Lesson 26: Defining Lifestyle and Goals

Understanding How Your Choices Today Shape Your Future

Introduction

Think about where you'll be in 10 years. Seriously, take a second. What's your life look like? Are you happy at your job? Still in Saskatchewan? Did you move? Are you supporting your family? Back in school? I'm asking because the stuff you decide right now—about school, about work, about what matters to you—that's going to shape everything that comes next. Not in some dramatic way. Just... it's how life actually works.

Here's something I need to say upfront: lifestyle isn't money. It's not about having stuff. For a lot of Indigenous people especially, a good lifestyle means your family is close, your community knows you, you can practice your spirituality, you have time to learn from your Elders. It's about living in a way that actually feels right to you. That's what we're talking about.

The thing is, the lifestyle you want costs something. School costs money. Moving costs money. Starting a family costs money. So we need to talk about three things together: what lifestyle actually means to you, how to figure out if your dreams match your reality, and how all your goals—education, career, family, your health—all tie together. This isn't about crushing your dreams. It's about building a real plan so you can actually achieve them.

Key Concept 1: What Is Lifestyle?

Okay, let's break this down. What does lifestyle actually mean?

Your lifestyle is just... the way you live. 

Your day-to-day habits. Where you live. What your job is. How you spend your time when nobody's making you do anything. The choices you make, every day, about how to spend your money and your time. Some people live simply. Some want more stuff. Some live in the city, some live closer to the land. None of it's wrong. People are just different.

Needs and wants

You probably learned this in elementary school: needs are food, water, shelter, clothing, safety. Wants are everything else—the phone upgrade, the fancy jacket, travel, hobbies.

But honestly? The line gets blurry. Do you need a phone? Not technically. Can you survive without one? Sure. But try doing school or getting a job without one in 2024 and good luck. Do you need a car? Depends where you live. I grew up in a city—public transit was fine. But if you're out in rural Saskatchewan? Yeah, a car isn't a want, it's a need.

Your lifestyle is basically needs plus wants mixed together. You need somewhere to live, but picking between a cheap place, a nice place, or staying home with your parents—that's a lifestyle choice. You need to eat, but whether you hit the drive-thru or spend time cooking with your family or grocery shop and meal prep—that's also a choice.

What makes a good life

In a lot of Indigenous cultures, a good life isn't measured in money. It's about being close to your people and your community. It's about having time to hunt or fish or gather. It's about your spiritual practices mattering. It's about Elders and being able to learn from them. It's keeping your culture alive. It's taking care of the land.

And here's why I'm saying this: when you understand what matters to you, you can plan better. If community and staying close to home matter more than making a ton of money, that changes what school you pick. If you want work that helps people, that's different than chasing the highest paycheck. If spirituality matters, you're going to want a job that doesn't steal all your time.

Real example

Let's say Maya—a Grade 10 student, really into working with kids, wants to be a teacher. She's got options. University takes four years. College for early childhood education takes two. Or she could work at a daycare and go to school part-time. Each one costs different money. Each one changes her life in different ways. University might mean leaving home. College might let her stay put. Working and studying? She makes money but takes longer. There's no 'right' answer here. It's about what matters to Maya.

Key Concept 2: Financial Alignment

So you get what lifestyle means. Now for the part people don't like talking about: what's it actually going to cost? And how much money are you going to actually make?

Income

Different jobs pay different amounts. Someone at a gas station in Saskatchewan makes maybe $15-18 an hour. A nurse, $25-35. Plumber after you're trained? $30-40+. Doctor, $50+. These numbers shift depending on where you are and how long you've been doing it, but you get the idea.

The thing is, you want to pick work that's interesting to you AND pays enough for the life you want. Want to travel constantly? You need a high-paying gig. Want to stay in Saskatchewan and live simply with a strong community? Way more options open up for you.

What school costs

Different paths, different price tags. Trades? You invest maybe $3,000-8,000 in tools and supplies, but you're earning money while you train. College runs $5,000-12,000 per year. University is $6,000-15,000+ per year. Or you do distance learning and stay home, which can be cheaper.

But there's help. Scholarships, grants, student loans, bursaries—they all exist. Saskatchewan has funding. Indigenous organizations have scholarships specifically for you. You can work while you study or go part-time. You've got options to bring the costs down.

The reality

Jordan wants to be an engineer. Four-year degree costs him about $40,000-60,000. Graduates and earns $55,000-65,000 a year—that's solid income. But he's paying back student loans (maybe $30,000-40,000 of them) for the next ten years. So yeah, he makes good money, but half of it's going to debt for a while.

Jaylen does the trades—electrician apprenticeship. Total cost? $5,000. Gets paid while he trains. Finishes and makes $60,000-75,000+ a year with basically zero debt. By the numbers? Jaylen's actually in a better spot than Jordan, even though people think being an engineer is the 'better' job.

So there's no one right move. You've got to think about money, yeah, but also about what you actually want your life to look like.

Key Concept 3: The Bigger Picture

Here's the thing nobody tells you: your education goal, your career goal, your family goal, your health goal—they're all tangled up together. Change one, and you shift the others.

How it all connects

Say your priority is staying in your community and raising a family there. Boom. That shapes your career choices. You need a job that actually exists where you live. It shapes your school choices. Maybe distance learning or a local college makes more sense than moving for university. It shapes your budget. Staying put costs different than moving to a city. It affects your health too. Honestly, being connected to your community is usually better for mental health and your spiritual life.

Or you want to be a nurse. Four-year education means you can't work full-time, so less income. You take on debt. Your family probably helps out. After graduation? Shift work, nights, weekends. That shapes your family time and your health. But you earn decent money and help people, which matters to you. Everything's connected.

Beyond the money

Remember how lifestyle is bigger than money? This is where it gets real. Your personal goals matter—time with family (parents, siblings, kids, Elders), your health (exercise, managing stress, mental health), your spirituality (ceremonies, prayer, learning), your community (volunteering, showing up for people), time for hobbies and recreation, continuing to learn.

Some jobs give you space for these things. Some jobs eat your life. Some are flexible. Pick something that actually works for you—not what you think you're supposed to want.

First Nations and economics

First Nations communities in Saskatchewan are economic powerhouses. Indigenous peoples manage resources, run businesses, create jobs, pour billions into the economy. There's actual opportunity in resource management, tourism, hospitality, gaming, small business.

Treaty rights open doors that a lot of people don't even know about. Some folks work in treaty stuff. Some run Indigenous businesses. Some do economic development for their communities. These are jobs where you can earn real money while staying connected to your people and your values. When you're thinking about your future, don't just look at mainstream career options. Look at what's actually happening in your own community. Look at Indigenous economies across Saskatchewan.

Long-term stuff

At 16, retirement feels impossible to imagine. Probably feels boring too. But it's worth thinking about early. As you earn money, you'll want to save for emergencies, invest, plan for retirement, get life insurance if you've got dependents, think about your will.

You don't need to figure it out now. But knowing it matters helps you make better choices today. A job that seems boring but pays well looks different if it means you could retire at 50 and spend your time actually helping your community.

Reflection Questions

Answer these carefully. We're not looking for yes/no. Think deep and be honest with yourself. Take your time.

About your lifestyle

1. What does a 'good life' actually look like to you? Get specific. What are you doing day-to-day? Where are you living? Who's around you? What matters?

2. What cultural values or family beliefs matter to you when you think about how you want to live? How does your life reflect those?

3. Name your top three needs. Name your top three wants. How would you choose between them?

4. Does staying in Saskatchewan matter to you? Why or why not? How does that affect your choices?

About career and school

5. What are 3-5 careers that actually interest you? Look up what they pay in Saskatchewan. Is the money realistic for what you want?

6. For each job, what's the education path? University? Trades? College? How much does it cost?

7. If you borrowed money for school, how long would it take to pay back? How would that affect your life for the next ten years?

8. Is there a career you want that actually exists where you live? If not, would you move? What would be hard about that?

About money and reality

9. Think about the good life you described in question 1. How much would that actually cost per year? Break it down: housing, food, transportation, everything.

10. Can you afford that life on the salary from your career research? If not, what changes? Your lifestyle or your career pick?

11. What if your dream job doesn't pay enough? Do you change careers, adjust what you want, or find something else?

The bigger picture

12. What does work-life balance actually mean to you? How many hours a week do you want to work? Weekends off? Time for spiritual stuff or community?

13. If you want a family someday, how does that change what job you pick or what you're willing to study?

14. How does your health play into this? Physical, mental, spiritual—what kind of job would actually support that?

15. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10? 20? What do you need to do starting now to get there?

16. Are you interested in Indigenous economics, treaty work, economic development for your community? What would you need to learn?

17. What do you want to be remembered for? Not money—impact, family, community, the world. How does your career and lifestyle support that?

References

Government of Saskatchewan, Ministry of Education. (2024). Financial literacy 10 curriculum guide (2024 preliminary). https://curriculum.gov.sk.ca/

Government of Saskatchewan, Ministry of Education. (n.d.). Treaty education outcomes and indicators: Grade ten examining the Canadian context for treaties. https://www.edonline.sk.ca/

Statistics Canada. (2023). Saskatchewan labour force characteristics. Retrieved from https://www.statcan.gc.ca/

Council of Ministers of Education Canada. (2021). Financial literacy for Canadian youth: A resource guide for educators. https://www.cmec.ca/

First Nations Information Governance Centre. (2023). First nations economic development in Canada. https://fnigc.ca/

Indspire. (2024). Scholarships and funding for Indigenous students. https://www.indspire.ca/