There is a huge difference between having an assignment you don't feel for and having to do something boring that has immediate purpose. I totally get that runn

There is a huge difference between having an assignment you don't feel for and having to do something boring that has immediate purpose. I totally get that running your own company involves a lot of things that you probably never were interested in but, I imagine, that running an own company it's very easy (comparatively) to see the purpose of everything you do (and the consequences of not) and that can make the exact same task so much easier. For some people that alone is the difference between a depression and a happy fulfilling life. The same could be applied to school of course, you do this assignment so that you can pass the class and eventually earn a paper that says that you did something. But that is too abstract for many and the motivation required for that is completely different. The subject itself might be really interesting and you really would love to play around with it on your spare time but you don't feel you have time because you have a pointless assignment in your way. It's not that that situation is unique to studying but the motivation required can be completely different (why are you studying, to learn or to get a grade?). Saying that the best dropouts are those who would do well in school anyway really didn't sound right in my ears. Other than that I agree with you and the article but I think you both fail to recognize that dropping out says something as well. If you drop out out of free will that says something about you and your values and that is not without value (depending on why you did it).