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Don’t choose a career right now. Just be curious!
“Stop asking kids what they want to be when they grow up. They don’t have to define themselves in terms of a career. A single identity can close the door to alternatives. Instead of trying to narrow their options, help them broaden their possibilities. They don’t have to be one thing - they can do many things.”
That’s from Adam Grant, in his excellent book Think Again.
And in his wonderful recent careers book The World Needs You, JP Michel takes this starting point, and goes on to flesh out an alternative: The Challenge Mindset.
Meanwhile, James Clear, in his million seller Atomic Habits, warns against fixing your identity around something that is inflexible. Why? Because a fixed identity is brittle, and easily broken if it isn’t achieved, or is taken away from you.
Parental pressure and career happiness!
Back in October, I wrote an article about How not to become a university ‘drop-out’, and within it, discussed pressure. In particular, how much pressure is too much pressure?
I see it in every school and every university; students who just feel overwhelmed by the pressure they feel to perform well, and to choose a career that will bring them success. And while some of that pressure will come from teachers, and some from within yourselves, there is no doubt that much of the pressure you think you are under, comes from parents.
And so I thought it might be worth having a quick think about what this pressure really is, where it comes from and whether it's real.
Warren Buffett’s advice on finding your perfect career
In a recent shareholder letter, Warren Buffett, one of the world’s most successful businessmen, wrote about regular talks he has with university students. "I have urged” he says, “that they seek employment in (1) the field and (2) with the kind of people they would select, if they had no need for money.”
“When they find that sort of job” he goes on to say “they will no longer be working”. He recognises that “economic realities may interfere with this quest”, but urges students “to never give up on the quest.”