Part of being a parent is helping to nurture a child’s talents to help him find his future. That’s fine when a child is set on doing something from the get-go. Some children are just born knowing what they’ll do when they grow up.

But a lot of the time, it’s a lot deal less obvious. And for some children, there’s a great deal of frustration in the not knowing. They worry about finding a path to the “right” career. It can be helpful to expose such children to unusual career choices, directions, and angles so they don’t feel so hemmed into traditional pursuits that might not be the right fit for an adult future.

Take the work of Andy Goldsworthy, for instance.  He’s married his love of nature, art, photography, and philosophy and created a unique concept. He creates art using materials he finds in nature and then photographs his pieces a single time, to show that the beauty of nature is transient and ephemeral.

Goldsworthy may be a poet as well, “When I touch a rock, I am touching and working the space around it. It is not independent of its surroundings, and the way it sits tells how it came to be there.”

Not satisfied with art that is so meticulously arranged? So be it. Go for broke and take a look at these photos by photographer Dale Sutton of wildlife taken at high speed. These photos aren’t composed. They’re captured.

To get art this great you have to be quick-witted and ever-conscious. There may be some luck involved, as well. Not to mention persistence. Imagine how many bad shots a photographer might take before catching that perfect photo of a hummingbird drinking nectar from a flower, or a bumblebee poised in mid-flight! You’d have to possess lots of patience and a high tolerance for failure.

Is your child patient and persistent? This type of work could be your child’s future.

Speaking of failure, is your child in high school beginning to think about college applications? Does the process seem daunting? Inject a bit of humor into the situation by showing her this correspondence between MIT and student John Mongan. It’s a lesson in perspective. Maybe your son or daughter will feel a little less small after reading John Mongan’s brilliant riposte to a school that perhaps thinks a little too highly of itself.

We’ve talked about the music in the words in this space before. Here’s another great way to illustrate the point to a child considering a future career in writing, or perhaps in music. Have your child read the text to himself. Then ask him to close his eyes while you read it to him. Ask him, “Are you hearing the music in the words?”

It’s word music food for thought. You can suggest that your child write a paragraph or two in a similar form as a writing exercise. Then ask him to read it to you so you can hear the music in his words.

Possible Future Occupation: Comic

Last but not least, do you have a special pen or pencil that you just can’t do without? Have you ever gotten attached to something only to have it go out of production? You’ll totally relate to this film about Canadian comics artists and their special relationships with their pencils.

The artists are all so sure that a chosen tool is the only tool they can use to create their art, and yet each one of them is using a seemingly unique product. This film demonstrates dedication to craft, artistic temperament, and the serious work that goes into producing a hilarious video.

Toronto Comic Arts Festival: Pencil it In from Toronto Comic Arts Festival on Vimeo.

Here’s to your child’s future, whatever it may be. Reassure your child that it will all come clear. In the meantime, remind your child that getting there is mostly about the journey.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published April, 10, 2014, and has been completely revised and updated for accuracy and scope.

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