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Six Life Lessons from your Dad

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Letter to my children, just before the start of their college year

By Rod Zimmerman

2)  Are you comfortable in your own skin?
 
When you look in the mirror do you like the person who stares back?  Any body type can have inner beauty Watch out for people who strongly dislike part of their own body. 
 
People can't be more honest with you than they are with themselves.  When someone says they are working hard, are they being completely honest or are they fooling themself?  The same with diet and exercise. 

Associate with people who bravely deal with bad news.  The famous boxer Joe Louis once said, "He can run, but he can't hide."  People who are honest with themselves insist on hearing bad news and responding to it immediately.



3)  Do you consistently help and avoid hurting people, including yourself and others?
  
Associate with people who make helping others a priority in their lives.  Look deeper than their choice of professions and ask whether they truly enjoy helping others.  Consistently helping includes making the ordinary fun, being generous, and settling disputes.  Avoid hurting yourself includes substance abuse - alcohol, drugs, and unhealthy food.

My Hindu friends say, "Help ever, hurt never."  Ever and never are high standards, with many cases that appear to have both help and hurt.  Examples: hurt a little now, but help much in the long-run; or hurt yourself a bit to greatly help someone else.  Gravitate towards people who find the middle ground. Watch out for people who are unrealistic, doormats, or selfish.


4)  Who are your mentors and mentees?
 
Successful people commonly volunteer to help others become successful.  The good feeling that comes from mentoring can be more powerful than money.  Especially in your early career, the mentoring of a good boss may be more valuable than your paycheck.

So it is a good sign when someone has attracted mentors and freely gives them creditIt is also a good sign when someone who is already successful takes the time to raise others up.  Watch out for people who claim to be successful and say they did it all on their own.  Some people are partially ready for this question and can tell you about their mentors, but not their mentees.  They don't get it. 

 

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