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#6. Solving the Failure-to-Launch, Late-Bloomer Opportunity

Young adults “failing to launch” are increasing in numbers. How many kids are: 23+ ; still living with parents; burdened with college/grad-school loans; and/or getting by with gig service jobs?  

Some root causes for these symptom stats?

1. The educational conveyor-belt (from K-to-grad school that feeds talent into our knowledge-economy job-market) starts by being pegged to biological age. All seven-year-olds are not equally able to do first grade work. Most are by plus or minus two years. Late bloomers will quickly fall off the conveyor without extra (family) resource support and ideally a few repeat and/or gap years along the way.   
2. The US media extols “Early Bloomer” success stories. And, privileged families spend crazy amounts of extra resources to get their kids into top-brand colleges’ diversity-quota-niches. Want a “student-athlete” spot? Pick a sport for your kid as early as 4 and have them do it 11 months a year with hours of “deliberate practice” under private coaches. 70% of kids quit sports by 13, because it isn’t fun, and the ringers take all the school-team spots.  
3. Doing high-school, extra-curriculars for exploratory fun is gone. Either early-age specialists win the spots, or you can’t waste time on something that won’t burnish your college resume.  
4.  After brand colleges, there are often brand, grad-school credentials needed to land best (most lucrative), knowledge-economy jobs.  
5. Why sell your soul for the highest-paying jobs? They exist in hub cities with zoned-out suburbs that cause: unaffordable housing, hellish commutes, and overall, high-costs of living. 

Living at home with gig jobs is an ultimate by-product of these causes. 

Solutions: 

1. Educational institutions could reimagine the conveyor belt. But, don’t bet on it.  
2. Late Bloomers could: learn how to learn on their own. Then, when they know what career path they might like and are ready to begin a mastery path to it, they could.  
3. More employers may get savvy at hiring late-bloomers who have high-value potential that isn’t on formulaic, airbrushed resumes. 
4. And, go online for more ideas:  
   1. Start with “late bloomer” at Wikipedia. 
   2. Employers google: “how to hire late bloomers?” 
   3. Late bloomers, get AI answers and leads with: “As a late bloomer, how do I get my dream job?” 
   4. At merrifield.com, I’m creating content on: “how to master the process of mastery”.  This will hopefully support all young adults who are facing accelerating skill-obsolescence due to disruptive technologies. 

Kids must boost their mastery skills to continuously - learn, unlearn and relearn – for a life of gainful employment and wellbeing. Let’s help them!