Ask a kid what he or she would like to be in the future. Chances are, one in eight will reply, "famous." That statistic is made up and completely false. It's most probably one in five.
The lives of the rich and famous are no longer private. They are the meat of articles and TV shows. They are the topics of conversation and frankly, people are intrigued by famous-people-gossip. So, it should come as no surprise that the future of our nations wants to be famous. The very kids we baby-sit, teach, nurture and cherish will someday blame their teachers and parents for not telling them that 'famous' is not an occupation.
Maybe if we explained to them that true success is a product of hard work and a combination of skill and fortune, they might strive to do what's in their heart. The thing they are naturally good at. And skies above, they might actually be famous one day. But when they get there, it's not because they chased fame, but rather pursued their natural talent through hard work.
I'm learning not to be cynical. It's tough.
