By Dr. Glenn Mollette

What is next for you? Are you making plans for furthering your education?

Are you interviewing for employment? Are you debating about your career path? What type of occupation will be fulfilling and pay the salary you want to earn? Possibly you are making plans to get married? You may be wondering about the best strategies for buying a house or saving for retirement.

Consider talking to people who are doing what you want to do.

Life coaching and mentoring are sadly missing today. It’s missing in our schools, churches and even worse, our families. Young people are desperate for the wisdom of senior Americans but most of the time think they know everything, We all thought we knew everything when we were young. Looking back, we now realize how little we really knew.

Throughout life we are typically stuck with figuring it out by ourselves. We made the choice to make our own decisions. When we make our own decisions then we can’t blame anybody but ourselves. However, education is expensive. Learning the hard way is never fun. You have heard people say, “Let him figure it out. He’ll learn.” This is typically true, but if your grandchild is about to pick up a poisonous snake, would you just stand back and let the child learn? Would you not care enough to snatch the child away from the snake? Of course, you would save your child. You can’t save everybody, but when you can, then why not do what you hope someone would do for you?

If you consider yourself a young adult then you need to interview some older people. You need to ask questions about their vocations, businesses, and whatever path they have walked. How did they do what they have done?  What would they do over? What would they never do again? What would be their advice to you about life in general, money, marriage, faith, church, raising kids and anything else. You might be surprised at what you will learn.

Most older people think no one wants to hear their opinion and too often it’s true. Sadly, years of life experiences, worth more than money could ever buy, are never utilized.

Every high school and church should have an occasional life coaching day. A day when some of the community sages are invited to sit and field questions from small groups and even talk one on one.

You may not always hear what you want to hear. Sometimes the truth is surprising. Always keep in mind that the truth will set you free. Proverbs 19:20 says, “Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.”

Keep in mind that advice giving should always be done in love and gentleness.

Glenn Mollette is the publisher of Newburgh Press, Liberty Torch and various other publishing imprints; a national columnist –  American Issues and Common Sense opinions, analysis, stories and features appear each week In over 500 newspapers, websites and blogs across the United States.