Is the Career Advice We Give Our Children Crushing Their Futures

Is the Career Advice We Give Our Children Crushing Their Futures Once, during the question and answer session following a keynote speech of mine, a rather dignified and well-dressed gentleman vigorously raised his hand. His body language seemed uncomfortable and angry. Of curse, he welches my first pick.The man asked, What do you have to tell these young people who want to pursue a feel good degree like environmental science? I paused for quite a long time, allowingthe question to sink into the audience.Then, I answered Well, actually, I was thinking that environmental science is a rather courageous and vital career choice.Continuing, I said that since todays college graduates arelikely to change careers a few times in their lives, we need an entirely new approach to preparing students for the future of work. Many of the jobs our children will pursue have yet to be invented. In a world of constant change, we ought to be helping young people identify w hat they love and what is meaningful to them.For those of us who grew up in the shadow of the Second Industrial Revolution, this must sound like pig latin.However, Id insist that finding work you love is important to everyone, at every stage of their career. Successful change requires wakefulness, learning, engagement, and new skills. And while change requires courage, we ought to be far mora frightened of living with ambivalence or even hatred for our work. Without love and passion, were unlikely to succeed in our careers.After the event came to an end, the well-dressedman quickly walked over. He brought up the possibility of my coming to speak at an organization he serves. As it turned out, the man ran two career development programs for one of the most prominent charter schools in America.I thought of this well-meaning man railing againstfeel good degrees in one of the countrys more sophisticated communities. Such advice is all too common. For many, it is an automatic response to the world today. Unfortunately, it can perpetuate mistruths for young people regarding how they should pursue meaningful futures.Today, we need to change the way we go about planning careers. We need to learn how to derive security from growth. The four-year or graduate degree isno longer an endpoint, but a license to learn. It is an introductory course to active learning. This iswhat healthy, vital, and coveted employers look for in new hires first and foremost. As active learners can attest, becoming one introduces you to a world of growth unlike anythingyouve ever seen before.If you are a parent, make sure your children are getting healthy, realistic career development support at school and at home. Tomorrows talent pool will be full of entrepreneurs, disruptors, problem-solvers, and teachers tacklingjobs that have not even been invented yet. Creativity will be in demand. In fact, an MFA is far more salable today than an MBA. Empathy is another trait whose importance will only g row in the business world going forward.More importantly, we need to teach our children to sell to draw healthy attention to themselves, to connect with others skillfully, and to buildcommunities tailored to their unique mission, vision, and purpose.Quite frankly, the countrys entire educational system is turning away from these skills, as are many parents If the world is rapidly changing every day, how on earth will our children thrive without these skills?Kevin Kelly, author of The Inevitable, tells us the rate of change has sped up to the point thatthere is no longer a destination. We are becoming. In other words, we are learning and moving so quickly that we are always growing into someone new. In front of us is a world that few parents recognize, especially if they were hammered into shape by their elders career advice.Telling our children to take careers they didnt really want or care about was always a good way to kill their souls today, its a good way to kill their careers. Once, while interviewing the author and corporate trainer Jack Canfield, and I asked him what he did to prepare his two sons for work. He responded I always told them to do whatever made them happy. Then, I centered all of my attention and energy on instilling in them the confidence they could deal with anything life dished out to them.Jack intuitively helped his sonsbecome good atsales, communications, asking for help, and engaging with others. Success and happiness came their way.Our children need new voices, and our parents need a new language and mindset. At Inspired Work, we are studying children these days and have found they have far more wisdom than we give them credit for. In fact, Ive come to the conclusion they are already ahead of us.Within every child is a mission, vision, and purpose that is probably beyond our understanding. What is going to happen when we apply our energy and love in helping them discover that purpose? What kind of world will we live in when we teach them the life skills to thrive and succeed as unique human beings?Life will certainly become more interesting.David Harder is the founder ofInspired Work.