What work habits is your child developing?

(*Warning - They are developing the habits now!).

While in a Reaching Higher session at a local elementary school as one of their mentors, my heart just sank. The reason – That day’s topic was about goal setting but when the instructor informed the students they had to start with a “school” goal, there was a chorus of moans and groans. My thought was “Oh no, don’t do that!”

I immediately asked if I could talk to the group. Here is what I said to them – “I was so heart broken when I heard all of you moan about working on a school goal. Here is why. You have a job right now. Just like my job is to run a karate school and your teacher’s job is to work here. Your job is being a student at school. But here is why this is so, so important. You are forming the work habits you will have later in life right now.

Here is the way it works. You are not going to be a “C” student at school then suddenly become an “A” employee after you graduate! It does not work that way. If you think this will happen you are fooling yourself. If you get in the habit of either “just getting by” or “picking and choosing what you like and do not like” you will do the same thing later in life with your job and even your relationships. You will say you don’t like your work, don’t like your boss, or don’t like your co-workers. You will say the work is “too hard” or “boring”! Have you ever met anyone that just cannot seem to hold a job?

I have to hire very good people to work for me. If I want to know if a teen is worth hiring all I have to do is ask them for their grades. If a student is getting “C’s” or worse, do you think I will hire them? If they are getting A’s and B’s I might hire them. If they are getting straight A’s do you know what my next question will be? It would be – ‘When can you start?’.

So listen closely as I tell you this – you have a job right now. You are forming the work ‘habits’ you will probably have for the rest of your life. If you struggle in school you will probably struggle keeping a job. If you develop strong work habits and get A’s you probably won’t be an employee for long either – instead you will be the boss or own the company!!!!!”

So, parents, what kind of employee is your child on track to be? Sensei