Your Calling Card

Judgment takes place day in and day out. People are judged by how they dress, how they look and how they behave. Judgment also takes place with your level of success, for adults it’s the type of job and material possessions, with teens it’s what their parent’s success can afford them and their school accomplishments.

Since a teen has absolutely no control over what their parent’s success can afford them, they can only concentrate on their school accomplishments. School accomplishments may include academics, sports, band or some club activity, like chess or debate. Which ever it is, how well you do in one or all areas become your calling card for success.

For those teens who think school is a waist of time, think again. The good grades you get, or don’t get, are reflected in your G.P.A, which is equivalent to your parents FICO score. If it’s good the more opportunities you have, if it’s bad, the less. The better one does in school often times show tell tale signs of how successful you will do in life.

While that isn’t always true, it is an indicator of your ability to succeed. Performing well in school demonstrates discipline, focus and drive. Normally if you do bad, people will perceive you to be lazy or stupid or both.

And the truth is you may not be either. You may be too smart or aren’t challenged. Luckily, there are other school accomplishments where teens can showcase their talents if academics isn’t one of them. These being music, arts, sports or any of the other after school activities.

Let’s face it, school is cool, but it can be quite boring as well. You spend a lot of time learning information you either won’t retain or ever use again. Most of us adults are still wondering how calculus was important to graduate, when we have never used it since. For teens that feel the same way, excelling in sports or creative school activities is how they thrive and demonstrate discipline, focus and drive – great!

But what about the student who doesn’t do well academically or creatively? What does your calling card say to the world? Quite frankly, it says that you have no interest or don’t have the capacity to be all you can be. It shows the world that you are taking up valuable space and you may never have the ability to be successful, which by the way isn’t true. Unfortunately, if you don’t have an interest in something, you also won’t be able to demonstrate the valuable tools of discipline, focus and drive.

Success is as success does. So regardless, if success derives from academics, creativity, sports or some other form of interest, as long as you have an interest and you put your heart and soul into it. It’s okay to be lack luster in some or even most areas, but it’s not okay for all areas. So strive to give the world your calling card that reads, “Successful at Something.”