We're pleased to feature the first lesson in Big Think’s Summer School for the Real World, a curated series designed to give you a crash course in the knowledge and skills you’ll need to thrive in the 21st century workplace. Every Monday for the next nine weeks, we'll bring you insights from thought leaders including Facebook’s first investor, Peter Thiel, on how to think beyond professional tracks, Reuters CEO Tom Glocer on what it takes to distinguish yourself in the eyes of an employer, and New Yorker writer Malcolm Gladwell on the secret of his success.

1. 1 Quit Your Day Job, Do What You Lo...
2. 2 Are You an Entrepreneur or an Emp...
3. 3 Nothing to Lose, Everything to Ga...
4. 4 Reid Hoffman’s Argument for Socia...