"When I was a child, saying you wanted to be a musician, they'd go, 'You need to get a real job.'
"School is so stressful. You've got all these exams - maths, English and science - all these things are very difficult.
"But what I want to say to kids is if you do what you love, you will eventually get paid for it."
The Bad Habits singer revealed that he's always learned more from the low moments in his career than the highs.
He said: "You learn way more from failure than you do from success.
"I have played Wembley Stadium and I've played a bar in Swindon to one person. And playing the bar in Swindon taught me more than Wembley Stadium."
However, Sheeran also said that he hopes that his and his wife Cherry's daughter Lyra - who will celebrate her first birthday later this month - finds a future outside of the shadow os his success as a musician.
He said: "I think it's from being in the music industry - I'm like, 'I would not wish this on my child.'
"I would hate for her to be known as my daughter rather than just Lyra, I want her to have own identity."
Sheeran added that he believes Lyra will more likely follow in her mother's hockey-player footsteps.
He added: "I think Lyra will be more sporty I think."
