By Martin Padulla for staffingamericalatina

This article is for you, who are in your final year of high school.
I need you to be active. This is not just about reading.

Please, right now, look up images of the waves in Nazaré, Portugal; Mullaghmore, Ireland; Jaws, Hawaii; or Bali, Indonesia.
Did you see them? All these places are paradises for surfers. And with that, let me warn you—I’m going to be direct: you will have to surf a wave even bigger than the ones you just saw in those photos.

You are preparing for a world that does not yet exist. The truth is, we don’t know what it will be like, but we do know one thing for certain: it will be very different from today.

This giant wave brings enormous changes—some are already happening, and many more will unfold in the coming years. You have two choices: you can freeze and be afraid, or you can move and be excited. The second path is highly recommended because it allows you to become a key player in designing or building something new. And there will be a lot of new things! Many of them will be big and meaningful.

You are a digital native, and as a technology user, you have already experienced multiple changes. You have probably even thought of innovations that have not yet been implemented. Try to hold onto that instinct to generate new ideas, to see the world through fresh eyes, to create. Always dare to innovate.

Like all technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) will eventually cease to be a competitive advantage. It will become even more accessible and much more advanced. In Silicon Valley, they say, “AI won’t take your job, but someone using it better than you will.” This is crucial and presents a unique opportunity: you have an incredible co-pilot for your career. Learn to use it, leverage it, but always stay in control and in charge. Make sure AI enhances you and contributes to the best version of yourself.

You are used to FOMO (fear of missing out), but now you’ll need to overcome FOBO (fear of becoming obsolete). What does this mean? While your education has begun, it will never really end. You will have to keep learning throughout your life and be willing to reinvent yourself multiple times. In fact, if you’ve read this far, I have to tell you that this isn’t just one wave—like in the ocean, after one wave comes another. The speed of the successive waves you will have to surf will only increase. We will all need to learn to unlearn and relearn. So never think you know it all—stay alert, stay curious, keep the mindset of a learner, and stay engaged in the here and now.

If you don’t have a clear vocation yet, you probably feel pressure about the imminent decision ahead. That’s understandable; you are choosing the lens through which you will continue learning. Nothing more… but also nothing less. Those lenses can change, be modified, or expanded. They are your first lenses, and they will shape your identity.

Explore what excites you, what makes your eyes light up, what your skills are, and in what contexts you feel most in flow. Think about how all of this aligns with how you see yourself in the future. Focus more on who you want to be rather than just what you want to be.

If you believe you know which career you want to pursue, make sure you are not idealizing it. Try to talk to at least three professionals who have built their careers in that field. Ask them everything!

Remember that no matter what career you choose, it will be a journey filled with challenges. Never lose sight of your goal, and don’t let obstacles discourage you. Problem-solving is an essential skill you must develop. Stay focused. The HCS method (hours-chair-seat) and self-confidence will, without a doubt, lead you to your degree.

The careers most in demand in the job market are those connected to STEAM skills (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). Ideally, you should develop competencies in all of them since the future seems to favor generalists. Specialists, generally speaking, will have a harder time. They will need to reskill and acquire new competencies.

Your career path will be very different from your father’s and completely unrecognizable compared to your grandfather’s. The role you play in designing and building the future can take many forms. There are various ways of working that will suit different stages of your life. This flexibility grants you freedom and will allow you to balance your personal and professional life.

Work is no longer just a place you go—it’s about the value you add. Keep this in mind: always add value, strive to make original contributions, and generate impact. This is what truly matters, regardless of how you engage with one or multiple organizations.

You will always be the guardian of your own brand. You may have heard of “employer branding,” the strategies companies use to build their reputation as employers. Individuals also build a reputation in the job market. Start thinking strategically about your values now—build your network and your credibility. If you achieve this, whichever career you choose will be a good one, and you will enjoy your professional journey.

Always aim to build or be part of a true team—whether for studying, projects, work, or life itself. Take care of your team, improve it, and, just like in sports, strive for high performance in every team you are part of.

If you have an interesting idea that you believe is transformative or solves a problem in a unique way, and you are thinking about starting your own venture—don’t hesitate: fail fast and fail cheap. Become the founder of your own knowledge bank, take note of your mistakes, and capitalize on them. Embrace failure and always learn from it. Adults learn more from mistakes than from theory or practice. Remember, obstacles will come, but… it’s no big deal! Resilience means starting over, stronger.

For what I’m about to tell you—my final thought—it may still be a long way off, but I hope you remember it: if a great idea comes to you later in life, perhaps when you have a few gray hairs, that’s still a good time. The world is divided between those who think there is never a good time to start and those who believe it’s always a good time. The latter group includes people who have created global disruptions, and many of them were not young when they did so.

This idea of global impact might sound strange to you. But the wave I mentioned brings the opportunity to be small, live in a peripheral country, and still have an impact on the world. Don’t worry about the resources you’ll need to make it happen. If the idea is good and you are passionate and committed to excellence, the capital will come, and even more experienced people will be willing to help you.

Choosing your career is a great moment to get to know yourself better—to doubt, research, and reflect. It is a personal journey of self-discovery, a step in designing your future and sketching out a life plan.

Talent no longer waits to be chosen—it chooses because it adds value, transforms, and innovates. You have the chance to be among those who choose.

Don’t forget to enjoy this process. Enjoy this beautiful cycle you are leaving behind and this introspective journey—but also enjoy your university experience and, later, your professional career. The ability to enjoy life means taking responsibility for yourself. It is linked to attitude and individual responsibility.

I wish you success in the journey ahead, and I truly hope you can enjoy the path you take.

Epicurus, who lived in Ancient Greece in 341 BC, dedicated his life to answering a simple yet profound question: What makes people happy?
And yes, for him, one of the most important factors was work—doing something that contributes to society and being part of something that makes a difference.

Perhaps Greek philosophers seem a bit boring to you, so I’ll leave you with a quote from Steve Jobs—who you probably find much cooler because he founded and led Apple:
“If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t need to be pushed. Your vision will drive you.”

This article had a very specific goal that I didn’t tell you at the beginning—so I wouldn’t lose you along the way. If you’ve made it to this last line, you are part of a select group rewarded with knowing what that goal was:

From the very start, the purpose of this article was to make you think.

If even a single word here resonates with you, the mission is accomplished.

Photo of Frederik Rosar in Unsplash