Don’t get a Job. You already have one.

Recently, my son told me he wanted to get a job. He’s 15 now and many of his friends are getting jobs. He wants to be able to have his own money to do things he wants to and save to get a car. I remember getting my first job at 15 and working while I was in high school. I played sports, worked, and still managed to keep my grades up. Working teaches you responsibility, discipline, professionalism, punctuality, ownership, etc. Up until a few years ago I thought my son would work during high school to learn those same lessons. But I came to realize I don’t need some fast-food restaurant or department store to teach my son those lessons. Furthermore, in my opinion working those jobs would diminish his value.

A conversation with my son..

Son: I want to get a job so I can get a car.

Me: I already got that taken care of. You’re not getting a car until your Senior year at the earliest anyway, but I already have a plan for that.

Me: Son, what’s the goal? What do you want to do after high school?

Son: I want to play sports in college.

Me:  So how does working at McDonald’s or Chik-fil-A help you reach that goal?

Son: It don’t, but I want money to do be able to do stuff too.

Me: If you want money, I will give you money. I will work an extra job if I need to. I’d rather you spend time reading a book than go work for somebody else. How many scholarship offers you got right now?

Son: None.

Me: So you got a lot of work still to do to reach your goals. A job would just get in the way of that. I’d rather you spend 8 hours working on your game than working on somebody job. I want you to invest in you. You are the job! Making yourself the best prospect possible with your grades and your play is your job. Figuring out what careers you’re interested in is your job. Now if you wanted to be a barber and you were sweeping up in a barbershop to learn that would make sense. If you wanted to go into construction and you was gone be on somebody roof I would understand that. But getting a job just to get a job I don’t want you to do that. You let me do the work. That’s what I’m here for.

Matter of fact, here’s what I’ll do for you. I don’t believe in no allowance. You ain’t finna get paid to do chores or what you supposed to do. But create a “work schedule”. When you gone work on your game, read, learn about different jobs, etc. And I will pay you for that. I just started learning about stocks so I’ll give you some money and you can learn that with me.

Son: When can we start that?

Me: This summer. You create the schedule and check it off as you go through the week and I’ll pay you like a job.

More than anything I want my children to pursue their passion. Whatever that may be. The things you are good at, become great at it. Whatever skills you have, magnify them. I even told my son it would be easier for me if he worked a job and paid for his own stuff. But my job is to create the best path possible for him to reach his goals. I’ll work as many jobs as I need to as long as he grinds. Now if the goal changes or the work ethic don’t match, then by all means, he gone flip those burgers. But for now, this is the plan.

Work ethic is work ethic. The workload and routines required for him to reach his goals will teach him all the lessons he needs. He’s started waking up at 5am with me recently to go to the gym in addition to training and practice at school. He knows the plan this summer will include 2-3 training sessions a day sometimes. He’s a multisport athlete so he has to work on both sports and train. He won’t be able to commit fully and have proper rest and recovery time if he is working.

Additionally, he hasn’t figured out a career he’s interested in yet. And it’s not for fall back purposes either. I don’t believe in a plan B. But I do believe in being well rounded. I do believe in self awareness and knowledge of opportunities. I will recommend 1 – 2 books for him to read this summer but I want him to pick 2 on his own. He has his whole life to work so I’m not rushing it. At 15 he still has the power to create his own destiny. This summer he will learn, train, plan, and create. And I will pay him for it. I told him it would be less than what a job would pay but its more about investing. When he becomes the best version of himself the money will come. Until next time, B U!