What Kind of Life Would You Like to Have When You Grow Up?

“We often hear: “What would you like to be when you grow up?”

Not nearly as common is: “What kind of life do you want to have?”

Sometimes, what we want to do changes over time, too. It’s normal to change careers. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average person will change careers five to seven times during their work life. In fact, about 30% of the total workforce in the United States will now change jobs every 12 months. Some people change because what they wanted to be when they grew up wasn’t what they had imagined. It was different than their childhood dream. It was more than a title.

Ditch the question

An excellent article in The New York Times by organizational psychologist Adam Grant simply asks adults to stop asking kids what they want to be when they grow up.

Why?

It forces children to define themselves in terms of work. When we define ourselves by our jobs, our worth depends on what we achieve. Life is more than work. Life is more than what we achieve. It’s about how we treat others, who we are as humans. Because, not everyone knows what they want to be when they’re 8. Sometimes, adults don’t even know it.

If we asked “what kind of person do you want to be” and “what kind of life would you like to have”, I have a feeling the workforce would be a more enjoyable place to be for everyone. We’d probably be happier, too.”

Read the full article on Medium

✨Takeaway: Ask yourself what kind of life you want to lead rather than what you want to be. This emphasizes the aspects of life rather than work. When you ask this question, the result may look different.

✨Reflection: What kind of life would you like to have?

I would like to have a life where I wake up looking forward to the day, enjoy small things, and I am surrounded by loved ones!

#Life #Health #Wellbeing #Work