Among many substances tasted with the tongue, the honey is unique in its taste — so sweet and pleasant in the tongue. Milk is another substance we taste with the tongue, sweet also, but different from that of honey. Different in its functionality to the body, different in color, and thickness.
See, as a teenager, you have many attributes that make you different from others. You stand out in many ways from the crowd in society. You must be able to consciously groom yourself to the level at which you will be exceptional.
Who is an Exceptional Teenager?
An exceptional teenager is one who is rare and unafraid to be rare. Such a teenager is like a gem- rare and precious to society. A teenager with a difference, confidence in his or her ability without necessarily moving with the crowd.
People might call you different names. They might call you a weirdo, an alien, or even crazy, but don’t mind them. You are exceptional, and you have no reason to give in for people’s definition of you.
You may be black or white, tall or short, slim or not, you are just unique the way you are. And beyond your physical attributes, some things make you stand out from others.
You can consciously work on your uniqueness by following some set of patterns and strategies that can make you a better person.
Here are 20 Strategies of the Exceptional Teenager:
1. Love what you do
To be exceptional, you have to be in love with what you do. Loving what you do is not a strange thing. It will maintain your flow level and will make you do things easier.
Al López, an American baseball manager, once said:
Do what you love to do and give it your very best. Whether it’s business or baseball, or the theater, or any field. If you don’t love what you’re doing and you can’t give it your best, get out of it. Life is too short. You’ll be an old man before you know it.
Loving what you do is like extra energy that fuels you even in the day when you don’t feel like doing what you do. Love is powerful; it can empower you. Love what you do and do it with all your might. If you want to become an exceptional teenager, your love for what you do must sprout – this is how to get your passion growing.
2. Focus on your strength
Everyone has their strengths. You have to be able to identify your strengths and weaknesses. But your job is not to focus on your weaknesses but on your strengths. There are things which you do well with little or no pressure; focusing on them can help achieve a positive result.
3. Focus on the big picture
Big picture thinking as a teenager entails thinking beyond what we can see with our sight, hear with our ears or feel with our hands. It is a picture of the mind. It is an excellent picture developed in our mind that sticks closely to our memories, plans, and journals.
Read: How to Develop Big Picture Thinking
Our dreams and aspiration, our goals and plans all together form our big picture. Pictures reveal our identity. Pictures keep moments alive.
We always have to be conscious of our goals and plans. Focusing on the big picture does not mean we are inertia (not flexible to change), but rather helps us to train our minds into the acceptable patterns of the goals we already set.
4. Have an optimistic mindset
Be mindful of negative thoughts. Break free from thoughts limiting your potential. Break free from disbelief in yourself. Break free from your negative self-image.
Cortisol is a chemical in your brain that tends to flow more freely and spurs negative thoughts. Your brain loves cortisol…. your brain releases the chemical cortisol as a way to warn you about an imminent danger… The problem for a lot of us is that we develop a pattern of negativity because our brains prefer that pattern. The pump is already primed. [1]
Break free from the negative thought pattern haunting you. When you have an optimistic mindset, you see the positive side of things even when the negative keeps staring. Exceptional teenagers see things from positive perspectives and are open-minded to positive solutions.
5. Celebrate your progress
For each of your wins, whether small or big, celebrate them. Don’t be caught in the web of overthinking, overthinking your progress may have a negative impact on your success.
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Applaud yourself for every victory made, do so graciously with a belief that you are getting better day after day. The universe has a way of rewarding the grateful ones.
6. Learn from mistakes
Mistakes may happen but do not allow yourself to be bullied by the mistake you made. Don’t let your mistake make the end of your goals.
Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.
Albert Einstein
Learn from your mistake and move on. Your mistake doesn’t mean you have a bad life. It’s a mistake, learn from it and move on.
Life will be easier when we realize that learning never ends; mistakes are lessons that tell us about the ditches we should be aware of in the nearest future.
7. Make use of the technology
The exceptional teenager must be able to make use of technology efficiently. There are applications and gadgets available to help you live a better life.
This is the 21st century where the use of technology is transforming the world- a computer-age century. Teenagers and young adults who make effective use of technology will be smarter and exceptional than their equals.
Effective use of the internet is beyond just chatting with other people. There are a whole lot of things you can do with technology.
Read: The Positive and Negative Effects of Tech On Teenagers
You can make use of the technology in:
- Writing
- Keeping a digital record
- Organizing and scheduling
- Designing artworks and graphics
- Video conferences
- Building websites and software application
- Digital learning and so on.
8. Develop yourself
Personal development is essential to growth. To become an exceptional teenager you have to be ready to grow, grow in virtues, principles, and strategies.
The virtue aspect of personal development is very important: Honesty, love, integrity, patience, kindness, giving, and humility are all virtues. Having virtues will make you exceptional even beyond your wildest dream.
As an exceptional teenager, you have principles guiding you personally and your relationship with others. The exceptional teenager is one full of principles guiding them against blending into an odd society.
9. Read books
To be above mediocrity you have to read books; you have to constantly feed your mind with nutrients. Just the way food is good to the body, reading as well is good to the mind.
It is commonly said readers are leaders and nothing has changed about this perception. Every exceptional teenager and young adult must read books if they want to grow.
Read: How to Make Time For Books Outside Academics
10. Embrace your uniqueness
One strategy to keep you uptight is to embrace your uniqueness. Don’t feel bad about being unique and never plague your mind with turbulent thoughts because of your uniqueness.
Embracing your uniqueness will make you feel confident about yourself and your ideas. Confidence is needed in executing our purposes.
11. Dare to be different
Don’t be afraid of being different. An exceptional teenager must dare to be different; in mannerisms, strategies, approach, and appearance.
“What is normal? Normal is only ordinary; mediocre. Life belongs to the rare, exceptional individual who dares to be different.
Virginia C. Andrews
Champion the right to be yourself; dare to be different and to set your pattern, live your own life, and follow your own star.
Wilferd Peterson
12. Get a mentor
You need a mentor. Mentors are people you can trust with your ideas and your progress and are ready to give you insight and direction to transform you.
Mentors can be people in your field you look up to. Listening, reading, and following are active ways you can learn from your mentors. Being open-minded to mentorship will help you in the long run.
Read: Reasons Why You Need a Mentor
13. Ignore the urge of perfectionism
I know you want to do things perfectly. I know how you desire to get the best out of what you do. But listen, this urge can be demeaning your productivity if care is not taken.
The urge to always be perfect can lead to depression. Be the best you can be, and always resist the urge to always be perfect.
14. Keep it simple
Be simple, you have gotten something more than gold. Your ability to make break complexity into simplicity is crucial to your development.
Keep your task simple. Keep your principle simple. Keep your art and designs simple. Ambiguity is not always necessary for creativity.
If you want to be creative, the very easy way to go about it is being simple. Simplicity speaks aloud; simplicity echoes silence in a loud pitch.
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15. Be open to opportunities
Opportunities are available for us. It is one thing to be able to see opportunities and another to be open to opportunities. A lot of us can see opportunities but are not open to them.
To be exceptional, you have to move out of that circle of ignoring opportunities without making effective use of them.
There are scholarships, competitions, jobs, and many more opportunities available for us online. Do not allow social media cloud your eyes and exhaust your potentials. Be open to opportunities.
16. Surround yourself with the right person
The human environment is not just one with bricks and walls. It is an environment where the transmission of various types of information takes place. An environment is simply a place of interaction. Therein we find perceptions, beliefs, rules, and various patterns of life.
Who are your friends? Who are you surrounded with? Can they help in the place of purpose? Can they see with the lens of your big picture thinking?
17. Be proactive
Exceptional ones are those who are active when others are inactive. They are those figuring things out when others are backing off.
Learn not to handle things with a lackadaisical attitude. Be proactive in the things you do and never back off from giving your best.
There are times you don’t feel like doing some things necessary to your growth but don’t let that bother you too much. Get recharged and keep being active.
18. Be emotionally intelligent
Wikipedia defined Emotional Intelligence as the capability of individuals to recognize their own emotions and those of others, discern between different feelings and label them appropriately, use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior, and adjust emotions to adapt to environments.
An exceptional teenager must have emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is a skill – it can be learned. You have to learn how to control your emotions and apply them properly.
19. Think outside the box
Thinking outside the box is a strategy every exceptional teenager has to make use of. You have to see beyond the surface and think about other possible ideas and solutions.
Your imagination can also be a tool to leverage when thinking outside the box. Thinking outside the box can be within the state of your consciousness or unconsciousness, don’t be afraid of trying new things.
20. Have the mindset of a leader
Think like a leader if indeed you want to be exceptional. Having the mindset of a leader will make you grow; the wavelength at which you think will not be on the mediocrity level.
Read: How to Think Like a Leader
A leader is visionary. When you have the mindset of a leader you will be able to envision ideas and concepts which can be transformational to the society at large.
These are 20 Strategies to become an exceptional teenager. Got any questions or strategies? I’ll like to hear from you in the comments and don’t forget to share this post with someone.
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