Sorry, Your Kid Can’t Be Anything They Want To Be

You Can't Be Anything You Want to Be: Part 1

When my kids were little, there was a show called The Doodlebops, featuring a group of colorful, larger-than-life costume characters who danced, sang catchy songs, and entertained preschoolers with fun lessons and silly antics.

There was one particular song I never let my kids listen to. It had a deceptive message I didn’t want to be planted in their young minds.

The chorus was a false feel-good phrase that belonged in the trash.

It said, “You can be what you want to be, anything you want to be. If you only believe you can achieve.”

No thanks, Doodlebops. Keep that lie to yourself!

Perhaps I overacted just a bit, but I really didn't want that philosophy influencing how my kids thought about their career options as they got older.

Let’s face it.

We love to hear things that make us feel good, even if they're not entirely accurate. When positive statements elevate us, we're less likely to scrutinize them.

And such is the case with the Doddlebop chorus.

Historic Roots
The idea of people possessing the ability to become anything they want to be is a belief that can be traced back to the Enlightenment. It’s a core tenet of rugged individualism and the American dream, but it’s a farce. And it's misleading countless young people into career paths they don’t belong on.

Let's Clarify
If you’ve been around me for any amount of time, you know I like to define terms to foster clarity, avoid misunderstandings, and facilitate meaningful conversations.

So, in that spirit, let’s take a minute to get clear on exactly what is meant by “you can be anything you want to be.”

When people talk about "being" something in the context of a future career, they are usually referring to the idea of being successful in a particular job.

With that understanding in mind, what this idea of being anything you want to be is really saying:

“You can develop any skill to a level where it's recognized and financially compensated."

When we state it like this, we've removed the attractive wrapper and exposed the ridiculous content!

I think you'd agree that just seeing it presented in this way immediately makes its absurdity quite obvious.

Now that we've clarified exactly what's being promoted, we can start analyzing it.

I think there are several problems with this idea that we'll be exploring over the next few posts. I hope you'll keep reading!!

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:
Part 3:
Part 4:

START A CONVO
Use these prompts to start a conversation with your child about this topic.

How common among young people is the idea that someone can be anything they want to be if they just believe in themselves
What do you think about that?

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About the Author

Jay DuSold

Jay has spent over three decades working with young people and parents as a mentor and life coach. He started focusing exclusively on career guidance in 2014 after helping his son figure out career direction while he was a junior in high school.

As a youth career guide, he helps teens and twenty-somethings around the world identify a job fit to gain clarity and confidence about career direction so they’ll reach their full potential and avoid the waste of getting it wrong.

As an author and speaker, he equips young people to think differently about their identity, true success, and figuring out where they can be awesome in the world of work. He also empowers youth advocates and organizations to more effectively support the young people they serve through their career guidance initiatives.