The ‘Smart’ Curse
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010
Being perceived as ‘smart’ is definitely a blessing.
It also has it’s drawbacks.
Everyone expects that you do something ‘phenomenal’ with your life, at the very least become a doctor, a lawyer, some engineer of some sort. An accountant. A neurosurgeon. A rocket scientist.
Change the world in some magnificent boom bang way that will require you to give speeches where people introduce you and the alphabet that comes after your name, in some terrificly formal shindig setting.
So while you are conquering the world, doing and fulfilling everything that everyone else has dreamed for you, all you really want to do is sell rubber slippers and marinate by the beach.
Being a hero is great and all, but sometimes you just want to not think about anything, to not be responsible for saving the world. Maybe it’s a phase, maybe it’s not, still it doesn’t remove the fact that it’s a genuine feeling that you have. It’s quite possible that if you sit long enough, you can formulate the next best thing, but you just don’t wish to do it today. Not this year, and quite possibly, not for the rest of your life.
It’s not that you don’t wish to be successful or achieve something in life, you just wish to be free from the bondage of lofty, mismatched expectations for a quick second.
Interestingly enough, so many of my friends experience this feeling.
The civil engineer, who works in construction who’s dream is to one day own a kite surfing place, where he teaches people how to kite surf for the whole day, everyday. The master accountant, working in one of the biggest accounting firms in the world who wishes to be a photographer and have his own studio. The high profile lawyer who just wishes to write and maybe one day become a journalist, or the engineer who sells fuel oil to Europe who wishes to switch to an industry where the average starting salary is minimum wage.
Totally irrational isn’t it?
This world can be so competitive at times that parents can’t help but want the best for their children. It is especially difficult for ‘smart’ kids who have the opportunity for higher education, an opportunity that maybe their parents didn’t have. So yeah, I totally get it.
In an age where it is more and more of a requirement to have a degree to even get through the door of a corporate interview, there is the added pressure of going to University to pursue… something, anything that will get you even a prayer of a ‘stable’ future. It is not uncommon for some kids to be the first in their family to have the opportunity to attend University, so even then the pressure builds, and builds. The entire dreams of past generations are heaved upon a 13 year old:
“Son, what are you going to do with your life?”
Thing is, in a world that is so competitive, how can you NOT want the ‘best’ for your child?
Not that my kids will not go to University, eeerrr…. no. That’s not what I’m saying. If they want to do PhD in basket weaving even, they will get that paper, for it is not my intention to understate the value of an education. The aim isn’t to be necessarily disadvantaged, but just to take the path in life that closely matches your dreams and aspirations.
I’m just saying, the world is such a smaller place now, and there are so many niche markets. These are exciting times. You can do almost anything and be successful once you posses the passion (and talent!) for it.
It’s never too late to take some time, even if it’s part time or maybe once a week, to do or start that thing that you’ve always ‘dreamed’ of doing. Of course, it’s not necessarily going to be easy, but going after something that you are passionate about rarely is. I’ve found that though it may be difficult to balance the many, doing something that you enjoy can bring the sanity to the sensationally insane world that we live in.
In terms of kids, why not take an honest look at their natural talents.
- What are they good at?
- What do they enjoy?
- What would they like to try?
Let this be a starting point from which you formulate their lives rather than formulate it from the point of view of what you always wanted to do.
It’s not always this simple but it’s a start. Knowing and understanding the natural talents of our kids, make us better prepared to jump at the opportunity for them to pursue their purpose in life, whenever one may present itself. It may take us a while to find one, but at least we will be prepared.
This is not always an easy process, as often times we haven’t yet taken the time to do the same with ourselves.
.
Success can be defined not so much by the amount of money we make, but by the quality of life that we experience. Success is subjective; Not everything is for everyone.
There is so much to be excited for in this life; so much to see, to experience, to do. People to meet, places to visit, things to do.
Do what you love. Love what you do.
Live life passionately.
POSSIBLY RELATED GC POSTS
Having it all
Live your life
The Screw Collector
It’s not me, it’s you
Just one step away from being labeled “Hater”