We are living in an era where our lives are continuously being overwhelmed by the complications and challenges of the rapidly changing world. This, in my opinion, is the main cause which compels many parents to take matters in their own hands when deciding the future career of their child. While some parents decide by putting their life-long experiences to best use, some are being admired by close acquaintances for their success in life.
Most parents disagree with me when I tell them that their children are in fact, the only individuals who are capable of choosing the right career for themselves. ‘They are too young to decide for themselves and we only want the best for our kids’ is usually the answer I get. There is no doubt, whatsoever, that the parents’ intentions are pure at their hearts, with the sole purpose of safeguarding the future of their children. But, unfortunately, this also becomes the discrete reason for their frustration in their professional life ahead, when the career is actually enforced upon them. There are numerous examples of people around us where we see that the cause of frustration and aggression is due to the fact that people spent most of their time working on jobs, they are not passionate about.
So, what approach do other parents take, which not only secures the future of the kids but also enable them to be passionate about their career? The answer is simple, they do not decide the future career for their kids but instead ‘help’ them discover their true potential. Here are few measures, which I think will be very helpful.
Observation
- This is the most important tool that helps parents assess their child’s strong traits. From an early age, parents should observe different activities of their kids, which highlights their distinct qualities. Some kids are natural artists, while others may be good with numbers. Some may find reading difficult while others would spend hours and hours reading story books. One of the jobs of every parent is to observe and perceive the abilities in which their children are naturally good at to help them with their career choices.
Encouragement
- Regularly encouraged kids are more confident and exceptionally good in their respective fields and careers compared to their counterparts. As a growing child, encouragement from the parents, is the best and most valuable gift a child can receive. It not only helps them excel but also achieve goals they never thought were capable of. Parents have to work as catalysts to speed-up the process and flatten the learning curve through encouragement. Confidence in what drives a person to unlock endless possibilities and excel not just in their career but in every walk of life.
Practical Experience
- People who initiate their professional career earlier in their lives, tend to be more cultured and better equipped to handle day-to-day situations. Early exposure to professional work ethics and norms of the society helps people develop resilience in their personality. They are more adaptable, which in my opinion, is now a vital characteristic every person should possess. Being able to spend countless hours at work, to better oneself and to consistently upgrade technical skills, is the demand of our rapidly evolving environment for a brighter career prospects.
Choosing a career is not only difficult but extremely confusing since we are living in times where the stakes are high as they can be, jobs are limited, resources are depleting and the global economy is at the brink of a meltdown. Even the brightest minds are clueless. But we still hear success stories every now and then. Who are these people? What is their secret of success?
These are the people who love doing what they do. They are focused towards the task and not the time. They enjoy everyday challenges because they find passion and purpose in their work and career. Never getting tired or agitated at the immense workload. For them working is as entertaining as playing a game of cricket or watching a movie. They would choose work over most other activities in life because it gives them the satisfaction every human soul craves for. So, help choose your children the profession they are naturally good at and cherish with them as they climb the ladder of achievement and success in life.