You Can't Be Anything You Want to Be: Part 4
I’ve been arguing that this is harmful rubbish that has misled countless young people to career paths they don’t belong on.
Reasons One and Two
The first reason I said this idea is false is that a person’s innate design sets a cap for how proficient they can become at any skill.
The second reason is that even if someone could develop every skill to a level nine or ten, another part of their innate design sets the level of motivation and enjoyment associated with a skill. Just because someone can do something well doesn’t mean they want to do it or like doing it.
Reason Three
In this last email of the series, I want to share a third reason why our kids can’t be anything they want to be...
Skills are not the only area that has to match a young person for them to successfully “be” something.
Even if they were able to achieve high proficiency in every skill and could ignore the lack of motivation and enjoyment, there are still other facets of a job that must match our child’s innate design. Let me highlight three.
I’ve been arguing that this is harmful rubbish that has misled countless young people to career paths they don’t belong on.
Reasons One and Two
The first reason I said this idea is false is that a person’s innate design sets a cap for how proficient they can become at any skill.
The second reason is that even if someone could develop every skill to a level nine or ten, another part of their innate design sets the level of motivation and enjoyment associated with a skill. Just because someone can do something well doesn’t mean they want to do it or like doing it.
Reason Three
In this last email of the series, I want to share a third reason why our kids can’t be anything they want to be...
Skills are not the only area that has to match a young person for them to successfully “be” something.
Even if they were able to achieve high proficiency in every skill and could ignore the lack of motivation and enjoyment, there are still other facets of a job that must match our child’s innate design. Let me highlight three.
Job Setting
The setting of a job is an area in which significant incompatibility can occur. Factors like the degree of structure, pace, and level of oversight are all facets of the work environment that need to match how a young person is designed.
If your child is designed for high structure, minimal oversight, and a fast pace but ignores those needs, they could wind up in a job they have the skills for but would place them in a context with low structure, a slow pace, and micro-management. That would be a disaster and ultimately not work out.
Job Substance
The substance of a job refers to the subjects, objects, and topics someone would be working with in the job.
This is actually important to consider because part of your child's innate design establishes the subject matter they are eager to engage with and are highly motivated to work with. It's important for them to consider not only the required skills and the job's setting, but also what they'll be working with on a regular basis.
Job Outcome
Humans need a particular experiential outcome from their efforts to feel fulfilled. This is also part of someone's innate design that most people aren’t aware of and never consider when trying to identify a job they'd love and stick with.
Some people need to see the tangible impact of their efforts. Some need to be immersed in the steps of a procedure, while others need to be in charge and oversee the work of others.
The setting of a job is an area in which significant incompatibility can occur. Factors like the degree of structure, pace, and level of oversight are all facets of the work environment that need to match how a young person is designed.
If your child is designed for high structure, minimal oversight, and a fast pace but ignores those needs, they could wind up in a job they have the skills for but would place them in a context with low structure, a slow pace, and micro-management. That would be a disaster and ultimately not work out.
Job Substance
The substance of a job refers to the subjects, objects, and topics someone would be working with in the job.
This is actually important to consider because part of your child's innate design establishes the subject matter they are eager to engage with and are highly motivated to work with. It's important for them to consider not only the required skills and the job's setting, but also what they'll be working with on a regular basis.
Job Outcome
Humans need a particular experiential outcome from their efforts to feel fulfilled. This is also part of someone's innate design that most people aren’t aware of and never consider when trying to identify a job they'd love and stick with.
Some people need to see the tangible impact of their efforts. Some need to be immersed in the steps of a procedure, while others need to be in charge and oversee the work of others.
Our kids can be in jobs they're skilled for, but if they're not experiencing the outcomes they need, they’ll lack fulfillment, and the job won't ultimately work out.
I hope you can see that there’s more to "being something" than just having the required skills. I briefly shared three additional areas that must be considered for matching, but there are others.
As we wrap up this series, I encourage you to avoid telling your kids they can be anything they want to be. Instead, tell them their innate design has given them a unique "shape," and there are several jobs that would be a great match.
Encourage and facilitate their journey of self-discovery, so they have an awareness of their design, which is the first step in being able to make a True Job Match
If you’d like to learn more about how I discover the essential facets of a young person's innate design and can make a True Job Match, please accept my invitation to review The MapInMe Journey HERE.
I hope you can see that there’s more to "being something" than just having the required skills. I briefly shared three additional areas that must be considered for matching, but there are others.
As we wrap up this series, I encourage you to avoid telling your kids they can be anything they want to be. Instead, tell them their innate design has given them a unique "shape," and there are several jobs that would be a great match.
Encourage and facilitate their journey of self-discovery, so they have an awareness of their design, which is the first step in being able to make a True Job Match
If you’d like to learn more about how I discover the essential facets of a young person's innate design and can make a True Job Match, please accept my invitation to review The MapInMe Journey HERE.
You Can't Be Anything They Want to Be Series
Part 1: Sorry, Your Kid Can’t Be Anything They Want To Be
Part 2: Proficiency Caps and the Growth Mindset
Part 3: There's More To A Skill Than Just Being Able To Do It Well
Part 4: Key Considerations for Identifying A True Job Match
START A CONVO
Initiate a conversation with your child about this subject using the following prompts:
- Do you think the setting of a job can be a turn-off even if someone can do all of the required skills really well? Explain.
- Which features of a job’s setting do you think are especially important to consider?
- Do you know the qualities you need in a work environment to have the optimal conditions for motivation and productivity?
THE FREE RESOURCE
The free resource associated with this theme is for parents. It's the Why Our Kids Can't Be Anything They Want to Be infographic. You can get your FREE copy HERE.
RELATED RESOURCES
The MapInMe Journey is a unique one-to-one customized coaching experience for teens and twentysomethings that identifies a True Job Match so they can move forward with clarity and confidence.
