As young people, we get pulled left right and centre with mixed messages.
“You better excel in your studies!”
”You should also excel in your extracurricular activities!”
“When you get to college, you need to drop your sports and dance to focus on your studies!”
“It’s because that’s what I did, oh and all your cousins did that too! You can’t do both”
It’s natural that parents want their children to excel and succeed. We want them to be ambitious and remain focused. We hope that they will develop the skills required to reach their goals and dreams as adults. We invest time and money into their education not only at school but outside of school in music, dance, drama or sports. The expectation is that the child will take away rich experiences and lessons from these extracurricular activities to shape them into strong, capable adults.
Why then, do we tell them to drop the very extra curricular activities, that teach them the essential skills required to succeed and supplement their academics when things start to get a little difficult to juggle? Often this is when we begin college or university. Should we not be teaching our youth that balance is key, and to approach the challenge with a “can do” attitude as the opportunity to grow outweighs any short term teething issues developing this grit and discipline? We should be encouraging them to stay organised, to learn to make time for the things they enjoy and to use such activities as a tool for stress relief, fitness and to develop perseverance.
An investment of time and effort into our extracurriculars as we approach college, university and work become EVEN more important, as it is often these activities and the skills reinforced through these commitments that set apart the high achievers from the rest.
So ask yourself, is pulling out of all the things you love just because you are at school, university or starting work going to teach you the right life lessons in the long run?
Stay balanced YO. Keep perfecting your life skills. It’s the recipe to success in the long run 😉✔️✔️
We have great examples of people who have achieved phenomenal success by maintaining this very balance and developing GRIT. Keep your eyes peeled for the second post to this piece that explores these stories!
In the meantime, we have heaps of opportunities at Aaja Nachle to help you keep dancing. With classes all over Auckland on both weekends and weekdays, casual classes and workshops, we can surely find a solution for you. Tell us about your specific requirements today on 02108810856! 💗💗