But if there’s one costly lesson parents
can sidestep, it’s that motivation can’t be
manufactured. Maybe you can dangle carrots in
front of your child long enough to get them into
college, though one college interviewer from a
top ten U.S. university once told me she weeds
out applicants who obviously only did things
their parents told them to. The reality, however,
is that you can’t dangle carrots forever.
The people who find the most satisfaction and
success in life are those who discover their own
goals, build the confidence and grit to pursue
their goals and see them through. As parents
we can play a huge role in helping our kids take
the first step towards creating a fulfilling and
accomplished life: we can ask them what they
want to achieve. And we can listen and support
them.
Goals are the precursor to every achievement
or accomplishment. And the reason goals are
so important in a young child’s life is because
it helps her identify what she wants. She then
learns to be decisive and channel her energy.
Furthermore, rather than letting her day pass
by unremarkably, goals help a child measure
progress towards the things she cares most
about. In short, goals keep you motivated and
accountable.
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