Teaching Children the Joys of Success

Listen to Phillipe De Gaspé Beaubien explain the importance of teaching the next generation the joys of success. In a family business, it is important to set realistic expectations for the rising generation in terms of success and failure. Being supportive of the next generation, encouraging them to take risks and follow their passion will ultimately lead them to being happier with their work and more successful in their careers.

The fear of failure, and there is the joy of success, and what I’m trying for my children, is to encourage them to learn the joys of success and be challenged. Because you can reach the same goal but it’s the perception. And for me, for a lot of my years, especially when I was growing up, is it was fear of failure. That I was not going to measure up. I mean at Harvard, I didn’t want to be the first one to be kicked out. I mean so, I weighed 150 pounds, I mean I was, you know, stressed all the time, I mean, it wasn’t a fun, I mean, I produced, but in the wrong way, you know? And it was only later when I really started to enjoy what I was doing and having fun at it that I really sort of blossomed in that. The thing I was most worried about with my kids was they were going to experience, you know, the expectations, and you got to it, and it was fear. I think I could say that both my sons, I mean, knock on wood, but I’m encouraged, are seeing the joys of accomplishing stuff and really reaching out because they love what they are doing. And that’s- that’s the other thing. We cant, you know, sort of say, you know “do this” and you know “it’s going to be so terrible if you fail”. No. We got to point the other side and say you know “do this”. “You’re going to have fun”. “It’s going to be a blast.”