This is why we need mentors, role models, teachers.
This is also where the beauty of YouTube and the internet come into play. Allowing young people a glimpse into potential lives like never before. But often these perspectives aren’t the ones they need.
They see video game players making millions and think it’s a career path. They see celebrities winning fame and acclaim and think it’s a career path. These are options, but they’re not the only options. They’re quite rare, and if you knew how much work, sacrifice and luck went into making them a reality, you might not be so interested.
There’s a reason why you don’t get to follow an accountant on social media and develop an interest in their field. Because no one has made it interesting enough to be on instagram or YouTube. If you could get genuinely interesting “job shadow” content for teens to see legitimate careers, that could add tremendous value to the life of someone from a less privileged background.
Seeing more will lead to being more. But first we have to make it worth seeing.