Sir Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Group, which controls more than 400 companies, an English business magnate, investor, author and philanthropist says, “There is no greater thing you can do with your life and your work than follow your passions – in a way that serves the world and you.”
Imagine, your work is your hobby, your passion. Will work ever be that stressful again? Will you dread getting out of bed every morning? When your job is not stressful, would you not be a much happier person, a less stressed parent? Imagine living life feeling much more alive than just ‘clocking in to clock out’.
When you are busy doing what you like, work is no longer work but just fun. When you are just having fun, you no longer need motivation because you are inspired.
What if you can give your child this kind of happiness? Can you even foster self-inspiration in your child?
Well, you can! Allow them to dream and live their dream.
It is not in our culture for one to dream and live their dream and it has been the path of only a handful of ‘lucky’ school dropouts like Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, and Richard Branson. We have been brought up with the belief that dreams reside in our imaginary world, and it disappears as soon as we get a job or it could even be as soon as we step foot in school.
Why NOT dream when it is what we are born with? Why not, when you can see it in every child, feel it in their play, and hear it in their stories? Why limit our children just because we are too scared to walk our own dream? Why force our children to study just for a job, just for financial security?
Have you ever asked your child what he dreams of? Have you ever tried to find out what the one thing they want to change about this world is? What do they want to do, if they can choose to do anything at all? I suggest that you ask them these questions.
In the Chinese culture that I am familiar with, that purposeful and meaningful goal is determined by your parents, and your parents are influenced by their parents. The fulfilling and meaningful life, however, only goes as far as having a good career (having a regular income source in a white-collar job) and a family.
Many of these children click just by sheer force by the parents, and they realise they need financial independence to get out of home as quickly as they can. The other group of children are faithful followers of the life plan their parents charted for them.
My sessions with 18-year-old Jason precisely illustrated the above scenario. Jason said he wanted to be a physiotherapist yet finding the thought a little depressing. Attending school wasn’t exciting him either. He often questioned the meaning of life and has admitted that he woke up in the morning feeling depressed. Jason was a good looking, bright boy, who wanted to find a life partner eventually.
It took us four sessions before Jason finally admitted that he was interested in astronomy. However, he has never thought of it as a possible career as he knew his mother would not approve. Jason is an example of the child who was too afraid to admit what excites him in life, as no one ever gave him permission to voice it. Jason is not the only example, as I have since noticed a similar pattern in other children too. When children feel that their opinion and how they think don’t count, most of subconsciously learned to hide them deeply. So deep that it took a much longer time for them to finally acknowledged they too once have an interest, have a dream.
This second case study, Andy, is an example of how working on something a child is interested in helps him develop a more positive attitude toward school and exams. Andy was a typical 14-year-old who was uninspired and unmotivated in school. Andy said he wasn’t interested in what was taught in school because he couldn’t see the need for learning those subjects.
He knew he needed financial security as an adult though but has never thought of what he wanted to be. He far as he was concerned, wasn’t particularly skilful at anything at all.
We worked on helping Andy identified his interest and help him understood how the subjects in school can support him to achieve his goal. As our focus was on his needs, we could see that he started to enjoy the coaching sessions. We then worked on creating a mini project to help him achieve his dream.
The change was apparent when he was no longer yawning and feeling tired he used to be when he first started. His confidence improved and he began to see a purpose in himself. Subsequently, his attitude towards his school subjects too enhanced, resulting in better grades in his exams.
His teacher appraised him in the recent parent-teacher interview. Andy has realised his capability; he will no longer see himself as the good-for-nothing below average student.
This is the game changer of his life. Also, to be thanked, are the parents who work with us to support the process of personal development for their child.
I am on a mission to build more self-inspired and happier next generation so they can live life more fulfilled. When we have more people living fulfilled life, the world will become a more peaceful place. I would like to call on all parents to join me on this quest. The quest of allowing your children to dream, to live the life they dream of and be a happier and more fulfilled person.
If the idea intrigues you and you wish to have a chat, feel free to ring/WhatsApp me at +6148727 8285 or contact me here.
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