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Skills for the Future

As I have gotten older, I have learned that there is a large gap between the life that I remember as a kid and the life kids actually lead today. Due to technology and the rate at which it is changing, I am realizing that my boys’ future is going to look much different than my reality. When I think about my main responsibility as a dad, it’s to prepare my boys for life when they get older. One thing I make clear to them is that life doesn’t get easier, you just get stronger in your ability to deal with it.

When I researched what skills they could obtain that will help them the most, I found one line of work that would give them the most important skills across the board. It was Entrepreneurship. I feel like I’m not able to predict what the future job market is going to look like, but I think many jobs currently available will be taken by artificial intelligence. I believe the future for them will be for them to be their own bosses and own their own businesses - be entrepreneurs. If this is going to be the case, then I need to make sure to teach my boys as many skills and mindsets as I can to prepare them for their future. 

So I decided to line up the skills and mindsets I wanted them to learn for their future, skills and mindsets that are not only important in life, but specifically for entrepreneurs. Here’s a list of them that were most important to me:

  • Don't take “no” for an answer
  • Question everything
  • Never assume
  • Quality is everything 
  • Say “please” and “thank you” often
  • Make weaknesses strengths
  • Collect feedback
  • Focus on the customer
  • Manage self-doubt
  • Look for lessons in challenging times
  • Visualize what you want
  • Aim high
  • You only fail if you don’t try
  • Grit, perseverance, patience
  • Leadership skills
  • Integrity
  • Negotiation and collaboration
  • Think outside the box
  • Accounting, finance, budgeting
  • Philanthropy
  • Communication
  • How to help others succeed
  • How not to internalize what others think of you 

As you can see, this list is LOOOOOOONG!!!! I didn't encourage reading the Jocko Willink book because it had this idea of entrepreneurship embedded in it. I just felt this was an idea I would talk to them about in the future. When it did come up, I still wasn’t sure what they could do. I honestly thought mowing lawns and snow blowing was going to be their first business. 

When Zach brought the box of sports cards to me I thought they were basically worthless, just as they had been for the last 30 years. 

But that’s when I found out cards have made a comeback in a MAJOR way!

1 comment

  • Give your kids somewhere to go and always to value themselves.

    Virginia Miller

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