Acton Academy Launchpad (LP) leads to Next Great Adventure (NGA). A different education pathway from those often found in most education systems. It is not to say that Acton Academy can’t offer the typical high school path. An Eagle (an Acton student) can go through the same hoops towards an accredited American High School Diploma, followed by college. The difference is that they are fully aware of the other paths they could take. And they have actively, consciously, and clearly chosen the college path. They are secure in the knowledge of the Why.
At Acton, we strive to take each step towards the future consciously, with a clear Why. Eagles take full ownership of the path they choose. Does it fit their Calling? What if we look at college as another learning tool? Can one hack the system, get the relevant skills and credentials without sacrificing exorbitant fees (and time)? The ‘typical college path’ is not the end goal of NGA, but just one of the possible paths in its broader spectrum. Still, what is NGA, exactly?
NGA — What Is It?
NGA is the plan for after Launchpad. And part of a Launchpad Eagle’s quest is to make plans that prepare for their NGA. They design and execute these plans through actions, research, and deep introspection. These actions include projects, apprenticeships, real-world experiences, deliberate practices of skills, and mentorship. Also, they share this journey with their peers as a learner-driven community. They observe and gain insight from peers embarking on similar journeys and struggles. And there is great joy in each Eagle pursuing their unique dream together.
NGA is more than a destination. It is a process of deep introspection into the questions of:
- “Who am I?”
- “Who am I meant to be?” and
- “Where do I fit in in this world?”
NGA intersects the Eagles’ different areas of passion, personality, skill, and talent. And they examine how to apply them in real-world expectations and constraints. That is why Acton designs the NGA with specifics: an industry, role, and geography/company subculture. Eagles have to wrestle with the realities of pay, lifestyle, and so on.
The Beauty is in the Specifics
Still, there are misconceptions. Especially when compared to career counselors’ advice and typical career path planning. Here’s a table that illustrates the differences:
| Features | What NGA is | What NGA is not |
| Description of Plans | Clear, with specific Industry, Role, & Location. Includes individual job posting(s) and career description(s), as well as plans to achieve them. Examples: – Aerospace. SpaceX Rocket Engineer. Hawthorne, California. – Atmospheric Physics Research. Antarctica. For both cases, particular college / University options as intermediate paths. – Marketing. Video Editor. Work remotely. – Health-based App (Naluri). App Developer, Kuala Lumpur. For cases above, portfolio and demonstrating skill matters far more. Eagles can combine different possibilities together, often called “bending your career”. | Wishy-washy plans like, “I would like to do some Science.” Intermediate plans like, “I want to go to college.” “I want to do IGCSE.” (without a clear next step and Why). |
| How the Plans are written | Purposeful and conscious decisions, tested through deliberate action and an informed industry perspective. Actions: Investigated through personality tests, simulated experiences such as apprenticeships, work shadow, interviews with industry insiders, and readings of cases & relevant books. Develop a perspective of the industry: who are the players, the supply chain, profit pools, and market forces. At least a hundred hours of work. | Plans that are set by somebody else, without deep introspection and investigation. Plans based on most university or career websites, with investigation based on consultation. Usually less than ten hours of work and research. |
| Assumptions | World is changing and dynamic. The NGA evolves, and combines different possibilities. | World is static, with prescribed steps and pathways. |
Why does Acton push for such a particular version of NGA? Quoting Jordan Peterson:
You make your goals sharp and clear.
From Jordan Peterson’s interview with Jocko Willink (shorter clip)
First of all, then you know what to aim at.
And what is interesting is that your brain is set up so that it reorganizes the world around your aims.
The specific NGA does a few things:
- Serves as a North star goal that helps pull you forward and give you the motivation to do the hard things.
- Encourages you to seek out relevant individuals and cases with whom you can connect and research. The comparisons of individuals and real-world job descriptions provide clarity, as opposed to having a fuzzy, vague idea.
- The specific job description and path inform the skills, credentials, and character required. You can weave them into your Learning Plans, and develop the necessary expertise.
- The process involves keeping a log of the change in the specified NGA. It is normal to change roles, industry, or geography, as long as you have a traceable Why. “I used to think X. Now I think Y because of the following reasons.”
The risk of not having an NGA is drifting with the wind of the culture-scape. It is easy to get pushed by common expectations, such as doing an IGCSE at 16-years-old because everyone around you perceives it as the default next step. We are not against these tests. We are against doing them blindly, without asking a deep Why.
What if an Eagle cannot find (and commit to) an NGA?
That is OK. Acton focuses on process, not results.
What is not OK is not committing to the process of searching, exploring, and then committing. Each search and exploration will give insights into the questions, “Who am I?” and “Who am I meant to be?” Eventually, you will find an NGA to commit to.
Even starting from a dart throw and justifying why you chose a random path is a starting point. If you decide to leave it to chance, why not do exactly that?
What is not OK is not putting a stake in the ground. Here is where we draw the line. If an Eagle is not willing to commit to the NGA process, they are better served elsewhere. This is an expectation we have of every Eagle joining Launchpad.
Up next, we will dive into the process of NGA at Acton.