Steve Lear

Viewpoint: Defining Success for Post-High School Students (Part One)  

We occasionally ask questions on LinkedIn to gather informal opinions about issues we’re working on. Now that a financial literacy class is required for high school graduation in Minnesota, we want to extend that same benefit to youth ages 18-24. How can we ensure they have the skills to be career-ready and financially literate adults?  We asked the SLO community to weigh in on the following question:  

How do you define success for post-high school students? 

 Below is a summary of key perspectives each group shared, followed by my thoughts: 

 Parents: 

• Success is raising a capable and independent adult. 

• Character, relationships, resilience, and purpose matter as much as career success. 

• Parents and other trusted adults play an important role in preparing students to navigate adulthood.

Steve: Young people definitely benefit from the diverse influences and wisdom of the broader community—we can all probably name people who have been our role models and mentors. I believe that an important part of nurturing the next generation is sharing our wisdom and values with them. Parents who cultivate a network of teachers, coaches, clergy, grandparents, neighbors, and friends understand the African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.” That kind of community support promotes a sense of belonging, self-esteem, cooperation, and respect that help to develop character.

Educators: 

• Learning must develop the whole person. 

• Young people need practical life preparation alongside academics.  

• It’s not enough to memorize facts; education must foster critical thinking, curiosity, and lifelong learning.  

Steve: I agree that your education doesn’t end when you get your diploma. Parents can demonstrate the value of lifelong learning by enrolling in continuing education classes that they pay for. Kids need to see their parents walk the talk.

Financial Professionals: 

• Financial literacy creates opportunity.  

• Students need to understand investing, saving, and long-term planning much earlier in their lives. 

• Financial independence provides freedom and choices. 

Steve: I would add that people often overlook the importance of insurance as a tool to buy peace of mind. An effective insurance portfolio is a price we pay for financial freedom. We need to make it a priority so that people can purchase it when they are young, and rates are affordable. It buys freedom, time, and recovery, so you don’t need to count on government assistance. I consider risk management an essential part of a good financial strategy.  

Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs: 

• Success comes from solving problems, taking initiative, and continuing to grow. 

• Entrepreneurship is a legitimate pathway alongside college. 

• Adaptability matters more than credentials. 

Steve: While adaptability may come more naturally to some than others, it’s a skill that can be developed. Here are two approaches you might consider: 

• Do It Yourself: To become more adaptable, try to stay open-minded and embrace learning. Challenge yourself to take risks and accept the outcomes. By getting out of your comfort zone, you train yourself to keep working through failures and mistakes. And when you remain curious about what might happen next, you build confidence in managing change.  

• Get Help or Barter: When faced with a task that requires you to work against your strengths, Kolbe Wisdom recommends asking someone for help to reduce the amount of time it takes to complete. Alternatively, you could “trade” strengths with someone. For example, if you find it overwhelming to start a new project, team up with a colleague who is strong in “Quick Start” to brainstorm ways to get started. In return, offer your instinctive strength where needed. Everyone benefits by exchanging talents. While not every circumstance lends itself to this approach, it can be a useful way to increase productivity and decrease stress. 

Career and Workforce Perspective:  

• There are many post-high school options. The trades, apprenticeships, military service, and college are all valuable paths. 

• Students should pursue work that aligns with both their interests and their ability to support themselves. 

• Every pathway deserves respect. 

Steve: That second point above bears repeating—before choosing a path, it’s important to consider your desired standard of living, so you can select a career that supports it. 

My family experienced both austerity and prosperity. Money was tight when I was a child. Later, as my father’s fortunes improved, he was able to send me to college. Both of these financial circumstances offer valuable lessons. When money is scarce, you don’t expect to be given things—you know you have to work for them. It’s a question that parents of young children need to consider. You might not want to live prosperously while your kids are in elementary school, so you don’t unintentionally fuel unrealistic expectations or rob them of motivation and initiative.  

Another danger of being prosperous early in life is that you might be tempted to ignore savings. Yet the earlier you begin to save and invest, the more money you will have to pay for your children’s education and your other financial goals—such as achieving financial independence, which is the ultimate freedom.  

Students and Young Professionals: 

• Self-awareness should guide career decisions. 

• Taking calculated risks leads to growth. 

• Pursue impact instead of simply completing school. 

Steve: That’s good advice! Following it will likely put you into groups of people with similar interests and values, making your life more interesting and enjoyable. 

More to Come 

My sincere thanks to everyone who took the time to respond! Despite different ages and backgrounds, respondents largely agreed on a definition of success for post-high-school students. Their perspectives don’t come from data, but from their lived experience. Very few define success as getting into the right college, achieving high grades, or earning a good salary. Collectively, the responses indicate that success is less about earning a degree or getting a job and much more about becoming a person who is capable, adaptable, financially literate, and career-ready. 

To accomplish this, I believe we need to make some changes in how we educate young people. But before we can set a new course, we need to understand how we got here.  

Stay tuned for Part 2: Viewpoint: Defining Success for Post-High School Students