I was kicked out of school when I was 15 years old. I still thought education was the key to really being able to experience as much as I could in life, so I educated myself. My mother taught me and life taught me.

Ironically, years later, the same school that kicked me out asked me to come back to speak to a class for "Career Day." At first I was going to remind them that they had asked me to leave school because of my career. But instead, I said, "okay."

I brought a videotape of what I did and they supplied a TV and VCR. I started by telling the class that they may choose a traditional career like a doctor or a lawyer and, if that was what they were into, then great. More than likely, they would have a lot of support

But I told them that the great thing is that you can do anything you want to do no matter how abstract it may seem. The less mainstream it may be, the less support you may receive, but the important thing to me is that you let your heart lead you. Because in every job there are going to be hard times; it will only be worth doing if it's truly what you want to do.

I told them my career was a good example. I chose to ride bikes, and this choice took me out of school for tours and competitions so much that even though I made up my work I was asked to "pursue other means of education." I had too many absences because of my career, but I didn't loose my thirst for education, and here I am today. The teacher who invited me, as I'm sure you can imagine, was wide-eyed; you could tell she had no idea. So I said, "why don't we watch a video?" and I put the video in, and everyone seemed to ignore my last comment.

Mat's Record in 1994 of about 27 feet over the lip. He's built a bigger ramp now and is looking at 30 feet as his next hurdle.

I was 15-years-old, in ninth grade, and my last day of school was the weekend before the AFA Masters Finals, set for Nov. 21-22, 1987, at the Velodrome in Compton, Calif. I left on a strange note, but that is a whole other story. From that day forward, I designed everyday that I woke up to. I designed the way I was educated which, for me, I think helped me learn more and faster. Sometimes I think there should be as many curriculums to educate as there are religions.

I had a couple months of just simmering (playing Nintendo) and then I realized if I wanted to go the places I wished to and do the things I dreamed of, it was going to be a choice I had to make. This was the moment in my life that I realized I was in control and that if I continued to wait on others to help me achieve my dreams then I may very well be waiting the rest of my life.

Ever since that day, my life has consisted of going where I wanted to go and doing the things I wanted to do. And I figured out what I needed to learn when I got there. I'm not saying this is the best way to live, it's just the only way I know. I never received a frown or a happy face on my paper, but I definitely knew when I did it right or if I made a mistake!

I started my business and I learned how to run a business. I had no idea how to manufacture bikes, but I put together a manufacturing plant and I learned. I didn't know the first thing about running a contest, but I scheduled a contest and figured it out. I didn't like the shows on TV, so I got a editing program and a camera and made my own. It doesn't matter what you know, but what you want to know that counts.

No matter who you are, you never have to subscribe to another system. You can design your own culture and travel down your own path and define your own meaning of success.

Don't limit yourself. You never know unless you try. Now go ride.

-Mat Hoffman

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