Why “You Can Be Anything You Want to Be” is Bad Advice

“You can be anything you want to be.”

As I’ve had conversations with members of the Millennial generation, this is a phrase that almost all of them have agreed they’ve heard throughout their childhood.

Photo Credit: amanda tipton, Creative Commons

While it sounds so great and inspirational, it’s actually a lie.

Take me for example.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be Michael Jordan. There were three simple steps to accomplishing my goal.

Buy Air Jordans.
Shave my head.
Be 6’6.”

While I did get the height thing down, I didn’t exactly become a baller. That’s not my gift set. You would laugh watching me try out for the NBA. If I would have seriously pursued that dream, I would be lost wondering why life didn’t work out. God had something better in mind for me than I did for me.

The same goes for all of us.

 

We can’t be anything we want to be because we can only be who God made us to be. Our dreams are important, but God’s desires for us are even greater. 

Adopting His vision for our lives sets us free to be who He wants us to be, rather than who we think we should be.  

So how do we discover what we’re supposed to do with our lives?

Replace the lies we’ve been telling ourselves about who we should be by being honest about our obstacles and opportunities. 

Our lies wear us out by pursuing goals that God never meant us to chase. A pipe-dream life. Unreal and unattainable. Both are not us. The lies have to die so you can finally live. I love what author Paulo Coelho encourages us to do when he says:

“Close some doors today. Not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because they lead you nowhere.”

What doors are open for you? Do they match up with your skill set?

If yes, these are your opportunities. You were created exactly the way you are for a reason and have a great purpose in being here on this planet. God has put something incredible in your grasp.

Reach out and take it.