This document provides advice for teenagers on staying positive in school. It encourages asking questions of parents and friends for help. It warns against making excuses and instead looking at what others have achieved to motivate working hard. The document stresses believing in oneself, having self-confidence, and visualizing success to achieve goals and become independent. It advises continuing education to earn more to offset rising costs of living.

1. Be Positive
Audience: Ages 14 to 22 years

2.  “School is hard”
 “It is difficult”
 “I do not know”
 “It is okay”
 “Good, I guess”
 “It’s great”

3.  My father once told me that the reason
why he sends me to school is to be able
to speak when my peers speak.
 To challenge them when I do not agree
with them.
 To argue when I have a different view.
 To compromise when there is need.
 To make them proud.
 To put value to my life.

4.  Why do you think you cannot?
 What do others have that you do not?
 Do you have low self-esteem?
 Do you feel that you are not secured?
 Do you talk to your parents?
 Do you always claim to know everything?
 Do you ask questions of the unknown?
 Do you seek help from your friends?
 Do you give help to your friends?

5.  Keeping bad company
 Not listening to parents/asking questions
 Always in denial of the existence
 Telling lies to cover weaknesses
 Not being upfront or truthful
 Looking at others without thinking
 Not setting goals or seeking help
 Lack of organization
 Lack of time management

6.  Look at other people
 Look at yourself
 What do they have that you don’t?
 Are they better than you?
 Ask why you cannot do what they do
 Ask why you cannot do it better than
them
 Believe you can do better than everyone
 Shoot for an “A” grade and nothing less

7.  Can you achieve your goals?
 Why can’t you?
 What is the fear?
 What are you afraid of?
 How may heads do others have?
 How many hands do they have?
 What is it that others have that you don’t
have?
 Why can’t you do better than others?

8.  Why do you put yourself down?
 Do you like yourself?
 Are you proud of yourself?
 Do you like good things?
 Do you always want to get things free?
 Do you like to work for what you want?
 How do you feel when you want things?
 How do you feel when you need things?
 Do you help around the house?

9.  How do you see yourself?
 Do you have a good image of yourself?
 Do you have a unlimited vision?
 Do you create a good picture of yourself?
 Do you see yourself progressing?
 Do you imagine yourself succeeding?
 Do you want to live your dream?
 Focus on positive image of yourself.
 Put a positive image in your imagination.

10.  Do you believe in yourself?
 Can you achieve anything you want?
 Do you set your mind on your goals?
 Think about who you want to be
 Think about the benefits that await you
 Think about taking control of your life
 What will parents do to or for you?

11.  Understand that parents will not always
be there for you.
 You need to work on your own survival.
 Take positive control of yourself.
 Avoid distractions and focus on your life.
 Stay on the right side of the law.
 Think of achieving more than your
parents.
 Ask parents for advice and suggestions.

12.  Prices of goods are going up very fast.
 Individual income is slowly going up.
 Plan on making more money to offset the
rising cost of goods and services.
 Plan on saving more money after you pay
your bills.
 Be able to go beyond break-even point.
 Trust and believe in yourself.
 Be a winner, not a loser.

13.  Go out there and look at the mirror
 Visualize and imagine yourself
 Talk to yourself about your life and goals
 Tell yourself that you can do it
 That you are better than everyone else
 You have what it takes to be successful
 Promise yourself that you will work hard
 That you will seek help to succeed
 That you are willing to make sacrifices

14.  Learn from others when necessary
 Be confident of yourself and respectful of
others
 Avoid arrogance as you gain confidence
 Maintain an environment of the same
thinking
 Avoid irritations, miscommunication and
misunderstanding
 Stick to your peers and nothing less
 Do not compromise your principles

15.  Dr. Sidney O. Okolo
 Ph.D., Organizational Management and Leadership
 Professor, Mentor, Consultant, Strategist, Speaker.
 http://vc-edu.org
 http://iba-pec.com
 sokolo@vc-edu.org, sokolo@iba-pec.com
 http://www.linkedin.com/in/ibaweb
 Mobile: 312/671-4721; E-fax: 425/671-1282
 Toll Free: 800/665-4016; Office: 708/832-2643