Things I Wished I Knew When I Was 14

Like many Indians, I studied Engineering and then pursued an MBA. You might wonder why I shifted to Management. My journey began with a dream inspired by Tony Stark from Iron Man; I wanted to create flying suits. However, after four years of Engineering, I realized making space suits wasn’t feasible for me. Then, I found another way to 'fly' thanks to my MBA.

If I Could Be 14 Again, Here’s What I Would Do

I would take the time to ask myself three crucial questions:

1.???? What do I enjoy doing?

2.???? What talents or unique abilities do I have?

3.???? Is there something people would pay me to do?

(Excluding my parents, who have always supported me unconditionally, including funding my studies abroad)

The most important thing is to discover who you are as an individual. My talents and joys are unique to me, just as yours are unique to you. While we might share laughs with others, true joy is a deeply personal experience. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls this feeling “Flow”—a state where people are so engrossed in an activity that nothing else matters. Scientific research shows that working on something that brings us to a flow state is a kind happiness called as Deep Happiness. If one in this state, the kid would be willing to work harder and stay late at nights while not get burnt out doing the work.

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Why Embrace Your Uniqueness?

Your unique preferences and talents give you a distinctive value proposition. They guide you to develop skills aligned with your strengths and talents.

For those focused on grades, remember that our unique talents and passions are reflected in various aspects of life, from scorecards to classroom interactions and conversations with friends and family. Scoring less in one subject and high in another provides a data point on the path the child should take. We all possess innate talents that manifest repeatedly in our environment. We can either leverage these talents to excel and find meaning or follow the path others set for us. In business terms, blindly following the crowd leads to a “Red Ocean” of competition. However, aligning your innate talents with your career path can turn this into a “Blue Ocean” of unique opportunities.

The Path to Excellence

Evidence consistently shows that experts are made, not born. By choosing a path that excites you emotionally, matches your personality, and suits your aptitude, you can achieve excellence.

The way to find it is through the 4 diamonds which one can use to build a career path that serves them and create a meaningful life

1)??? Childhood experiences and Passion

2)??? Aptitude and Skills

3)??? Personality Test

4)??? Accumulated Experiences

The more skillset you bring in one coordinated activity or career the higher the chance for you to be excellent in it.

Today, with advancements in technology and AI, the possibilities for what you can create is limitless. For instance, if you like Music, the option is not to just to be in a band but to leverage AI to create music that can be used to increase focus for students in school or healing in hospitals. It is challenging but worth the effort and something you would be passionate in searching more about. ??

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Conclusion

Meaningful work is not just about the tasks we perform but about the meaning we bring to those tasks. It’s different for everyone. As parents, guiding your children to discover their unique talents and passions can help them find a fulfilling and balanced life. I hope your children find their unique path to success and happiness.

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#careerguidance #flow #AI #happiness #success