“Hard work pays off,” a mother says to her kid. The quote echoes through the child’s mind throughout their childhood, teenage years and adulthood. They find themselves in a constant cycle of working with no end in sight. What happened?

Children are raised being told that if they work hard, they’ll be able to achieve anything they want. While it is true that children should grow with a drive for success, it creates an expectation that may never be reached. 

This phrase sends a false promise to children all over the world. While some people do end up being successful due to hard work, others fail to live the life they desire no matter how hard they try. This leaves people questioning if they’ve truly worked hard enough and what they have done wrong and why they weren’t able to achieve their goals. 

It gives kids the impression that they will always be able to control what the outcomes of the situation are. But that is not how the world works, and when they find out, they will be devastated.

In an article by Rachel Simmons called, “Tell Kids the Truth: Hard Work Doesn’t Always Pay Off,” she mentions an eye opening statement. “…we should all question a culture that has taught them that feeling anything less than overwhelmed means they’re lazy, that how they perform for others is more important than what actually inspires them,” Children will grow to learn that if they are not going above and beyond, they will never be satisfied with what they end up with. 

They will believe that the only way to success is through stress, pulling all-nighters and essentially losing their mind over work. 

This leaves the question of, “What should we do instead?” Well, start by reassuring them that facing obstacles and struggling to overcome them is okay. Teach them how to take care of themselves and how to take breaks when needed. 

Most importantly, teach them how to be okay with failure. It is time to teach children a healthier approach to achieving their goals. To tell children this false promise distracts them from the difficulties that the world throws at them. To prepare kids of the world ahead is to truly guide them to success.