What Happened To Our Expectations?
In our youth, the sky was the limit. We were told we could do anything, be anything and go anywhere we wanted to. Our imagination had no limit on how we dreamed of seeing and believing in ourselves. Our self laminated vision would become reality. Things would happen if we thought it possible. We were entitled to our beckoning wishes. And why? Because that's what we were told in the most loving (or unloving) way from the people around us.
Love, motivation, discipline and outlining the right path in life is most necessary when guiding a child into adulthood. But what happens to their goals, creativity and dreams when the reality of life hits harder than an eighteen wheeler? Where were the "real" life lessons that weren't taught to us? What happened to our innocence? Why does the world slowly chip away at our individual image of success? Why were we not prepared and have to struggle to survive?
Strap in reader(s) - it's open Mic night and I have the stage.
In my opinion, we prefer to discredit our shortcomings and amplify our achievements. We like to make hardships look easy. We have an innate reaction to discredit others because they can't attain the platform that someone else (our ourselves) has conquered. We truly believe that we are all powerful in our linear way of life.
For instance, have you ever met someone, asked a standard question and they condescendingly respond, "Everyone knows that," "That's simple, everyone can do that," "You haven't done that yet?"
These are reactions that stem from our human fear of humiliation as we are always trying to be perceived as a Type A / prime individual. But why do we react like this (either internally or externally)?
Think about all that you have gone through (and are still going through) to achieve a complacent landing point in life. Think about what you "wish" was taught to you from a caretaker, mentor or trusted individual. Don't you wish you were given more grit-iron life lessons that could have helped avoid self-inflicted pit falls?
We need to teach the youth real life lessons outside of the education system such as money management, how to deal with job stress, work life balance, how to get a job, how to do bills, the responsibility of starting a family, what the unforeseen events that happen in life. The list can go on and on but I leave it to your life's journey to decide what you wished you could have known before making a mistake.
We need to teach the next generation what we already know and have gone through while keeping their creative minds intact. Life is repetitive - let's not allow the next generation jump on the same merry go round we've been riding.
So how can we stop this cycle of shortcomings from generation to generation? I would propose that our educational system adopts a new “Life Lesson“ course to speak about what they will encounter, how to avoid pit falls and to actually prepare them for the responsibilities that are to come. I am not saying a 1st grader should be exposed to these discussions, but maybe implement an elected course in High Schools or College's. To me, the education system has two purposes outside of teaching their much necessary curriculum courses: 1) Critical thinking and 2) Discipline. But, shouldn't schools be preparing students for the real world? So were are the real world lessons?
To all of the entrepreneurs out there, here's a freebie: Start an independent "Life Course" business and start teaching the real life lessons once the classroom candor concludes. If you‘re successful, and feel generous, you know who to send some of the profit to.
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