Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “For Teens”
1. Be yourself. Mindless conformity is a prison; express yourself authentically and don’t be afraid to stand out, but don’t go to extremes just to be different, or just prove you can. You don’t need orange hair, a nose ring or tattoos to be special. In the end, it’s more important to be respected than notorious. 2. Don’t expect too much or settle …
“What will you be when you grow up?” It’s a serious question. As kids, we knew we were going to be something and that to be something was to be someone. Even as our ambitions changed, we knew what we were going to be was important and our choice.
This is graduation season. Many high-school and middle-school students will be moving on to the next stage of their lives. Some will be sad to say goodbye to their school, classmates and, maybe, even a teacher or two. Others can’t wait to leave it all behind.
Sometimes life does not turn out how you expected or hoped. That doesn’t mean you can’t or won’t be happy. If you don’t limit yourself to your first version of your life, there is always a bright future ahead. If you believe the best is yet to come, you will be right.
I. Don’t sell yourself short. Your value is measured by your values, not by your rank or status; your worth is determined by your worthiness, not your salary or bonus.
“The bad news is that TIME FLIES. The good news is that YOU ARE THE PILOT.” – Michael Althsuler
Everyone knows that young people need role models. But what is amazing and uplifting is how many incredible kid role models there are. This video is a must-see, especially for educators — not only because the topic of this 13-year-old boy’s message is about education, but because of his message about happiness. What a great reminder to never underestimate young …
Wayne Gretzky said, “I miss 100% of the shots I don’t take.” Michael Josephson adds, “Take more shots. The only time failure is certain is when you don’t try.” Homer Simpson’s rebuttal: “Trying is the first step toward failure.”
Can a single question influence the way you think about things? I found it very powerful.
Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy. ~Leo Buscaglia Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere. ~Glenn Turner
Just because you miss someone doesn’t mean you should be with them. Don’t let your feelings cause you to forget the facts. – Michael Josephson
WORTH SEEING: Poster. There are five birds on a wire. Two decide to fly south. How many are left? The answer: five. Deciding to do something is not the same as actually doing it. Your future is determined by actions, not good intentions.
What kind of son or daughter are you? Are you as good as you could be or should be? Here’s a guide on how to get in the Hall of Fame. Father’s Day is set aside to honor dads, at least those worthy of being honored. But how often do you think about how well you did or are doing …
If your dad is gone, what do you wish you could say to him that you didn’t? I hope you have warm sentiments to share and the thought of your father evokes genuine gratitude and sadness that he’s gone, but be honest. Not all dads were great. Even through
Some dad’s are/were genuinely great – worthy of praise and gratitude. Others were or are outright jerks or villains. Most fall somewhere between these extremes. How well you did in the dad lottery is something you had no influence on. If you got a good one, enjoy your good fortune and be grateful. If your father falls short
One thing I’ve learned in the 813 weeks I’ve been writing and posting these commentaries is that some people who love you (or at least say they do) can turn on a dime if you disagree with them on something fundamentally important to them. So I confess I think twice (or more) before I publish a commentary I know will …
You are what you are today because of the choices you made yesterday, and the choices you make today will make you what you are tomorrow. Take control of your life. Choose wisely. – Michael Josephson
It’s not where you’re from; it’s where you’re going. It’s not what you drive; it’s what drives you. It’s not what you think; it’s what you do. It’s not who you were; it’s who you become. It’s not who you know; it’s who you are. – Michael Josephson
Hi, this is Michael Josephson with my last Something to Think About story for the school year. Julia, an 11th grader was thrilled when she got an A+ on an assignment to design an advertising brochure in an art class. And when her teacher, Mr. Roberts, told her she should consider a career in advertising Julia realized that was exactly what …
Hi this is Michael Josephson with Something to Think About. Olivia Gardner was a sixth grader in Northern California when she suffered an epileptic seizure in front of her classmates. Immediately, the name-calling began. The hallway insults and ridicule – “freak,” “retard,” “weirdo” – escalated into cyber-bullying as a few nasty students set up an “Olivia Haters” website. One student …
Hi this is Michael Josephson with something to think about. When I was a law professor, I administered multiple choice tests that I corrected by hand. One day, Ron came to my office informing me I made a scoring error – in his favor. I was impressed with his honesty and told him so as I was changing my records. …
This is Michael Josephson with something to think about. Chad and three of his friends were college seniors and they all had to take an important physics exam on Monday. Chad persuaded his buddies to take a weekend trip several hundred miles away to go to a rock concert. They all agreed they would study in the car driving there …
Hi, this is Michael Josephson with Something to Think About. When Leon was 14, his father asked him to return a shopping cart in a grocery store parking lot. Leon was annoyed. “C’mon, Dad,” he said, “No one returns their carts anymore. That’s why they hire people to collect them. If everyone returned their shopping carts some people would lose …
Check out this video about Mallory Holtman’s stellar act of sportsmanship:
Mallory Holtman, the first baseman for her college softball team, had no idea she was about to make a choice that would change her life. During a game that could determine the conference championship, Sara Tucholsky, a player for the other team, hit the ball over the center field fence. Sara was only 5’2”, had had only three hits all …
