Forget the goals, help your kids discover their passion

5 April 2013

Forget the goals, helping your kids discover their passion is the greatest gift

Setting goals for children to encourage achievement is not particularly productive and instead, parents would be more successful encouraging children to embrace their 'passions'.

Taking it one step further, Harvard Business School professor and co-author of Goals Gone Wild, Max Bazerman, asserts that "rather than relying on goals, we should create workplaces and schools that foster interest in and a passion for work".

In his book Oops! 13 Management Practices That Waste Time And Money, Aubrey Daniels teaches that small improvements and incremental targets – coupled to positive reinforcement – is the way to go.

To support Kiwi parents in helping their kids to get the best possible start in life, the Auckland based Westforce Credit Union recently teamed up with the international website initiative EmagineIF.

Together with EmagineIF, Westforce Credit Union aims to give parents and children a safe, free online facility that promotes financial literacy and a good work ethic by engaging children in a fun way that encourages them to find and pursue their passion.

Westforce Operations Manager Victor Martick says the collaboration with EmagineIF is a natural fit because, at the heart of credit union principles, is the concept of human development and the brotherhood of mankind expressed through people working together to achieve a better life for themselves and their community.

"Goals must be connected to values and personal mission. Children need to know who they are and what they love before they can go after it.

"Therefore, setting audacious goals for your children is probably not advisable. Helping them to achieve small incremental steps doing something they love is tremendously rewarding for parent and child."

Victor said his experience in the finance industry, and through working with real Kiwi battlers, is that wealth and achievement are secondary and as a result of pursuing a passion.

"Helping your kids discover their passion is the greatest gift you can give them.

“The first step begins with registering for this free service,” he said.

About Westforce Credit Union
westforce™ Credit Union is not a registered bank but a locally owned and operated FINANCIAL SERVICE PROVIDER that offers financial services to its MEMBER/OWNERS with offices situated in West Auckland, South Auckland and Whangarei.

www.westforce.org.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media