Pursuing your education while you’re on active duty can seem like a daunting task. Chances are, your job takes up a big chunk of your time, amirite? You may also have a family. And then, on top of all that, the process itself can feel overwhelming. So, where do you even start?

Well, in the Wizard of Oz, the Good Witch of the North told Dorothy, “It’s always best to start at the beginning.” Just like that yellow brick road, every journey begins with the first step. ACT Now Education wants to help you get started on your own journey to Oz.

Here are some easy steps to help you pursue your education:

*Talk with a fellow servicemember who is currently taking classes or seeking a professional certification.

*Read up on your Service's tuition assistance policies.

*Call the education services office at your command.

*Search online for military-friendly colleges and universities to see what degrees are available.

*Take advantage of free courses that ACT NOW has through our partnership with Coursera

Most importantly, commit to yourself! Think about what you want, develop a plan of action, and then make a decision to commit to take action. Any action at all is still action!
                                        

Realistically manage your own expectations – after all, you probably won’t earn a degree in a matter of weeks – but anything worth doing well will take time. Every day you don’t commit to your own professional success is another day further away from your goals.

These first steps, this first action, is the beginning of your forward momentum. If you need to change course down the road, that’s alright. If you have to press pause for a while to deal with life, that’s totally fine. But take that first step and commit to yourself.

It’s often the fear of taking that first step that keeps us locked in the same place. As Warren Buffett said, “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” Plant that seed. Have that conversation. Check out that policy. Visit that website. Take that step. Follow your own yellow brick road!

                                         

We’ll have more blog posts to keep you moving in the right direction, but it’s always best to start at the beginning. The most important step is the first one. ACT Now!