Hello!
Thanks for sharing your perspective, @honeydue.
For me it is a curious perspective, because of my age and context, I was taught to assume that the natural course of my life was to complete a university degree. I am not saying that it was not satisfactory for me: I love my profession, I love being a university professor; certainly, I also followed my vocation. However, over the years, and as my outlook on life became more independent and less attached to status affairs, I was able to pursue some trades in which I could have developed better and earlier. I became a self-training bookbinder, among other things, such as spending a lot of time writing fiction.
In my country, where we have a tradition of completing college, parents and context often pressure young people to become lawyers, doctors, engineers, and kids often end up confusing their tastes, vocations, and life aspirations. Sometimes they suffer in their own esteem, because they feel that what they want to do is a trade and not an academic career. I have seen many cases of students of Education who simply want to be something else, and indeed I have had students who may be excellent carpenters, artisans, merchants... totally dissatisfied to study careers to please others, or not to feel that they are insufficient.
It is very important to deal with the issue of formal education and its alternatives in liberal occupations, not only to have happier people, but more productive. What we do with pleasure and with a satisfied heart, we probably do better.
Thank you again, @honeydue, for sharing this interesting topic in a natural and fresh tone.