Get Your Teens Off Their Devices and Stepping Into Life
I get so many complaints from parents that their kids are unmotivated and all they ever want to do is to be on their devices. As both a former teacher and as a parenting coach I know that it is much better to provide your kids a vision that is more enticing than the electronics vs. limiting your kids.
This week I was talking to my friend Will Kirsop whose business is Many Roads. At Many Roads Will designed a whole program to help teens uncover their unique purpose while enhancing self-awareness and well-being. And that’s really the key—connect kids to something greater than themselves and greater than the moment. I asked Will to give me a quick overview of how we define purpose and how we engage with teens around purpose.
Purpose: A Quick Overview
By Will Kirsop, Many Roads
For centuries, people have sought to answer a fundamental question: What is our purpose? Modern research now confirms that discovering purpose is more than philosophical—it’s crucial for health, happiness, and success. For teens, purpose is a powerful tool for navigating a fast-changing world. Here's how we can help them uncover it:
Key Insights on Purpose
1. What is Purpose?
Definition: Purpose is having meaningful goals that benefit both oneself and others.
Core Components:
Personal Meaning: What resonates with you.
Goal Orientation: A sense of direction.
Aims Beyond the Self: How you contribute to the world.
“The purpose of life is… to make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
2. Why Purpose Matters
Wellbeing Benefits: Improves happiness, resilience, mental health, and life satisfaction.
Academic Boost: Purpose drives better focus, grades, and motivation to learn.
Longevity: Purposeful individuals often live longer and healthier lives.
3. How to Help Teens Find Purpose
Encourage Exploration: Teens thrive when they envision their “future selves.”
Introduce Tools: Approaches like Life Crafting guide teens through:
Discovering values.
Imagining their ideal life.
Setting actionable goals.
Committing publicly
Living the Questions
Purpose is a journey, not a destination. As Pablo Picasso said: “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”
By guiding teens to uncover their purpose, we empower them to build meaningful lives and contribute positively to the world—let's help teens discover and share their gifts.
Explore More: Tools like Life Crafting can set the foundation for teens to thrive. Learn how to bring this framework to your community by connecting with Will at will@manyroads.co