Career Development Lessons from My Little Pony

Have you heard of the land of Equestria, where earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns live in harmony (and maybe sometimes discord 😉)? If not, you are missing out on some AWESOME, as Rainbow Dash would say, career development lessons. Yes, I am talking about the animated series, My Little Pony, Friendship is Magic. As a parent, I have watched my fair share of animated shows. I can say without a doubt, I have never seen one that packs more career wisdom. So if you don’t have time to binge-watch over 200 episodes, here are the top three lessons on career exploration.

Lesson 1: Everyone has unique skills.
The series highlights the lives and friendships of 6 ponies, called The Mane Six. Each of these ponies is very different, with  unique interests, personalities, and skills. These differences are celebrated, and in fact, it is these differences that create a new kind of magic when used together. This principle theme of the series is a reminder that we must honor ourselves when choosing a career, and not the expectations set for us.

Lesson 2: It’s not always easy to find your passion. 
The stars, rainbows, and hearts that adorn the flanks of these cartoon ponies aren’t just for decoration. In fact, they serve a purpose… a career exploration purpose. They are a representation of that pony’s special skills. And these “cutie marks” as they are called, are not always easy to get. One ongoing storyline follows three young fillies as they try to find their passion and earn their cuties marks, thus reminding us all that career exploration is a sometimes long and difficult process.

Lesson 3: A job is what you do, not who you are.
As we follow the lives of the residents of Ponyville, we see their jobs are a fulfilling part of their lives, but that they also have time for other things like defending against evil villains and solving friendship problems. My Little Ponies have excellent work life balance. A lesson we could all benefit from!

My Little Pony is a wonderful series that shows us that career development is magic!