Pick a Job. Any Job.

So many high school kids have no idea what they want to study in college.

And sadly, their parents and teachers and guidance counselors are of little help.  

Because they focusing on helping kids decide what job to pick.

Instead of guiding kids to discover what they are passionate about and what they are talented at and what sort of impact they want to make, they guide kids to pick a job.

Instead of guiding kids to discover what they want to learn about, they guide kids to pick a college and major that will help them get that job.

A job that is accessible based on the kid's grades.

A job that makes the most money the kid can expect.

A job that is secure.

A job that probably has little to do with the kid herself.

Let me tell you about Marissa.

Marissa is a beautiful, intelligent, funny, confident senior in high school.  She is in the National Honor Society and is captain of the basketball team.  Her grades are good, she takes some honors classes, and has decent SAT scores.

Marissa is going to school to study nursing.

Not because she has ever expressed any interest in nursing.  Or medicine or caregiving or biology, for that matter.

Because her parents are nurses.

And they have convinced her that she can be a nurse.  She can make good money as a nurse.  And there will always be a need for nurses.

I can't tell you how this story will turn out because Marissa has not yet begun to study nursing. 

But just listening to it doesn't sound like it is destined for a happy ending, does it?
I can tell you that when I talk to her I don't get any good vibes.  She can't tell me why she wants to be a nurse or anything about the programs she wants to go to.  I'm not at all convinced that I would want her to be my nurse.

Nursing is probably not in Marissa's soul.  

It is a job she picked because her parents told her it was a good choice.

So for those kids out there in this position and for parents out there with kids facing this decision, I plead with you to throw away your ideas of what job to pursue and first get an idea of who you are and what lights your soul on fire.  Then let yourself be led in that direction.