych 215 final. What matters in the real world is your ability to adapt, innovate and get along. There are no scantron sheets or essay exams. There are no TA’s to hold review sessions or to help you practice your presentation. Real life is about how well you can bullsh*t your way through it, and that’s not something taught in a classroom.

“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”-Winston Churchill

The greatest thinkers, leaders and entrepreneurs of our time have been the men to defy the rules and take risks. They were the ones getting C’s or flunking out. However, their “failures’ were not a factor of intelligence, but an inability to be weighed down by grades and superficial markings. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Richard Branson, are just a few of the men who achieved unfathomable amounts of wealth, status and success without ever really succeeding in a classroom. They are the men, that by society’s standards, had failed.

With their passion and intelligence, they were able to change the world with nothing more than a bachelor’s degree and a transcript of failing grades (sometimes not graduating at all). These men understood at an early age that just because society, and everyone around them, placed an excessive amount of importance on grades didn’t mean they were right.

But it’s not just these extreme examples of eccentric billionaires and tech geniuses that should solidify the results of this finding. It’s about yourself and the gut feelings you have towards what is right and what is wrong.

Succeeding in life means following your gut and understanding what a bad decision is. Just because you passed American History with flying colors doesn’t mean you’ll know what to do when your coworker is talking behind your back to your boss. It doesn’t mean you’ll know how to handle an insubordinate or get together a presentation the night before a deadline.

The people who do great things are the ones too absorbed in their own ideas to place too much weight on the opinions of others. Why should Steve Jobs spend hours studying someone else’s ideas and breakthroughs when he could be out creating his own? What people fail to see in bad grades is the reason behind them. Why is this person not getting an A? Is this person doing something that is better?

“Everybody is a genius. But, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it’ll spend it’s whole life believing that it is stupid.” – Albert Einstein

So for all of you preparing for finals, or finishing them with a bitter taste in your mouth, this should be reason enough not to worry. If you are ending the semester with C’s and maybe a few D’s, don’t sweat. There’s plenty of opportunity out there, and it’s the people with the audacity not to care about their grades — the ones who don’t spend their lives in the library and bubbling in correct answer sheets — who will rule the world. Because at the end of it all, it’s really about those people with the most passion.

Photo credit: Shutterstock

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Told You Mom! The 9 Smartest People Who Smoke Weed

We all remember that fateful day when Steve Jobs admitted to taking acid. Moreover, he didn’t just admit to it, he advocated for it; preaching to students and alum that all people who want to open their minds and free themselves creatively should have at least one good trip. Drug addicts and stoners alike rejoiced, because they know that anyone taking acid most definitely smokes weed. It really was one small step for acid, one giant step for pot.

Once the tech entrepreneur admitted to taking drugs, it seemed okay for everyone else to admit to it. I mean, if this man was singlehandedly changing the world while high, why can’t we admit to smoking the reefer? Thus, the acceptance of marijuana was born — as long as you were smart enough to back it up.

There’s a common misconception that weed makes kids dopey and lazy. However, anyone who smokes knows that weed makes you smarter. Of course there are those cases of the burn outs, but the motivated ones are able to use bud as an enhancer. So anytime your parents are complaining about how weed is going to ruin your future, remind them that the mostbrilliant minds of our time wouldn’t have achieved anything without the help of the herb.

Barack Obama

His nickname back in the day was Barack O-ganja….

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 James Franco

He’s an author, a professor and just everything that’s right about smoking weed.

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Steve Jobs

It takes a high man to develop the logo of an apple for his entire empire.

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Jay Z

You can’t write lyrics like a God without the power of the herb. He also must have been smoking something when he named his baby Blue Ivy.

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 Natalie Portman

Our favorite actress admitted to smoking weed while in college… at just a little school by the name of Harvard.

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Morgan Freeman

He openly admits that weed should be decriminalized, and he’s the only actor esteemed enough to play God. That’s gotta count for something.

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 Arnold Schwarzenegger

If you’ve ever seen his documentary “Pumping Iron,” you got an up close and personal look at terminator chillin’ on a fattie and loving life.

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Seth Macfarlane

You can’t make a show for stoners and about stoners, without being a stoner.

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Sean Parker

He just donated $100,000 to marijuana legalization in California, and I don’t think it was for business purposes.

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A Highsnobiety Halloween | 10 Pop-Culture Inspired Costumes

Halloween is a time when real personalities become worldwide phenomenona and pop culture standouts step out of the land of make believe and into true existence. We live in a world where we may not admit that the aforementioned “cultural ambassadors” influence our style, but it’s hard to deny the effect that some of these people have on fashion. Call it a costume on October 31 or just call it “my style” the other 364 days out of the year. Highsnobiety plays in a space where we encounter everything from outrageous musicians, to innovators, to artists, to fictitious people on a daily basis. If you’re in need of a last minute costume, we’ve got you wrapped like a mummy.

Kanye West

Hands down the most polarizing figure in popular music, Kanye West‘s musical accomplishments are often either complemented by his unique style or overlooked depending on who you’re talking to. West’s tour with Jay Z for Watch The Throne saw the Chicago rapper clad in almost nothing but Givenchy apparel. For West’s latest tour, however, he opted for a healthy smattering of Maison Martin Margiela. It goes without saying then the look will cost you a pretty penny and an unrivaled amount of access to the French fashion house. Just the mask, in fact, will run you a cool $20,000.

Coinciding with the Yeezus tour’s beginnings, the label announced it had produced a number of exclusive pieces at its Parisian atelier based on garments in its archives including an embroidered, elongated bomber jacket, a blanket coat and printed trousers. MMM also developed a special pair of sneakers for West to wear alongside his signature Red Octobers. Although MMM only officially announced its responsibility for some of the pieces, a report in London’s Telegraphcredits the fashion house with all the looks for the tour including 10 couture and 20 ready-to-wear pieces.

On a regular basis, however, Mr. West can be spotted in far more affordable clothing, which for the layman is still quite steep. The good news is, these pieces will last you well beyond Halloween night. visvim‘s popular FBT silhouette are by now a staple of his wardrobe as are leather jogging pants which have been hot for a minute. Let’s not forget Kanye’s style advisor Virgil Abloh whose label PYREX VISION took over your Tumblr feed whether you wanted it to or not.

Brands/designers: Givenchy, Maison Martin Margiela, visvim, Louis Vuitton, Jordan Brand, Ralph Lauren, PYREX VISION

Pieces to consider: FBT Amdo Folk, Baseball Skull Sweatshirt, A.P.C. Kanye

Tyler, The Creator

If there’s one brand that defines the Odd Future frontman’s style, it’s Supreme. In fact, Tyler is often credited with bringing the New York streetwear mainstay to the forefront over the past few years. Box logos on 5-panels and sweaters are a given, while classic sneakers from Vans are another staple.

More recently, the Los Angeles native has been focusing on his own brand done in collaboration with his cohorts. Bold graphics include illustrations done by Tyler himself with others featuring images of cats, dolphins, and camels. Unlike West and others on this list, Tyler’s look is a bit easier to replicate with most pieces available just a few clicks away.

Brands/designers: Supreme, Vans, Odd Future, Thrasher

Pieces to consider: Loro Piana Camp Cap, Jack Acid Tee, Vans Old Skool, Skate Mag Hoodie

A$AP Rocky

The only other rapper in the game giving Kanye any serious competition, A$AP Rocky has nearly perfected the art of balancing streetwear with high fashion, reflecting the ever-evolving menswear landscape. Although Rocky’s recent success has given him access to high-fashion’s finest, the New York native can still be seen wearing staple streetwear brands like Supreme and BAPE. Monochromatic outfits featuring cryptic symbols and premium leathers are equally as important to Rocky with brands like Rick Owens, Raf Simons, Black Scale and Hood By Air comprising a healthy portion of his wardrobe. If you manage to get your hands on some #rare pieces, the only other thing you’ll need are some braids and perhaps a pair of RETROSUPERFUTURE flat top shades.

Brands/designers: Supreme, BAPE, Rick Owens, Raf Simons, Black Scale, Hood By Air, SSUR, RETROSUPERFUTURE

Pieces to consider: Field Parka, Milo American Tee, Silence Snapback, JS Wings 2.0, Flat Top Cobra

Lady Gaga

Just like Yeezy, Lady Gaga‘s accomplishments are often overshadowed by her public image. Whether she’s in the studio with controversial photographer Terry Richardson or on a retreat with Marina Abramovic, Gaga’s fashion choices are always conscious and oftentimes puzzling. Although she rarely wears the same outfit twice, the 27-year-old pop star can often be found in either her birthday suit or something edging right on the border. 

Just when you think you’ve pegged her down, however, Gaga surprises with an outlandish outfit blending the flair of Salvador Dali with the stardom of David Bowie.

So what’s the key here?

Simple. Gravitate toward either extreme and you’ve got it.

Brands/designers: Charlie Le Mindu, Saint Laurent, Alexander Wang, Balenciaga, Versace, Armani

Pieces to consider: Balmain Black Leather Gathered Blouse, The Birth of Venus Tee

Pusha T

One half of hip-hop duo Clipse, Pusha T‘s efforts as a solo artist have proven just as successful with his latest album My Name Is My Name garnering both critical and commercial acclaim. With West as his executive producer, some of the Chicago rapper’s natural steeze has certainly rubbed off on King Push who can now be seen clad in the finest garbs from the likes of Marcelo Burlon and Alexander Wang. And the same success can be said for Play Cloths, the American streetwear line he co-founded back in 2008 with Clipse partner, No Malice. In addition, a leather-strap snapback has by now become a signature of the artist in addition to braids and more often than not, gold chains.

Brands/designers: Marcelo Burlon, Alexander Wang, Play Cloths

Pieces to consider: Shemesh Tee, Laundered Quilted Track Pants,  Al Et Ange Red & Blue Leaves Theo Hat

Steve Jobs

The man, the myth, the legend. Before you say “too soon,” consider the Apple cofounder’s uniform: three-piece rimless eyeglasses, a black turtleneck sweater, faded blue jeans and New Balance 992 sneakers. Not the most exciting wardrobe choices in the world but easily one of the most recognizable. Never one to overlook the tiniest of details, Jobs opted for the minimal clothing “because of its daily convenience and its ability to convey a signature style.”

In Walter Isaacson’s official biography, it was revealed Jobs enlisted Issey Miyake after visitingSony factories in the ’80s to make him some black turtlenecks. And by some, I mean a lifetime’s supply. You can keep it as legitimate as possible by copping a piece from the Japanese fashion designer’s collection or just grab any old unbranded piece from your local department or thrift store. Just like the man’s products, Jobs’ killer outfit revolves around its simplicity.

Brands/designers: Issey Miyake, Levi’s, New Balance

Pieces to consider: St. Croix Turtleneck, 501 Original, 990v3

Banksy

Although Banksy‘s identity remains a mystery, one can approximate his look through the use of stereotypical street artist staples. A hoodie, bandana, loose but not too loose trousers and running shoes make sense for their practicality. A hoodie and bandana for concealment, and loose trousers and running shoes for, well, running if need be.

Of course you can also go the entirely opposite direction on this and opt for an inconspicuous outfit which in reality is probably more along the lines of what the English artist wears when throwing up a new piece.

If you really want to complete the look, get yourself a voice mask and things like, “Graffiti is one of the few tools you have if you have almost nothing. And even if you don’t come up with a picture to cure world poverty you can make someone smile while they’re having a piss.”

Brands/designers: Palace Skateboards, Carhartt, The North Face, Reebok

Pieces to consider: Drury Swirl Hoodie, WIP Texas Jeans, YourFlex Run 4.0

Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus‘s performance with Robin Thicke at the MTV Video Music Awards was one of the most talked about pop culture events of the year. Because of that, the outfit worn by the 20-year-old on that fateful night is now one of the year’s most memorable and is rivaled only by her equally scandalous outfit worn for the lens of Terry Richardson.

Whichever way you decide to go on this one, the key here is minimal. Unlike Lady Gaga, however, the other extreme doesn’t really exist at this point and the only other thing you need to do besides strip down is stick your tongue out. By far one of the easiest costumes of the year.

Brands/designers: Dr. Martens, Marc Jacobs, Atsuko Kudo

Pieces to consider: Romper, Terry Eyeglasses, Michael Jordan Jersey, Creepers

Franklin Clinton

One of three main characters in Rockstar Games’ latest masterpiece, Franklin Clinton epitomizes the modern-day Los Angeles gangster. Short-sleeve button-ups over long-sleeve tees and unbranded work pants suspiciously similar to Dickie’s characterize the Grand Theft Auto Vstar on a cooler day, while cargo shorts and a white tank with a baseball bat are staples of warmer days. Since the clothes won’t run you too much, feel free to spend the saved dough on a White Buffalo, which in real-world terms translates to a third-generation Chevy Camaro.

Brands/designers: Dickie’s, Chevrolet, Hanes

Pieces to consider: 874 Work Pants, Chevrolet Camaro, Long-Sleeve Tee, Work Shirt

Richard Harrow

Perhaps one of the most enigmatic characters on television, Boardwalk Empire’s Richard Harrow continues to blur the line between being mysterious and being a monster. Donning wonderful overcoats meant to take the sting out of cold nights in Atlantic City with signature caps – and of course a war wound that isn’t merely for show – Harrow’s style starts from the core and emanates outward.

Brands/designers: Ralph Lauren, Alden, Brooks Brothers

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10 Powerful Quotes From The Steve Jobs Movie And What They Teach Us About Leadership

Ashton Kutcher portraying Steve Jobs

The script for Jobs, the new movie starring Ashton Kutcher as the visionary Apple co-founder, is heavy with quotes that reflect Jobs’ business philosophy and approach to life. I’ve listened to the director, Joshua Michael Stern, and I recognize most of Kutcher’s lines in the movie as being either direct quotes from Steve Jobs or compilations of his quotes. Here is my vote for the ten best quotes from the movie and what they can teach us about leadership, creativity, communications, and success.

1. I’m not dismissing the value of higher education; I’m simply saying it comes at the expense of experience.

According to Jobs film directorJoshua Michael Stern, Steve Jobs felt that life experiences were critical to being creative. Stern included pivotal scenes in the movie showing a young Steve Jobs taking a college calligraphy course and visiting India with his friend, Daniel Kottke. “Absorbing culture, art, and history were extremely important to Jobs. He believed in taking life experiences and using it as a subtext for something else you’re doing, like helping to form the product you’re creating,” said Stern. This is one of the most powerful success principles we can learn from Steve Jobs: a broad set of life experiences is essential for creativity to flourish.

2. The greatest artists like Dylan, Picasso and Newton risked failure. And if we want to be great, we’ve got to risk it too.

Steve Jobs didn’t hesitate to take risks. If he wanted something, he would ask, even at a young age. When Jobs was twelve years old he called up HP co-founder Bill Hewlett and asked for spare parts. Hewlett gave Jobs the parts and a summer job. “You’ve got to be willing to crash and burn. If you’re afraid of failing, you won’t get very far,” Jobs once said. “Most people never pick up the phone and call. Most people never ask, and that’s what separates the people who do things from the people who just dream about them.” I’ve rarely interviewed a successful entrepreneur or CEO who hasn’t risked failure. In fact most successful people don’t even see ‘failure;’ they see a result that didn’t have the intended outcome.

3. How does somebody know what they want if they haven’t even seen it?

Steve Jobs didn’t believe in focus groups. Actually, he avoided them like the plague. Jobs believed in building great products that he would want to use himself. To a large extent he had a point. For example, in 2010 how many of us would have asked for a third device in between a laptop and a smartphone? Most people would never have asked for an iPad, but once millions of consumers saw it, they couldn’t live without it, and it opened up entirely new categories of business applications. When I spent one year researching a book on the Apple Store, I learned that Jobs revolutionized the retail business because he asked better questions. For example, Jobs did not ask, “How do we build a better store than our competitors?” Instead he asked, “How do we reinvent the store?” Don’t do things better; do things differently.

4. Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you, and you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use.

Ashton Kutcher likes this quote so much he used it in a short speech at a recent award show, explaining that it’s one of the most profound things he learned while preparing for the role as Steve Jobs. The quote itself is taken from a rare 1995 interview for the Santa Clara Valley Historical Association. The entire clip is available here on YouTube. The rest of the quote is equally as profound: “When you grow up you tend to get told that the world is the way it is and your life is just to live your life and try not to bash into the walls too much…that’s a very limited life. Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact—everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you…shake off this erroneous notion that life is there and you’re just going to live in it versus make your mark upon it. Once you learn that, you will never be the same again.” Don’t just live a life; build one.

5. I would rather gamble on our vision than make a ‘me, too’ product.

Steve Jobs believed in dreaming big. In the 1970s personal computers were relegated to the hobbyist market. Jobs had the vision of ‘putting a computer in the hands of everyday people.’ He once said that Xerox could have dominated the entire computer industry because Xerox scientists in Palo Alto’s PARC research facility were developing the first graphical user interface. Jobs said Xerox failed because its “vision” was limited to making another copy machine. Never underestimate the power of a bold vision to move your career and the world forward.

6. We’ve got to make the small things unforgettable.

The devil’s in the details and few people were more obsessed with details than Jobs. We’ve all heard stories of Jobs driving his engineers crazy because he didn’t like the aesthetic of something inside the computer that nobody would ever see. Everything mattered. I recall visiting a cardboard box manufacturing facility in Modesto, California, to prepare for a keynote speech to industry executives. This company made boxes for Apple products. One factory manager said out of the thousands of brands they made boxes for, none were more particular than Apple. Steve Jobs demanded that the details of the box, the tactile design, had to be just right. The edges had to look and even feel a certain way. When customers opened an iPhone box, it had to set the tone for the experience. Far too many people and businesses overlook the details and the customer experience with the brand inevitably suffers. Details matter.

7. Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently…they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.

Jobs once said that what made the Macintosh great was the fact that the people he chose to work on the system were “musicians, and poets, and artists, and zoologists, and historians who also happened to be computer scientists.” It’s a profound insight that speaks to building creative teams. Today it’s common for many companies to overlook creative individuals because they don’t fit in a hiring box. Jobs didn’t just think differently; he hired differently. See genius in diversity. Hire outside your industry from time to time.

8. You’ve got to have a problem that you want to solve; a wrong that you want to right.

I considered Steve Jobs one of the world’s greatest corporate presenters because he always explained the problem that his product would solve. The introduction of iTunes Music Store in 2003 is perhaps the best example of this approach. In one presentation Steve Jobs turned around public opinion, convincing customers that it was in their best interest to pay for something (songs) that they could otherwise get for free at the time. In this video clip you can watch Jobs demonstrate the “upsides and downsides” of the status quo, followed by his “solution,” the 99 cent song on the iTunes Music Store. Your audience needs to understand the problem your idea solves. Don’t leave them guessing. Explain it clearly.

9. It [what you choose to do] has got to be something that you’re passionate about because otherwise you won’t have the perseverance to see it through.

Steve Jobs believed that passion was a critical component of success. He talked about the role of passion constantly, so it’s no surprise that this quote would appear in ‘Jobs’, the film. The 2005 Steve Jobs commencement address at Stanford University has been viewed millions of times and it’s the event where his thoughts on passion are most clearly articulated. Jobs told the graduates that day, “You’ve got to find what you love… Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” This could very well be the greatest piece of career advice ever given, with the exception of #10.

10. In your life you only get to do so many things and right now we’ve chosen to do this, so let’s make it great.

This quote is the best advice Jobs ever gave to Disney’s Chief Creative Officer, John Lasseter. Well before he became Disney’s chief animator, Lasseter recalls his first meeting with Steve Jobs after Jobs bought Pixar in 1986. Lasseter was working on a short film at the time and, at the end of the meeting, Lasseter says Steve Jobs asked him to do one thing: “Make it great.” The short, Tin Toy, went on to win the first academy award ever given for computer animation and set the foundation for what later would become Toy Story. Lasseter has told the story publicly a few times, most recently in this emotional tribute at Disney’s D23 Expo (the story begins at 8:30). Lasseter said those three words—make it great—have applied to every frame of every Pixar movie he worked on.

Is everything you do as great as it could be? This could very well be the most important question you ask yourself as a leader. Your customers deserve nothing less. Don’t just make it; make it great.

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