No one is ever truly prepared for what happens when your no longer within the sanctuary of the basic American educational system. Not necessarily true for everyone, but the fine majority to say the least. Those last few years in high school, and the 3-4 that follow are dire to what your life is going to amount to.. in the immediate future. Basically, the better you do out of the gate, the more likely you'll live a more comfortable and happy life. My advice.. and I hope you take this in earnest.. Learn from your mistakes, if you do something stupid, make every effort to ensure it doesn't happen again. Evaluate risks.. know how far is too far for something to not be worth it. Try your best to keep your record clean. Illegal quick money sounds great and exciting, but.. shoplifting, selling drugs, etc.. Truly not worth it. Be aware of who you surround yourself with. In my case, though I'm doing pretty darn good for myself in life based on my own standards.. I could have potentially been much further had not hung around with a bad crowd.. Sure, they were like my brothers for 6-8 years. The simple fact is now, my old stoner buddies went too far.. we're no longer friends, they stabbed me in the back, and all of them have been in jail (one of them must like it because he's always going back).. I cut them out of my life, and then it got extremely better. Surround yourself with useful people.. people with connections, similar mindsets, motivated and smart people. Otherwise, going lone wolf is better than poisoning yourself with a toxic crowd.
I was a lot like you earlier in life.. perhaps, I still am. I get your level of thinking and wanting to get ahead. I'm not saying you cant do that, in fact, by all means continue planning and cultivating those ideals. I've been out of high school for longer than I recently realized, and I'm just about to be able to start my business.. It wasn't straight out of the gate, but I have already took care of some long term debts that I no longer have to worry about.. bought a house dirt cheap.. own 2 vehicles.. my bills are ridiculously cheap due to ingenuity.. I say that not to boast, but to inspire.. Let's face it, I get on Facebook everyday and see people I know having babies, buying big expensive houses, paying $500+ a month of their mortgage, not including bills, not including the costs of a child for 18+ years.. Your life, as most of us hope, is going to be a long one.. There is a lot to think about, and thinking about something before it happens, and being prepared.. having some sort of strategy.. It'll benefit you...... Kinda got off track on a ramble.. Anyways, what my point was concerning me was is.. I consider myself ahead of the curve.. and having said that, I could have still been doing so much better had it not been for a few key choices.. That said, my life could also be so bleak that its difficult to imagine had I also made some of the wrong choices. Oh, and the real point was.. a business is a great goal, but housing, food, and electric aren't free or easy to sustain if your putting all your eggs into that venture. I may start a business, and it may fail.. but I will walys have my property and livelihood.. short of this upcoming Ebola apocalypse.
So to end this all... The smartest, and yet one of the hardest things for an intelligent, independent, and stubborn youth do is... listen to advice. I was absolute hell to raise, and I actually feel for my parents. My growth over the years, just in understanding.. surprises me everyday. I hated advice, absolutely protested it. I look back now.. I was so foolish.. Haha, no saying all advice your going to get is great or that you need to listen to it.. but a high school diploma, saving money, planning your future, not going to jail.. all basic, and all worth heeding to make for a better life.