#2 Habit of an Effective Teen Beginning with the end in mind. What do I want to accomplish? What is in my plan for life and what do I really want to do? What sort of person do I want to become?

If teens aren't clear about where they want to end up in life, about their values, goals, and what they stand for, they will wander, waste time, and be tossed to and fro by the opinions of others. Say you decide you want to be a singer, That’s very broad, so lets break it down. What exactly does it mean to be a singer. Do I want to be successful with a certain type of audience, do I want to work with producers, or do I want to do covers of other peoples songs in a band. Interests and talents in certain areas should help you make more specific goals and narrow the field to determine the end goal. Once you can define the end goal, you can start the journey to make it happen.

Successful people make a conscious decision about where they want to go in life based on their values. Beginning with the end in mind is not about deciding every little detail of the future, such as choosing a career or deciding whom to marry. It is about thinking beyond today and deciding which direction to take, so each step is in the right direction. It means to plan each week in advance and then to begin each day, task or project with a clear vision of the desired direction and destination. 

Help your teen create a personal mission statement which will act as a road map and direct and guide this decision-making process.
Gerard O’Keeffe