Congratulations Europe - & school underachievers everywhere
- By Richard Branson -
- Oct 12, 2012
Almost every generation before mine went to war against each other in Europe. Well done to the Nobel Peace Prize committee for recognising the peace that is now the European Union.
Congratulations also to Sir John Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka who won the Nobel prize for Medicine for their work on stem cell research. Gurdon's biology teacher didn’t rate his chances of becoming a scientist.
His report said: "I believe Gurdon has ideas about becoming a scientist; on his present showing this is quite ridiculous; if he can't learn simple biological facts he would have no chance of doing the work of a specialist, and it would be a sheer waste of time, both on his part and of those who would have to teach him."
As someone who was told by his headmaster “you will either go to jail or become a millionaire,” it is easy to relate my Sir Gurdon’s triumph over his teacher’s scepticism!
It just goes to show, if you don’t excel at school it does not mean you can’t go on to be successful.
By Richard Branson. Founder of Virgin Group
