THE SILENT KILLERS OF YOUR CHILD’S SUCCESS
4 toxic mental models to unlearn ASAP
There’s a lot of what I've learnt back in school that I’m beginning to question as I advanced into adulthood and became a mother.
My mission is clear - I’m constantly pushing for the notion that creativity and curiosity is deeply innate within your child and it forms the foundations of their success (now and future).
But there are many mental models that were ingrained from young and exacerbated by our culture that stifles this creativity & curiosity.
And it's beginning to burden me as an educator as I constantly have to explain to parents why they should be paying more attention to this aspect of their child's education journey.
And the last thing I want is for your children is to lose this power and have their authenticity decided by someone (or something) else.
According to a NASA science experiment, your children were born creative geniuses, but the education system seems to be dumbing them down.
If you don't believe me, that's fine. But if one of the world's finest champion of arts & creativity, the late Sir Ken Robinson, has a whole TED-talk about it (22m views and growing), at least listen to what he has to say:
If you've got time, I highly recommend this video.
16 years ago, and still so relevant today.
I'll summarize a key point for the purpose of this topic:
Children are not afraid to take chances, but most adults have lost that ability due to a lack of willingness to make mistakes. SKR believes that education systems globally have the same hierarchy of subjects, with mathematics and languages at the top, the humanities in the middle, and the arts at the bottom.Education is designed to train people to perform industrial work and that we need to cultivate creativity in all students. SKR urges education leaders to value the arts and emphasize creativity to better prepare students for the future.
Something's happening in your children's classrooms.
I reckon it's the kind of mindset and culture that institutions knowingly (or unknowingly) drive into your child's head. And it's toxic.
The thing about toxicity is that it slowly erodes whatever it touches, and it's killing your child's creativity.
The 21st century's biggest threat is not in the physical. It's in the mental.
You need to be aware of what's happening. Then, address this ambiguity with your kids. They're still young, so there's time to change course.
Understand (& unlearn) these 4 mental models so that your children can thrive in a world that values creativity and authenticity:
☠️ Creativity is for everyone else, except me.
Creativity isn't about drawing well, or taking nice photographs.
SKR, believed that creativity is not a rare and magical gift, but a fundamental aspect of human intelligence that is present in all of us.
“Creativity is putting your imagination to work, and it’s produced the most extraordinary results in human culture.” - SKR
Point: creativity is essential for personal fulfillment, social progress, and economic growth.
Many of us were brought up believing that creativity is a rare and elusive quality that only a select few possess.
This is downright harmful.
But the truth is, talent is overrated.
Sure, there are some people who seem to have a natural knack for certain things, but that doesn’t mean the rest of us can’t get there too. In fact, the most successful artists and designers are often the ones who worked the hardest to get there.
Here’s the secret ingredient:
It’s all about consistency.
Every day, your child has the opportunity to get just 1% better. Maybe that means spending an extra 15 minutes practicing your drawing skills, practice writing, experimenting on a new design technique, or your swimming strokes. Over time, these small improvements compounds into something bigger.
And here’s the thing.
The more you practice, the more you’ll realize that creativity is not a quality reserved for the chosen few children.
Creativity is the currency of the future.
Children who have it in abundance will lead the world.
☠️ Originality is overrated.
Originality = Authenticity.
Authenticity is about being true to who you are, and not pretending to be someone you’re not. It means being honest about your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, and expressing them in a way that feels natural and genuine to you.
So why does it matter for your children to be authentic?
Because if AI can take over your child's job tomorrow, how can your child still be relevant in a world of technology? In a sea of sameness, humanity is in search for a kind of satisfaction and fulfilment that can only be found through real and authentic sources.
It’s not enough for your children to simply follow the crowd or replicate what’s already been done. Instead, they need to discover their own passions, interests, and talents, and to cultivate their own personal brand.
Your child’s authenticity = their personal brand.
In the future of work, your child’s personal brand will be the reason why they are spotted in a crowd.
Make your child un-ignorable.
☠️ Delete the ugly photos from your camera (& from your life)
There’s one golden rule in all of my photography programmes.
Children are free to express themselves and do whatever they want, but they cannot do this one thing.
To delete any photos from the camera.
Especially the ones they deem ‘ugly’.
Why?
Because I want them to embrace the good & bad they’ve captured.
It's counter-intuitive, I know. You don't want to face the bad. You don't want to acknowledge your imperfections.
But this is toxic. It can hinder your child's growth as a creator, as it reduces our willingness to take risks and try new concepts. We should view mistakes as learning experiences and be open to the possibilities they can offer.
And to approach mistakes is akin to how an entrepreneur would approach challenges and problem-solving in business
Make more mistakes. Which also means - try new things all the time.
☠️ To be better, you have to consume more
With everything screaming for your child's attention today, the conventional wisdom about 'more = better' no longer holds it proposition.
More classes. More homework. More books.
Study. Study. Study.
It’s the idea that more is better, that success is measured by the amount of things we have.
But is your child's worth tied to productivity and output? It’s a never-ending cycle of consumption, one that leaves them feeling empty and unfulfilled.
But the 'New Rich' isn’t like that anymore.
The successful child in the 21st century is the one that embraces this 'New Rich'.
It's about:
Leveraging technology to advance your purpose
Freedom to do what you want (and when you want to)
Actively creating (instead of passively consuming)
Empowering others (not just yourself)
Forget luxurious mansions, expensive cars, shiny watches.
It’s about harnessing what’s already within us.
The leaders of tomorrow are the ones who can create value, attract audiences and inspire them to take action.
Transform your child from a passive consumer into an active creator.
Be well,
Miss G (@gladyssoh)
