Saturday, August 07, 2010

What do teenagers want to be when they grow up?

I'D LOVE YOUR INPUT -- FOR MY BOOK FOR TEEN'S ABOUT LIFE PURPOSE (to be released in spring 2011) -- due soon! [The last of the 3 questions is, by far, the most important to me!]

What do teenagers want to be when they grow up?
Think back to your teenage years—what did you want to be when you grew up? Let me take a guess:

Helping professions:
• Police officer or fire/rescue personnel
• Doctor, nurse, veterinarian, or speech/physical therapist
• Teacher, counselor, or social worker
• Priest, nun, pastor, pastor’s spouse, or choir director
• Missionary in Africa (or other impoverished country)
• President of the United States or of your country (or a politician)
• Soldier or military officer
• Scientist who cures a disease or inventor who meets a need
• Lawyer or judge who takes down the bad guys
• World-class chef
• Best-selling author and/or motivational speaker
• Architect, contractor, builder
• Musician, artist, graphic designer
• Wealthy company president

Exciting professions:
• Triple threat movie star: actor/actress, singer, dancer
• Top-ranked athlete
• Somebody famous, like a fashion model, radio broadcaster, or talk show host
• Hobbyist, like a professional surfer, skateboarder (or ski instructor!)

Nowadays, we can add these popular professions:
• Technological genius
• Environmentalist
• Animal rights’ activist
• Reality show star
• Rachel Ray –type brand icon

[BLOGGERS...what have I missed in any of these categories—and can you think of any other major categories I might add?]

What do all these careers have in common? They help someone or they fill a personal need for passion.

[BLOGGERS...what have I missed as far as what they have in common?]

How does this relate to life purpose?
When it comes to God’s plan for your teenager’s life, we use these dreams to get clues, and then we flip the focus onto how the dream could benefit the kingdom!
Here are some real-life examples of people I’ve known, starting with myself and my two kids first:

• Katie dreamed of being a missionary in Africa and writing a book that gave people hope. I adored Sherlock Holmes mysteries and complicated jigsaw puzzles. Today, I am the founder of a missionary-sending agency—and a published author who helps people put together the puzzle of God’s plan for their life. I teach them that God never intended for their life purpose to be a big mystery.

• Stephanie (my daughter) dreamed of being a professional dancer and singer—and also of expanding the Peer Mentoring program at her high school to reach more teenagers. Today, she has completed her master’s degree and is finishing her clinical hours to become a marriage and family therapist. She volunteers at church in the liturgical dance ministry. She daydreams, nearly daily, about opening a Christian camp for young people who need counseling and who would also benefit from dance, music, and art therapy.

• Andy (my son) was greatly affected by the mentoring that a group of godly youth workers poured into him as a teenager, after his father’s death. Also, he was coached in small business, entrepreneurial, and marketing skills by one particular youth pastor who unofficially adopted him. Andy thought he was going to be a youth pastor, but he found his niche as an E-Commerce director of a major Christian youth ministry.
• Other example
• Other example
• Other example

[BLOGGERS...can you add your story here? Maximum word count = 85 words or four sentences. You can use a fake name, if you’d like. Nobody will be identified anyway. MAHALO/THNX/GRACIAS!]


This is a brief gist of the concept that God does work in our lives and our teenager’s lives to unveil the best possible plan—at the best possible moment. Part II will walk you through how to hear God’s best!

10 comments:

Around the World - No Passports and No Luggage said...

Bette wanted to be a teacher but didn't pursue it because teachers were not in demand, in fact they were being layed off, when she graduated from high school. All through her church ministries she has taught children and then women. Today she is an instructor to women who desire to become Life Purpose Coaches!

GWalk said...

As a young teen, I dreamed about, designed and built tree houses as a retreat/get away - as an adult, I have at times been a carpenter, built homes and helped build a retreat center for Christian leaders. As a teen, I was lost and lonely, and then Jesus came into my life at age 18. What an incredible journey He as had me on so that now I am a counselor and shepherd, bringing others to His table. I have the privilege to build both special spaces and special people.

Maryann Krabbe said...

Maryann always dreamed of being a nurse, to care for people who were sick or afraid. When she found science not to be her fortay, she pursued another way to help people. Through church ministry to women and Life Purpose Coaching she is leading a fulfilling life
in helping women find peace in their lives while laying thier fears to rest. Thanks God!

Anonymous said...

My trouble has been with too many dreams, but bit by bit I'm realizing them. It's the paid career I'm having trouble with lately as my small business isn't really bringing in much business or money.

As a kid I played pretend teacher, Sunday School teacher, house, cutting out pictures of furniture & people from catalogues and making pretend houses on the floor. When I was a teen I realized a good writer, a bit of an artist, liked marketing class and was good at accounting. I also remember feeling a "call" of sorts while watching a missionary film our church showed at age 18.

Choosing a career I first wanted to be a store window designer but found it didn't pay much and required a lot of travel. At that time the choices for women in my small world were usually secretary, nurse or teacher. (I say small world because I had never been exposed to such career possibilities as biomedical or geotechnical engineering or architecture while others my age obviously had).

I thought of taking accounting but I couldn't picture myself enduring
the schooling.

I decided on secretary as I was good in typing (which we see now is a valuable skill). I grasped a vision from one of my college teachers who told stories of the offices she'd worked in. I pictured myself being the best secretary there was for a top level executive, working in a glass office tower. After graduating I started with reception and over time changed jobs until I was indeed the secretary (eventually called Administrative Assistant) to the top executive of a major corporation. I was indeed in a tower building with lovely glass windows. I'd reached my dream.

Then came pregnacy and playing "house" since I decided to be an at home mom. I became a Sunday School and preschool teacher in my home and later an English tutor--fulfilling my dream of teaching.

I worked on making props for church daycamp - using my art skills. I also later got into staging homes for people selling them which reminded me of my days of playing with catalogue pictures.

I write and have sold articles, but it is a hard career to break into.

I've done loads of different church ministries and ministered to neighbourhood children my kids brought home which I think fulfilled my "missionary call".

I'm still playing house and mom. Administrative Assistant (Secretary) roles have changed drastically over the years. The idea of returning to that type of role causes me stress.

So I can say I have fulfilled a lot of dreams, but I'm not sure where I'm going next.

mamawitt said...

Some of the popular careers for today also include Chefs, Interior Design or Design in general ... all because of some of the HGTV and Food Network stuff ...

I personally wanted to be a Veterinarian ... I do love animals, but not sure I could have made it through the sciences ... :o)

Pam said...

Andrew always wanted to be Superman as a young man. He also knew what Christ had done in his life and openly shared about how Christ had Saved him! He is now in the Air Force, serving our Country selflessly, but also sharing his faith without hesitation. He found especially during basic training that several young men were impacted by his "superhuman" strength in the Lord! Praise God.

Lisa Boyd said...

I would guess that most teenagers have not clue what they want to be when they grow up. Most would only know they have a desire to "be somebody." I think they chose vocations depending on what they believe is of value. Such as, choosing to be a doctor for the money and prestige, or a model for the sense of affiration about their beauty or attractiveness. Their values are based on their peer and culture. They need adult mentors to help them see what is truly of value and what design they already have been given.

Anonymous said...

Most of the jobs we're trying to educate/prepare teens for nowadays are non-existent at this point, i.e. the technology is changing so fast that the info we teach students in the first 2 years of college is obsolete by the time they are juniors in college! Isn't that amazing? So how do we adequately prepare our teens for jobs that don't even exist yet because of the pace of changing technology? So hard to compare what we wanted to be with what kids today can grow up to become...

Anonymous said...

Very interesting to read it, thanks!

Anonymous said...

Career development is an important area, which the earlier exposed children are, the more clarity the develop when they are ready to launch a career. Whats the progress on that book.