Helping Teenagers Define their Purpose

As we are well aware, teenagers today are under more pressure than ever. They are expected to perform, fit in, choose the 'right' path, and succeed early, often without a clear sense of who they are or what they stand for.

When young people lack purpose, identity, and clarity of values, they are more likely to be influenced by peer pressure, struggle with boundaries and decision-making, feel anxious or overwhelmed, and compromise their values to belong.

This is the problem Claire Gatonby of Research House and I will be addressing in high schools in 2026. I will deliver the personal brand side of the workshop while Claire brings the research and real-world insight. Through extensive work with first-year students, she has gathered honest, detailed feedback on what they wish they had known when leaving school and stepping into the next phase of their lives. These are practical, often overlooked realities - the kinds of challenges and skills that many of us as parents, teachers, and guardians wouldn’t even think to prepare young people for.

Together, we bridge the gap between identity and application, giving learners both a strong internal compass and the practical tools they need to navigate life beyond school with clarity, confidence, and resilience.

The personal brand section will help learners understand who they are, what matters to them, and how to show up consistently and authentically in school, sport, relationships, and life. The aim is for participants to:

• Clarify their values and purpose
• Identify strengths and what makes them unique
• Learn how daily habits shape reputation and outcomes
• Build resilience, accountability, and emotional maturity
• Gain confidence to make values-based decisions

Teenagers who understand themselves make better choices, show stronger emotional intelligence, recover faster from setbacks, and contribute to a positive school culture.

I conclude by reinforcing:

• Discipline over motivation
• Authenticity over approval
• Calm over emotional reaction
• Courage over comfort

Helping teenagers understand who they truly are, and that each of them has a unique and beautiful purpose, while providing the practical tools on how to achieve their full potential, is one of the most powerful investments a school can make.

If you are an educator, mentor, inspirer of the youth of South Africa and would like to find out more, please email me at tenley@tenandcompany.com.

‍