Matching Actions to Aspirations

May 29th, 2008 at 04:48pm Mya Wilke

Seeing teenagers in caps and gowns near the Metro Center today made me wonder about the paths that area high school graduates are taking.  I have talked to quite a few high school students in Junior Achievement with high ambitions: they want to be nurse practitioners, famous authors, business owners, professional athletes . .  I am thrilled that the students have goals that inspire them.  However, some of these same students have difficulty staying in school, following directions, fulfilling committments, or being respectful to others. 

Whether a high school grad plans on joining the military, starting a business, or pursuing a medical career, their success depends in part on this question:

Are their actions aligned with their aspirations?

To help your student succeed, talk to him or her about the following:

-The skills that your student has or will need to pursue their goal.

- The connection between academic achievement and economic success.

- What does your student truly enjoy doing?  What do they not like doing?

- The quality of life that your student prefers: what kind of schedule, income, and location do they hope to have?

- The customs and behaviour that are used in the work world.

These are all themes from the “Economics for Success” and “Success Skills” curriculums that Junior Achievement has for middle and high school students.  Encouraging students to pursue their goals is so important, but you are doing them a diservice if you don’t help them understand the risks, challenges, and realities of their goals.  This doesn’t mean that you should discourage your student; it means that if your student wants to be a professional baseball player, ask him if he has the grades for a college sports scholarship.

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