Because if you've got the right kind of personal skills, you can figure out a way to get yourself educated, at least to a level that it takes to achieve your objectives. If you go back in human history, the people who have done the most to advance human history are not necessarily the most educated. It's been those people who have been able to motivate people, to cause people to come to their cause and see their vision of the world. If you had the choice, to me, it would be that ability to motivate people to follow. I don't want to downplay education.
Academic education is absolutely vital for anybody to achieve.
But if I had to make a choice, I'd pick personal skills. Same way it is for White folks. Save money, invest money, postpone instant gratification, accumulate assets, and don't be afraid to take risks. I can't remember the name. But it was a spy novel written by Robert Ludlum.