1:1 Coaching Offerings

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1. All teenagers have deep, untapped potential to become massive forces for good right now.
   Teenagers are often shoved to the side, patted on the head and sent off with a screen glued to their face as they waste precious hours on social media. This is a massive waste of an opportunity. Every teenager has the ability to make a mark on this world. Every teenager has an inner worth and light (I call this ‘divine nature’, others may call it something else) that can deliver hope and energy into this world. The key is to help them discover this within themselves and use it. The principles I use to do this are outlined below:

2. True education develops the intellectual, physical, spiritual, and social self.
   Instead of adopting a narrow view of “school” that focuses on rote memorization and passively being taught what to think while ignoring the other parts of the self, the best educational experiences engage the whole being. Learning and practicing good nutrition, strength & conditioning, and healthy sleep habits are actions that can build confidence and independence. Caring for the spirit, whether thru meditation or prayer or quiet time, is also critical for developing a relationship with oneself. A focus on the integral parts of oneself will have just as much, if not more, of an impact on a student’s future life as learning the history of the American Revolution or Newton’s Laws of Physics. The same goes for social and leadership skills, but more on that later.

3. Ownership.
   The pillar of true, mind-expanding and character building education is ownership by the student of their own learning and growth. Ownership means taking responsibility for seeking knowledge and opportunities to develop. It means being invested in the outcome. It means not blaming others or complaining about what you don’t have. It means not waiting for the mountain to move, but getting a shovel and starting to move it yourself.

4. Doing hard things.
   Staying in our comfort zone does not induce growth or development. Only by seeking hard things can one stretch and become what they are meant to become. Seeking hard tasks or challenges with outcomes you desire are key to driving this development.

5. Resourcefulness & Initiative.
   Developing the skills to proactively find resources to accomplish a goal is foundational to a successful life. Those resources can be other people, books, blogs, or courses, and they are plentiful. Taking the initiative to access them is key to accessing those opportunities.

6. Leadership & Relationship skills.
   Learning leadership, communication, and relationship skills will be foundational to any endeavor that a teenager seeks. I see learning this as a mountaineer bringing a sturdy rope and properly fitting boots on a daring climb - essential for success and survival. Even if a teenager thinks that they are socially awkward or only strong in math and science, developed leadership, communication and relationship skills will set them apart and bless them in more than just their future professional lives.

7. Independent Thinking.
   With so many voices in the world begging for attention, it’s easy to be swayed by the tides of popular opinion or social media trends. Learning how to think independently and analyze arguments with firm reasoning and clear thinking is important to finding truth and building a meaningful life. The best way to do this, in my experience, is through lots of reading and writing. Studying the works of the giants of literature (Dostoyevsky, Dickens, Steinbeck, Shakespeare, Hemingway) combined with discussion and writing about the ideas found in their words is a huge step in developing independent thinking. Analyzing current events by looking deeply into the history behind them is mind-opening and builds an intellect that will be able to hear the truth through the noise of the day.

8. Goal-Oriented and Passion Driven.
   The key to consistent progress is making clear goals, committing to them, and following up on your performance. This is true of teenagers who want to accomplish something. What helps with these goals is when they are aligned with the interests and passions that the teenager has. Some teenagers struggle with knowing what their passions are; others know exactly what they are but aren’t sure how to make progress. Discovering what energizes a teenager and setting goals to grow in these areas are powerful in unleashing the potential within.