Stepping Stones To Success For Teenagers

How do successful people reason and think ? What drives them ? In the years I was teaching classes full of teenagers I got hit by a full gamut of problems and issues they had had to grapple and fend with.Many of them were emotionally or mentally paralysed because they had no clear clue of what was 'right' or 'wrong'. In many instances I wouldn't be far from the truth they were having these problems because of some element of parenting or the stark abscence of parental coaching.To help them through I used to point them to certain role models and how they clambered out of the pits. Here are some of other issues:

1.Dropped out of school ? Not my fault. Smoking crack perhaps? Not my fault ! Married the wrong person? Not my fault.To a certain extent everybody claims to be a victim of somebody, some situation, background or country and or religion. VICTIMISM is almost default thinking now. Victimism's overriding cliché ,the response to almost all questions about one's miseries is : It's not my fault! Victimism seems to imply that we don't need to take responsibility for the living of our lives - that we are what we are because of somebody's else's fault. Not quite.You are fully responsible for what you are. Someone else's opinion of you won't change your life.You cannot afford to sell your self worth to someone else's mere words nor so easily succumb to their assessment of you. You are you. Unique and original.You must take responsibility for your life and control your thoughts and actions and chart your individual history.

2.Yet another key is to be PURPOSEFUL or pursue purposefulness in whatever you do. Do what you love to do . When you get a summer job,yes, do it with all your might! Go out of the way. Excel! Make a difference. Be a team player . Set small goals and work towards them. Achieve, climb. When you are older these small wins will lead you to victories in achieving.

3.Being purposeful requires you to be mindful of the direction you want to go. WRITE down your action plan. Write down your goals . If you are not clear about your goals you are living on fantasies. I mean if you are driving to a distant place and if you don't have a map or direction you'd be wasting time,energy and money and may even just quit going that way.With a written map you'll steer your life towards an anchor , destination. Be prepared to pay the price for your success.You have to make your dream come true , breathe life into it.

4. Don't complain or tire of the work it takes. Be a beaver to improve your skills. Work towards being the best in your field. Study the experts and copy their best practices.When you have committed to your goal giving up will never be an option. You must be willing to do whatever it takes to reach milestones or benchmarks. NEVER GIVE UP! Top achievers go after what they want - energetically and passionately accompolishing their dreams. YOU CAN TOO.Not long ago one of the greatest statesmen of our times , Sir Winston Churchill gave this advice :"Come on now, all you young men all over the world.You are needed more than ever now to fill the gap of a generation shorn by the war. You have not an hour to lose.You must take your places in life's fighting line.Twenty - twenty five.Those are the years.Don't be content with things as they are.The earth is yours and the fullness thereof.Enter upon your inheritance. Accept your responsibilities.Raise the glorious flags again, advance them upon the enemies who constantly gather upon the front of the human army and have only to be assaulted to be overthrown. Don't take no for an answer. NEVER SUBMIT TO FAILURE. Do not be fobbed off with mere personal success or acceptance."

Walk With Peers

Character Is Something You BUILD

To your future,

Cally Rao

photo credit : allfreelogo.com