Dear Next Generation, At the age of 97, I still remember how all through high school I believed I wasn’t smart enough to go to college. Before I had time to seriously consider it, World War II came along, and there I was, in the Army. The sudden change was my first major “culture shock,” which dramatically impacted my normal, youthful low self-esteem. Suddenly, I was surrounded by men from 18 to their 30s who ranged from smarter than I to what I perceived as “ dumb.” These comments are not to belittle the incompetent or “unqualified” as much as to help you rid yourself of any possible negatives you might have concerning yourself. You must charge ahead in your dream or ambition, which means collecting the essential keys, the “magical” tools (training, degrees, certificates, and work experience) to open the door to accomplishing your goal. Here are some points …