It all started when my class
teacher asked me what I intended becoming in life.... I had just turned 11
(that is when it always happens) and it was my first day of high school, I was
ecstatic because I've heard a lot of exciting stuffs about high school and
finally I was here ready to explore....
I actually planned for everything but not this question. I have never been asked that question before- I had no idea what it meant. I was just a normal kid that could recite his mathematical tables offhand.
So I didn't say anything. Then she asked the boy seated next to me. He said he wanted to be a Doctor. She asked another boy who said he wanted to be a Lawyer.
In summary she asked everyone in the class and they all seemed to have ready made answers - Engineers, Lawyers, Doctors... "How could they have known what they intended becoming in life?" I asked... Maybe I wasn't really prepared for high school after all.
So during Recess, I asked my seat mate (the one that wanted to become a Doctor) how he got the answer to the question, he replied and said "My dad told me"
When I got home I asked my dad and he said "you can either be an Engineer, a doctor, a lawyer or a banker" (I can't really remember how he said it)
So I grew up with the mindset that you either become an engineer, doctor, lawyer or nothing! Although I was still confused on what I intended becoming, there was a time when I wanted to be a Lawyer, an engineer, a doctor and there were times where I wanted to be all three. But it never went beyond those three professions.
As I grew older, I settled for Engineering because I heard it fetched more money and it had a lot of opportunities in it.
I signed up for crazy subjects like chemistry, physics and math. I hated mathematics so much. We were always asked to find "X". I guessed "X" must be really important to human existence or something.
If I really wanted to be an Engineer, I needed to pass mathematics so I crammed, coupled with prayers and fasting... I survived. I never had ‘A’s but I survived.
After writing JAMB (an entrance exam that you need to pass if you want to get into the university) couple of times, I got into the University to study Chemical Engineering.
Things didn't go as smooth as I anticipated... I had to do crazier mathematics, but I survived, at least the first year.
When I got to my second year, my prayers and fasting could no longer help me. Things went from crazier to craziest... It got to a point where I had to support my prayers and fasting with micro chips (tiny pieces of paper with likely answers written in them you take along with you to an exam hall), with time I graduated to macro chips. I just had to do these things if I wanted to pass - if I wanted to become an engineer - if I wanted to make more money.
Things got worse for me; I had gone past my elastic limit. I got to a point where I could no longer survive then it dawn on me that Engineering wasn't really as cool as I thought it was.
I successfully found my way back though. I discovered my passion for writing, Entrepreneurship and public speaking. I was introduced to cooler books than engineering books.... Books that weren't about flow rate or fluid mechanics or finding "X"…. Books that actually brought out the creativity in me.
I started living a life where I needed little fasting and prayers… A life where I don't need to survive. I started living and stopped surviving.
I know this is a pretty long post that very few people would read. But I just needed to write this so people (especially teenagers) won't be misled the way I was.
Engineers, Doctors, Lawyers are not the coolest people on earth. Writers, Painters, Footballers, Musicians, Linguists, programmers are cool too.
We need to change the way we look at these careers/Profession.
Parents should stop brainwashing teenagers and forcing a particular profession/career path on them - it won't do them any good. Instead spend more time with them, figure out their strengths and weaknesses - that would give you an idea on what to fix and what you need to invest more in.
Schools should also invest more in career development programs for teenagers in high school. Teenagers should be properly mentored and guided when it comes to choosing a career path.
If you are reading this article and you are a teenager, take time to study yourself.
What are you good at?
What makes you happy?
I actually planned for everything but not this question. I have never been asked that question before- I had no idea what it meant. I was just a normal kid that could recite his mathematical tables offhand.
So I didn't say anything. Then she asked the boy seated next to me. He said he wanted to be a Doctor. She asked another boy who said he wanted to be a Lawyer.
In summary she asked everyone in the class and they all seemed to have ready made answers - Engineers, Lawyers, Doctors... "How could they have known what they intended becoming in life?" I asked... Maybe I wasn't really prepared for high school after all.
So during Recess, I asked my seat mate (the one that wanted to become a Doctor) how he got the answer to the question, he replied and said "My dad told me"
When I got home I asked my dad and he said "you can either be an Engineer, a doctor, a lawyer or a banker" (I can't really remember how he said it)
So I grew up with the mindset that you either become an engineer, doctor, lawyer or nothing! Although I was still confused on what I intended becoming, there was a time when I wanted to be a Lawyer, an engineer, a doctor and there were times where I wanted to be all three. But it never went beyond those three professions.
As I grew older, I settled for Engineering because I heard it fetched more money and it had a lot of opportunities in it.
I signed up for crazy subjects like chemistry, physics and math. I hated mathematics so much. We were always asked to find "X". I guessed "X" must be really important to human existence or something.
If I really wanted to be an Engineer, I needed to pass mathematics so I crammed, coupled with prayers and fasting... I survived. I never had ‘A’s but I survived.
After writing JAMB (an entrance exam that you need to pass if you want to get into the university) couple of times, I got into the University to study Chemical Engineering.
Things didn't go as smooth as I anticipated... I had to do crazier mathematics, but I survived, at least the first year.
When I got to my second year, my prayers and fasting could no longer help me. Things went from crazier to craziest... It got to a point where I had to support my prayers and fasting with micro chips (tiny pieces of paper with likely answers written in them you take along with you to an exam hall), with time I graduated to macro chips. I just had to do these things if I wanted to pass - if I wanted to become an engineer - if I wanted to make more money.
Things got worse for me; I had gone past my elastic limit. I got to a point where I could no longer survive then it dawn on me that Engineering wasn't really as cool as I thought it was.
I successfully found my way back though. I discovered my passion for writing, Entrepreneurship and public speaking. I was introduced to cooler books than engineering books.... Books that weren't about flow rate or fluid mechanics or finding "X"…. Books that actually brought out the creativity in me.
I started living a life where I needed little fasting and prayers… A life where I don't need to survive. I started living and stopped surviving.
I know this is a pretty long post that very few people would read. But I just needed to write this so people (especially teenagers) won't be misled the way I was.
Engineers, Doctors, Lawyers are not the coolest people on earth. Writers, Painters, Footballers, Musicians, Linguists, programmers are cool too.
We need to change the way we look at these careers/Profession.
Parents should stop brainwashing teenagers and forcing a particular profession/career path on them - it won't do them any good. Instead spend more time with them, figure out their strengths and weaknesses - that would give you an idea on what to fix and what you need to invest more in.
Schools should also invest more in career development programs for teenagers in high school. Teenagers should be properly mentored and guided when it comes to choosing a career path.
If you are reading this article and you are a teenager, take time to study yourself.
What are you good at?
What makes you happy?
What are you passionate about?
These questions are very crucial when it comes to choosing a career path.... Read books too - books on self development, goals setting and career development.
Then get yourself a mentor. Someone that walked that path you have chosen and learn from their mistakes.
It is not all about money but making an impact in the world we live.... Stop trying to survive and start living.
Tell someone (especially our parents) that Engineers, Doctors, Lawyers are not the coolest people on earth... Maybe that way we can make the world a better place.
Sadiq Daniel is a
certified crazy writer and Teens Coach that blogs on business, Self- development and Life
lessons. You can pursue him
on Twitter: @sadiqspeaks LinkedIn: Sadiq
Daniel and Email:
Sadiqdaniel@gmail.com
