Shifting Generational Values

The United States federal government annually spends billions of dollars ($42 billion in 2022) on youth mental health, yet the associated crisis has worsened in the last decade. With 40% of high school students reporting persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2023, Most indicators suggest that a fresh approach might be worth consideration. Honoring the gap in values between today’s youth and societal leadership is a natural starting point.

Data indicates that the pervasive notion of dreams deferred is an eroding value among today’s youth. Many youth have simply outgrown the traditional beliefs that dream college education, religious faith, and traditional marriage are pathways to eternal happiness.  Among youth, college enrollments have declined since 2010; religious unaffiliation outnumbers Christians; and cohabitation and alternative lifestyles have overtaken traditional heterosexual marriage.

If we focus on only on eduction, we note that Yale research reveals 75% of students reporting negative feelings of stress and boredom toward toward their current high school experiences. While the idea of dream college still exists for some, many youth see it as an opportunity to continue the stress experienced in high school and only a dream for their parents.  The promise that a top college degree will guarantee a fulfilling and lifelong career of happiness has been shattered by the reality of student loans, fear of continuing their negative high school experience, AI job displacement, and watching while 85% of their parents feeling disengaged with or hating their jobs.

When a society requires youth to enjoy values that they they do not share, internal conflict and stress arises. With this in mind, we must admit that today's youth mental health pandemic is not surprising.  Professional treatment, in-school therapy, and awareness workshops can be of some value, but if we truly expect todays youth to thrive while being smothered by unshared and outdated societal values, perhaps the wrong audience is receiving mental health support.

Stress is the Internal Conflict Between Who You Are and Who You Pretend To Be!

Many of us live lives full of stress and conflict because it is difficult to constantly live in a state of pretense. Living in this manner means burying our authentic selves and smothers our freedom. It strips the world of the opportunity to benefit from of our true potential and natural genius.

More importantly, this conflict slowly decays our essence and can ultimately be quite self-destructive. The resulting depression, anxiety, self-medication, and poor choices can lead to relationship difficulties, mental illness, alcohol/substance abuse and engagement with the criminal justice system.

We often attribute these behaviors to our past traumas, including genetics, environment, class, racism, sexism, and more. However, PIE consultants guide teach us to get to know ourselves, honoring our authentic selves, living authentically, and practicing self- acceptance. When we learn to remove blame accept responsibility for our own lives, we unveil the excellence that has been dormant for years.

Once we learn to distinguish between who we are and who we and who we try to appear to be, we have taken the first step toward living our passion. It is only through discovery of this passion that we can begin reducing stress and pursuing an unapologetic life of purpose and joy.

This means understanding our core values, accepting our unique self (strengths, flaws, passions), setting boundaries, and making choices aligned with our inner compass rather than external pressures. This involves self-reflection, honest expression, and letting go of some of the people-pleasing associated with social media, peer groups, and even the expectations of our parents, teachers, and trusted respected societal figures. 

It can be challenging to treat ourselves with compassion and accept aspects of ourselves and life we can't alter. But once this skill is mastered, mental wellness and a joyous professional life lie ahead. 

PIE Consultants are graduates of ivy league schools, top professionals in their fields, and successful serial entrepreneurs. So, if college is truly your passion, PIE professionals can help you gain admission to your the right school. If joining the workforce or military is right for you, PIE experts will guide you to that match. If a new business is your passion, PIE serial entrepreneurs can engage you on that path.

What separates PIE team from other counsellor and coaches is that we only work through your true passion. College admission purely based on desired prestige is not our approach. Landing a job to earn money to impress others is not our philosophy. Grooming entrepreneurs who are simply chasing wealth is not our sweet spot.

But if you understand the value of building a career on a foundation of passion and joy that enriches your life and society, then Congratulations!! You’ve come to the right place and we are so glad you are here. Our fees are reasonable and need-based full/partial scholarships are available.

Why The Need For Passion?

Problem

Solution

Approach

Covid-19 accelerated a growth trend in student stress and anxiety that has led the United States to the current youth mental health pandemic. In 2020, a Yale study across all demographic groups revealed that 75% of high school students felt “tired, stressed, and bored” toward school. If students are spending most of their waking hours in this state, the rises in youth mental illness, criminal behavior, and overall lack of preparation for post-high school success should surprise no one.

Passion makes us feel more valued, connected and inspired, cultivating feelings of joy and emotional intelligence. Youth who complete high school with a strong sense of identity and passion are more likely to succeed in post-high school activities, whether they include post secondary education, immediate job placement, or launching a new business.

This shift toward youth passion, joy and positive feelings requires just 4 simple steps:

1) Guidance to help the student identify and hone their natural passion

2) Create the clear vision and strategy

3) Incorporate school work and activities into that vision and strategy

4) Walk a supported, detailed, and unwavering path to post-high school success

Why Passion Identity Education?

Embedded in the spirit of our society’s greatest contributors lies passion. From business and academia to politics and the arts, passion sits at the core most accomplished citizens.

The Industrial Revolution brought about significant technological and economic progress. With improved food production, advancements in medicine and sanitation, and changes in social structures, there was rapid expansion. The 17th century compulsory education model was a key tool to broadly train employees and fill jobs to efficiently support this rapid societal growth. Teaching the same basic skills to prepare to enter the growing job market naturally led to increasing competitiveness for top school grades, the best jobs and winning at all costs with or without genuine passion for these outcomes. The stress of millions competing for a gradually diminishing number of positions, encouraged the rise in stress, anxiety, and the mental health challenges and have led our society to its current pandemic state.

The Age of Information has greatly diminished the need for uniformity in citizen development since many jobs are being replaced by operational efficiency techniques, robots, and artificial intelligence. As the job market landscape shifts, so has the appropriateness for building a society with standardized skill sets. Instead, there is an increasing need for creativity and innovation. Our youth are very bright and naturally perceive this shift. Data indicates they have largely shut down to parts of our current education model, finding it “tiring, stressful, and boring”. As our school system adapts to these cries for change, supplemental education models designed to cultivate creativity, innovation, and passion have begun t thrive.

Passion Identity Education (PIE) is a global leader in the promotion of increased youth mental wellness and societal greatness through the encouragement, support, and design of youth-centered, customized, and joy based development. Its approach is simple. It’s not only about grades and test scores. PIE expert consultants offer the guidance students need and the peace of mind that parents and school systems seek. Its coaches are world-class leaders in business, education, the arts, and creative thought. From millionaires, ivy league trained professionals, and serial entrepreneurs to psychologists, doctors, and athletes, PIE consultants have come together to offer your child their best chances for acceptance into their dream college, job offers from their perfect employers, and blueprints for starting their own successful new business after high school graduation.

After years of conducting research, hosting mental health conferences, and personal life experience in the mental illness space, the PIE leadership team has experienced the greatest luxury and the greatest trauma the world has to offer. Our fresh and exciting approach attacks today’s youth mental health crisis in a refreshing manner, infusing our students and our society with the creativity and innovation it so desperately needed for tomorrow success.