SUCCESSFUL LIFE SKILLS FOR TEENS

Retired U.S. Marine and self-help and personal finance author Smith offers a set of motivational and practical guidelines for teenagers.

In these pages, the author, who holds a master’s degree in business administration, expands his remit from the specific realm of money matters to an array of skills that one can master during one’s teenage years. He promptly notes that these years can be complicated and stressful, but he underlines the importance of discipline and resilience when learning strategies for a happy and successful adulthood. He discusses a wide range of subjects from social media to mental health and dealing with conflict—and, of course, he includes a typically excellent chapter on managing one’s finances. At the core of many of his discussions is what he refers to as the LION method, which stands for “Legendary, Intentional, Organized, and Now-Focused”: a goal-setting approach where the objectives are “inspiring, purposeful, clear, and actionable.” In many discussions, Smith uses the example of his friend’s son James as a personalizing focus; when James encounters a challenge when sharpening his “emotional intelligence” or dealing with procrastination, young readers will more readily see themselves in the situations. Smith buttresses his assertions in every chapter with references and citations and includes an extensive bibliography. This information is welcome, but the book’s greatest strength is its consistently encouraging tone, which readers may appreciate even more than all the practical advice. For instance, he calmly and confidently warns readers about negative thoughts—not to avoid them, but to understand them: “Thoughts like this are disempowering,” he writes, “and they’re going to stand in your way unless you actively challenge and dissect them.” His tips on so many aspects of teen life are never hurried, never fad-driven, and always realistic. He acknowledges, for example, that “online culture” will inevitably play a big role in any modern person’s life and goes on to stress the importance of “each of us making smart and thoughtful choices every day,” which is excellent advice, all around.

A calming and invaluable handbook of life strategies.