Misconception #89: Children should actively pursue what they want to become

People like asking children what they want to be when they grow up. This question certainly has value, but there are limits to how hard we should be pushing children to commit to a career path.


There is a question that children should be more interested in answering. Who do they want to be when they grow up? This can be a hard question to answer, especially if you look at the depth required to find a good response.

I have long insisted that it is better to be a good person than to have a good career. By sacrificing who children can become in favor of what they can become, we are pushing a flawed sense of priorities. If a child feels obligated to actively pursue a dream job starting at a young age, more important goals tend to be devalued. This includes personal development, which absolutely should be a part of everybody's childhoods.