Have you ever heard the saying, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life”?
I take a bit of issue with that phrase. It’s not that the sentiment is wrong—doing work you love is a wonderful goal. But that is a tall order! By holding that up as the standard, we’ve unintentionally set our kids up for failure.
If they don't know as a junior in high school, we often push them to discover it and decide it. This is totally unrealistic. Do kids really do anything when pushed? Do they have enough knowledge and experience to make this big decision?
Usually, the answer is no—and that’s completely okay.
Instead of forcing a quick decision, our job as parents and guides is to offer opportunities, exposure, and space for discernment without limiting their options. Not everyone wants to sit at an office desk or work alone from home. We all come with unique gifts, talents, and values that drive our engagement and long-term career fulfillment.
There are fantastic tools, assessments, and structured experiences that help bring clarity to this process. Whenever I take a student (or an adult!) through these tools, I get to watch the lights come on. There is nothing quite like seeing true enthusiasm replace anxiety, when someone starts discovering who they are and what’s possible.
If you want to help your student navigate their path with confidence rather than pressure, here are 7 practical ways to support them:
Expose them to different careers: Talk openly about the work you do, what your friends do, and how different industries function.
Normalize the uncertainty: Remind them that not knowing what you want to do at 16 or 17 isn't just normal—it’s expected.
Celebrate all career paths: Validate every route to success, whether that’s the trades, craftsmanship, engineering, accounting, healthcare, or entrepreneurship.
Introduce them to diverse stories: Connect your child with people from various backgrounds and encourage those adults to share their real career journeys—ups, downs, and pivots included.
Acknowledge their natural strengths: Notice the projects or hobbies they throw themselves into, and compliment them on those moments of natural engagement.
Encourage real-world work: Help them take pride in household responsibilities, get a part-time job, or start a small venture—even something as simple as a neighborhood lemonade stand—to learn the value of saving money and taking ownership.
Bring in outside guidance: Work with a school counselor or consider hiring an outside career coach. Shocker: sometimes kids feel safer opening up about their big dreams to a neutral party, and they’ll actually listen to advice from someone else, even if you’ve been saying the exact same thing for years!
Guiding a student toward their future shouldn't feel like a high-stakes pressure cooker. It should be a journey of discovery.
If you’re interested in learning more about how we can support your student's career exploration together, I’d love to connect and talk through the options with you!