Episode: 485

Episode Title: For Now, Not Forever

How can we help students overcome decision paralysis when it comes to career direction? I’ve got a strategy to help, coming up next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 485 show:

Hello and welcome to The Perna Syndicate! It can be really scary for kids to think deeply about their future career. And I get it—it’s a big decision. They don’t want to make the wrong choice, and this often can lead to decision paralysis, where they simply can’t make a choice at all. 

No parent or educator wants kids to feel this way. You want them to be excited to explore their options, not afraid. That’s why I’ve created a strategy called the “for-now” decision. 

This strategy simply means that your student picks a “for-now” career direction that they can start researching and planning for—something that sounds interesting to them right now. It’s all about conversation, not commitment.

What makes this strategy effective is that they can change their mind at any time—and it’s okay. In fact, it’s good because it shows that they’re learning more about themselves and what they want out of life. The for-now decision takes the pressure off, allowing career exploration to be fun instead of fearful. 

No matter what career direction they take, we can play a vital role in helping both middle and high school students discover what they’re passionate about, and then make a plan to get there. The key is to help them make this decision for now—not forever. 

Hey, I appreciate you making The Perna Syndicate part of your week. You can always visit MarkCPerna.com to catch up on earlier episodes and check out what’s new at the blog. As always, we’ll see you back here next week for more on The Perna Syndicate. Until then, take care!