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3 | L i f e S k i l l P r o g r a m s . c o m – N a t i o n a l O n l i n e Y o u t h D e v e l o p m e n t

Table of Contents Introduction TIPS FOR HOW TO USE THIS WITH STUDENTS 5 HOW TO USE PDF “FILLABLE FORMS” WITH STUDENTS 5

SECTION 1: Job Readiness ACTIVITY 1.1: EXPLORE JOB APPLICATIONS AND CREATE YOURS 6 ACTIVITY 1.2: RESUMES, COVER LETTERS, AND REFERENCES 9 ADVANCED ONLINE RESUME WORKSHOPS 11 ACTIVITY 1.3: PREPARING FOR JOB INTERVIEWS 13 ACTIVITY 1.4: INTERVIEW SUCCESS AND FOLLOW UP 17

SECTION 2: Success on the Job ACTIVITY 2.1: FINDING EXCELLENCE IN YOUR WORK - YOUR CHOICE 24 ACTIVITY 2.2: THE 5 P’S IN PROBLEM SOLVING 27 ACTIVITY 2.3: GETTING ORGANIZED 55 ACTIVITY 2.4: SELF CONFIDENCE and APPRECIATION FOR ME 65 ACTIVITY 2.5: CORNERSTONES OF GOOD TEAMWORK 76

SECTION 3: Career Exploration ACTIVITY 3.1: BUSINESS INTRODUCTION and SELF-ASSESSMENT 103 ACTIVITY 3.2: WRITE A SIMPLE BUSINESS PLAN 106 ACTIVITY 3.3: REAL WORLD NEEDS 110

SECTION 4: Career Planning ACTIVITY 4.1: YOUR VALUES 117 ACTIVITY 4.2: YOUR INTERESTS 123 ACTIVITY 4.3: CAREER DEVELOPMENT PLAN 127 ACTIVITY 4.4: THE POWER IN YOUR FUTURE 134

SECTION 5: Hundreds of Hours of Youth Development 146 Social Skills, Financial Literacy, Truancy Prevention, Career Development, Job Readiness, College Planning and Preparation, Independent Living, Life Skills, At-risk Recovery, Choices, Interactive Portfolios, Possible Selves


© Copyright 2017 LifeSkillPrograms.com Presented by The Pikes Peak Learning Company

Colorado Springs, CO USA 80907 http://LifeSkillPrograms.com


Introduction: LifeSkillPrograms.com Job and Career

ABOUT THIS JOB AND CAREER E-BOOK This e-book is written for teens as an in-depth learning course on job readiness, workplace success, career exploration, and career planning. It is free and may be used with limitations by schools and professional educators, and by parents with their own children. All necessary instructions and resources are included.

We encourage sharing and distribution of this e-book for the benefit of teens and young adults everywhere. Please feel free to send to anyone who may find it useful! The instructions below describe how to use it with multiple students. For help, email [email protected] .

TIPS FOR HOW TO USE THIS WITH STUDENTS

If you open this e-book and use it on a computer or tablet device, you’ll have access to the many links, downloadable documents, online resources, and samples include in the Activities. You can also print the e-book, or any of the individual activities and lessons, but you may not have access to those online resources.

HOW TO USE PDF “FILLABLE FORMS” WITH STUDENTS

You need Adobe Reader or another PDF application if it’s not already on your computer or tablet – get it HERE.

This document is a PDF “fillable form” – you can open it on a Windows computer, an Apple Mac, or an iPad, fill in the answers in the Activities, save it with the answers, and reopen it any time to update previous answers or fill in more.

You can also re-use and save the original file with multiple students as follows:

1. Open the original file, “LifeSkillPrograms-JobsCareers” in Adobe Reader2. Click “Highlight Existing Fields” in the upper right to see the fillable fields3. Read, follow directions, and fill in the Activities with your answers4. When you’re done, or at any time, select “Save As,” and “PDF”5. Save with the student name, such as “LifeSkillsPrograms-JobsCareers-MaryR.pdf”6. Reopen the file at any time to continue working or to update existing answers7. To use with another student, repeat this process with the original file

mailto:[email protected]

http://get.adobe.com/reader/


LifeSkillPrograms.com Job and Career

SECTION 1: Job Readiness

ACTIVITY 1.1: EXPLORE JOB APPLICATIONS AND CREATE YOURS EXPLORE A SAMPLE JOB APPLICATION

The job application is a simple form, provided by the employer that you fill in. It tells basic information about you and your history.

Click the red SAMPLE JOB APPLICATION button. Notice these sections in the sample:

• Name, address, and other personal info including Social Security number• Additional info about your personal history• Educational background• Work and job history• How you learned about the job• Other info about the job• Your signature, verifying that everything is accurate

COLLECT THE INFO FOR A REAL APPLICATION

In the following section, enter the info you need for a job application. Then, you can print this and take it with you. You won't have to remember it and the application will be easier to fill out. (Plus, you'll look more organized.)

Start by entering you education history:

NAME OF MIDDLE SCHOOL

DATES ATTENDED THIS SCHOOL

NAME OF HIGH SCHOOL


OTHER SCHOOL (COLLEGE, ETC.)


http://lifeskillprograms.com/ebooks/LifeSkillPrograms-SampleJobApplication.pdf








DO YOU HAVE A DIPLOMA OR ANY DEGREES? LIST THEM HERE:

Enter your employment history.

You may also enter volunteer projects, community work, and other experience not job-related.

JOB 1, EMPLOYER AND JOB TITLE

EMPLOYER ADDRESS AND PHONE

DATES YOU WORKED AT THIS JOB

NAME OF SUPERVISOR OR CONTACT

REASONS WHY YOU LEFT THIS JOB







SUGGESTION: Print these pages when you’re done and take them with you

when you fill out job applications.












ACTIVITY 1.2: RESUMES, COVER LETTERS, AND REFERENCES WHAT IS A RESUME? A resume is a summary of your personal information, job skills and experience, and your education. It tells a hiring manager important info about who you are and what you've done. It has some of the same information as a job application, but it's more detailed. Plus, it shows that you took the time and initiative to create an attractive resume for yourself. By the way, resume is pronounced "rez-zoo-may". Click on the red RESUME button above. A new window will open with a sample resume. Notice the following in the sample:

1. Personal info – name, address, phone number 2. Goals and Objectives – what do you want from your working life? 3. Job and Volunteer History – roles and results, name of company, dates 4. Education History – school, dates, notable accomplishments if any 5. Personal interests and hobbies – very brief, only if appropriate 6. Optional: pictures, references to contact – usually say "available on request"

Key rules for a resume:

• One page ONLY (you can add one page for each Nobel Prize you've won) • If you really need to say more than what fits on ONE page, use a cover letter • Nothing fancy or flowery (no extravagant colors, fonts, background) unless

you’re applying for an artist job • Flawless spelling, grammar, and formatting • Follow standard format and layout, don't try to be different • Include a cover letter (see below)

WHAT IS A COVER LETTER? Your resume is usually same no matter who you give it to - though sometimes you may change the "Objectives" section or some of the details to fit the job. A cover letter does what it says: it goes with and provides a "cover" for your resume. You write cover letters to fit each job and each company you send your resume to.

http://lifeskillprograms.com/ebooks/LifeSkillPrograms-SampleResume.pdf

http://lifeskillprograms.com/ebooks/LifeSkillPrograms-SampleCoverLetter.pdf

http://lifeskillprograms.com/ebooks/LifeSkillPrograms-SampleResume.pdf

http://lifeskillprograms.com/ebooks/LifeSkillPrograms-SampleCoverLetter.pdf


Click on the red COVER LETTER button above. A new window will open with a sample letter. Notice the following in the sample:

1. Standard business letter format 2. Starts with the name of the hiring manager 3. Includes a greeting 4. Body of letter has specifics about the job, company, you, etc. 5. Closing is a thank you 6. You should sign neatly before sending the letter 7. The "enc" refers to additional documents you might include

Key rules for a cover letter (same ones as a resume):

• One page ONLY • Nothing fancy or flowery (colors, fonts, background) unless you’re applying

for an artist job • Flawless spelling, grammar, and formatting • Follow standard format and layout, don't try to be different • Always sign it!

HOW ARE RESUMES AND COVER LETTERS USED? Resumes and cover letters are important tools for marketing YOU. Here's a few of the ways you can use them:

• Mail them or fax them to hiring managers • Email them to hiring managers • Post them online on job boards, etc. • Take them to a job application or interview • Share them with family and friends

http://lifeskillprograms.com/ebooks/LifeSkillPrograms-Sample-CoverLetter.doc

http://lifeskillprograms.com/ebooks/LifeSkillPrograms-Professional-Resume.doc

http://lifeskillprograms.com/ebooks/LifeSkillPrograms-Contemporary-Resume.doc








The three red buttons above link to templates for a cover letter and two resumes. (The resume templates come from Microsoft Word.) To save them to your PC, right-click on them and select "Save target as". You can open them, enter your information, save them, print them, and use them to help you find the job you want. These templates provide a quick way to create a basic resume. If you're really serious about creating a top-notch resume, use the Advanced Workshops below.

ADVANCED ONLINE RESUME WORKSHOPS Click on the links below to visit for online resume tutors and workshops. EASY: Palomar College Resume Workshop

MODERATE: Owl Online Resume Workshop

MODERATE: University of Minnesota Resume Tutor

WHAT ARE REFERENCES? "References" are people that know you and who are willing to tell others about your positive traits. Hiring managers often want to talk to your references to learn more about your character and work history. Your references could include current or former bosses, teachers, people you've volunteered for, or anyone else who can talk about how you do "on the job." (Don't use parents or close family members as references. Bosses know that they're likely to be biased. Only use friends if they can talk in detail about your work history.) Before giving out the names and phone numbers of references, you should get their permission first. This is a simple courtesy. Plus, you'll want to be sure that your references will say positive things about you.

http://www.palomar.edu/counseling/resume/index02.html

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/ResumeW/index.html

http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/careerdev/resources/resume/


Below, think of three people who could be references for you. Describe how they know you: when, where, what did you do for them?

Your first reference:

How does this person know you, and what info can they provide about you?

Your second reference:


Your third reference:



ACTIVITY 1.3: PREPARING FOR JOB INTERVIEWS

PLANNING AND PREPARATION ARE CRITICAL TO A SUCCESSFUL JOB INTERVIEW.

What is an interview? It helps the hiring manager determine if you have the skills and experience to do the job. But it's also a way to judge your interest and enthusiasm. In some cases, willingness to learn, initiative, and excitement about the job will make a bigger impression with a manager than specific skills. And they want to sure that you don’t “have two heads” – so don’t act like you do!

DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL JOB. BE REALISTIC AND CONSIDER THE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE YOU

HAVE NOW.

DESCRIBE HOW YOU CAN SHOW ENTHUSIASM, INITIATIVE, AND WILLINGNESS TO LEARN:

Describe 3 traits you have that will help you, even if you don’t have enough experience:


BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEWING

When doing a job interview, you may be given a "behavioral interview." This means you'll be asked about your behavior in past jobs and other life experiences. Your past behavior - choices, results, interactions with others, commitment, etc. - provides clues to your likely future behavior.

In the boxes below, describe five past experiences: jobs, volunteer work, school projects, hobbies, anything. Then describe what your tasks were, and what results you achieved. This will give you some practice and ideas for possible behavioral interviews.

Consider where you did a good job, demonstrated initiative, worked well as a team, offered suggestions for improvement, helped others, had a good idea, or other positive result. If you can't remember actual results, write how you would better approach each of these situations in the future.

FIRST EXPERIENCE

TASKS AND RESULTS:

SECOND EXPERIENCE

TASKS AND RESULTS:


THIRD EXPERIENCE

TASKS AND RESULTS:

FOURTH EXPERIENCE

TASKS AND RESULTS:

FIFTH EXPERIENCE

TASKS AND RESULTS:


WHY YOU? WHY THIS JOB?

The two most important questions in an interview are, "why should we hire YOU?" and "why do you want this job?" The first question addresses your skills, experience, initiative, and why you're better than the other people who want the job. The second question addresses your personal interest, passion, and enthusiasm.

For example, assume you are an astronaut. You are interviewing for a job to pilot a rocket ship into outer space. Here's what your answers might be to these questions:

Why should we hire YOU? "I have 15 years of experience flying rocket ships, I have three advanced degrees in rocket science, and I helped your organization write the mission plans for the next launch."

Why do you want this job? "I love space exploration! I love being a pioneer and going where no man has gone before. Your organization has the best space programs in the world. It would be an honor to fly for you."

Get the idea? Now you try it... For your ideal job above (at the beginning of Activity 1.3), answer those two questions:

USING YOUR IDEAL JOB ABOVE, ANSWER WHY SHOULD THEY HIRE YOU?

USING YOUR IDEAL JOB ABOVE, ANSWER WHY DO YOU WANT THIS JOB?

IF YOU ARE NOT ASKED THESE QUESTIONS, VOLUNTEER THE ANSWERS AT THE

END OF THE INTERVIEW!


ACTIVITY 1.4: INTERVIEW SUCCESS AND FOLLOW UP

TOP ELEVEN TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW HOW TO CONDUCT YOURSELF IN THE INTERVIEW, THEN FOLLOW UP AFTER TO GET THE JOB. To succeed at any job interview, you should:

A. Prepare for the interview, B. Conduct yourself well in the interview, C. Follow up after the interview.

Here are the top 11 ways to succeed. Describe why you think each of these is important for success. 1. PREPARE BY THINKING ABOUT WHAT QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT GET ASKED

2. PREPARE BY WRITING DOWN THE QUESTIONS YOU WANT TO ASK

3. BE CLEAN, DRESS WELL, AND PRESENT AN ATTRACTIVE APPEARANCE


4. ARRANGE TRANSPORATION, AND ARRIVE AT THE INTERVIEW 5 MINUTES EARLY

5. INTRODUCE YOURSELF, USE A FIRM HANDSHAKE, MAINTAIN EYE CONTACT

6. LISTEN, SHOW INTEREST, NOD, ASK QUESTIONS, BE ENGAGED, SMILE

7. ASK YOUR LIST OF QUESTIONS AND TAKE NOTES

8. ASK ABOUT NEXT STEPS, AGREE ON FOLLOW UP (WHO WILL CALL WHOM, AND WHEN?)


9. SHAKE HANDS, THANK THEM, AND REPEAT THE AGREEMENT ON FOLLOW UP

10. FOLLOW THROUGH ON THE AGREED FOLLOW UP, ON THE AGREED DAY

11: WRITE AND SEND A THANK YOU LETTER OR EMAIL. CLICK SAMPLE LETTER BUTTON

BELOW FOR A SAMPLE

CREATE A THANK-YOU LETTER You'll stand above the crowd if you send a personal thank you letter after the interview. Right-click on the red button, then select "save target as". Save the sample letter to your PC, then you can open, edit, and print it. Follow the instructions in the letter.

PRACTICE INTERVIEW To get better and more comfortable with an interview, you must practice. Use the "Practice Interview" below. Find a partner. Take turns doing the practice interview. Remember: be enthusiastic and act like you want it!

http://lifeskillprograms.com/ebooks/LifeSkillPrograms-SampleThankYou.doc





LifeSkillPrograms.com Practice Job Interview

This practice interview will help you get comfortable with doing interviews and answering questions in the interview. Find a partner and take turns interviewing each other. One of you is the “Manager” and one is the “Candidate.” Do all the following in order, swap roles, and do it again.

Decide what job you’re interviewing for. Choose one of these or invent your own:

• Laborer at a local lumber yard. • Office assistant at an insurance company. • Food preparer at a restaurant. • Youth guide at a day camp for young kids. • Other:

For the job you selected, the Candidate should write three questions to ask during the interview:

1.

2.

3.

During the interview, the Candidate must remember to do all of the following:

• Introduce yourself, use a firm handshake, and maintain eye contact

• Listen, show interest, nod, ask questions, be engaged, and SMILE

• Ask your list of questions and take notes

• Ask about next steps and agree on follow up (who will call whom, and WHEN?)

• Shake hands, thank them, and repeat the agreement on follow up


The lnterview: Practice these questions and answers out loud first, then discuss your answers and write the best possible answers below.

1. Tell me about your past job, volunteer, or work experiences.

2. What skills do you have that qualify you for this job?

3. How will you get to and from work each day?

4. Tell me about a time when you had to work really hard.


5. Manager - think of three questions that relate to the job you selected above, and then ask the questions:

A. Question:

Answer:

B. Question:

Answer:

C. Question:

Answer:


6. What are your interests or hobbies?

7. Why should we hire you for this job?

8. Why do you want this job?

After the lnterview, the Manager will rate the Candidate on their performance for the skills below:

1. Introduce yourself, use a firm handshake, and maintain eye contact Good Fair Poor

2. Listen, show interest, nod, ask questions, be engaged, and SMILE Good Fair Poor

3. Ask your list of questions and take notes Good Fair Poor

4. Ask about the next steps and agree on follow up (who will call whom, and WHEN?) Good Fair Poor

5. Shake hands, thank them, and repeat the agreement on follow up Good Fair Poor



SECTION 2: SUCCESS ON THE JOB ACTIVITY 2.1: FINDING EXCELLENCE IN YOUR WORK - YOUR CHOICE This module is best for learners who already have a job. Now that you know the basics of getting, keeping, and doing well in a job, it's time to learn how to EXCEL. The word "excel" comes from "excellence". When you learn excellence, you'll find greater satisfaction, more wealth, and you'll be of greater service to others. Ask your boss: What does it take to get into management?

Describe in your own words the key contribution you make to the mission of the organization you work for.


What would it look like if you became a superstar at that contribution?

In the job you have now, name three suggestions you could make for improvement.... Improvement Number 1

Improvement Number 2

Improvement Number 3


Think of a time in the past when you took initiative for something important, or watched someone else take initiative:

In your job today, name one MAJOR way you can show greater initiative:

Famous Quotes on Work May you find great success, wealth, and satisfaction in your work - and may you serve others well! Here are a few quotes on work to further motivate you:

Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work. Aristotle

Real success is finding your lifework in the work that you love.

David McCullough

A human being must have occupation if he or she is not to become a nuisance to the world. Dorothy L. Sayers

Get happiness out of your work or you may never know what happiness is.

Elbert Hubbard

People forget how fast you did a job - but they remember how well you did it. Howard Newton

Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their

noses, and some don't turn up at all. Sam Ewing

It's not the hours you put in your work that counts, it's the work you put in the hours.

Sam Ewing

Genius is one per cent inspiration, ninety-nine per cent perspiration. Thomas A. Edison


ACTIVITY 2.2: THE 5 P’S IN PROBLEM SOLVING

Skills and methods to approach any problem – on the job and in LIFE. *problem: a source of perplexity, distress, or vexation

*solve: to find a solution, explanation, or answer for

How do other people solve problems?

How do you currently solve problems?

What would you hope to do differently with a problem solving method?


What can happen if you DON’T have an effective problem solving method?

• You ignore problems because you don’t know how to make a decision.

• You create more problems trying to solve the first one.

• You make decisions based on only PART of the information.

• You may not remember from time to time why you made previous decisions or how you came to an answer.

• Your problem can get worse when you keep trying the same thing that doesn’t work.

• You create more stress for yourself.

Can you relate to any of this? Name one problem in your life that resulted in one of the problems listed above.

What’s the point of going to all this trouble?

Who doesn’t have problems? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a way to deal with problems in life when they come up? Well, keep reading and you just might find some of this stuff helpful. You need problem solving skills for work, yes… and you also need them for LIFE. Your LIFE. So this program is not just about how to be better at something for your boss and your employer, this program is about how to be better at something for your SELF. And isn’t that what each person is after anyway?

What does it matter if you can solve a problem for someone at work… if you can’t solve one for yourself? After all… to do something well, you do it from the core of who you are. It’s usually because you take pride in yourself and the contribution you make. It’s pretty hard to fake it. If you do it for any other reason, it probably won’t turn out so great anyway. The 5 P’s will help you learn to solve problems from the inside out!


Why is it important to have an effective system for solving the simplest to the toughest problems in your life?

• Consistency: When you use 5 P’s to approach each problem, you get consistency in your life… You can actually start to guess how things might turn out.

• Decrease stress: When you know HOW to approach a problem with the 5 P’s, the problem won’t freak you out so much.

• Efficiency: If you practice approaching problems with the 5 P’s each time, you get faster and faster at making things better!

• Vision: When you tackle problems using the 5 P’s, you might see that the problem in your face is just a branch of a bigger problem the size of a tree! And if you only focus on solving clipping the branches of the problem tree, it doesn’t go away. It just keeps growing!

• Forward movement: When you use the 5 P’s, you can move forward instead of staying stuck in the same confusing place.

• Better Communication: When you use the 5 P’s, you’ll be able to talk more clearly about what the problem actually is.

• Create change: When you use the 5 P’s, you’ll begin to make changes in the world around you.

• Teach others how: When you practice the 5 P’s and they work again and again, other people will want to know your secret.

• Explanation: When someone asked you how you came to solve the problem, you can easily explain using the 5 P’s.

• Learn about others: When you use the 5 P’s, you’ll be able to see what role people have in keeping the problem a problem.

• Learn about your SELF: When you use the 5 P’s you’ll be able to see what role you really having keeping the problem a problem AND how you can help solve it!!


Why do YOU need a problem solving method?

Pick 4 of the reasons from the previous page that give you a clue why learning the 5 P’s might be important for YOU. List them in column 1. For each one, answer the question in column 2.

I want to learn the 5 P’s because…

This is why…

examples A lot of time I stay stuck in a problem because I can’t see through all the junk to find a way out!

Forward movement

I seem to have a lot of problems that relate, so maybe there is a bigger problem I need to solve?

1

2

3

4

Okay, so you’ve established that it might not be so awful to have a way to deal with all the problems and the drama that come up in everyday life. So now it’s time to talk about the 5 P’s. What is it anyway?

The first step in effective Problem Solving is defining the Problem… drilling it down to its purest form… leaving no doubt what the problem REALLY is. A fuzzy problem is a problem that won’t get solved quickly.

To make the problem less fuzzy and clearer, ask these questions… • What is the problem? • What is the REAL problem? • Is that really the problem? • Are you sure?

Go back through this list of questions as many times as necessary until you have clearly and briefly defined the problem… until you can answer YES! to the last question… “Are you sure?”


The 5 P’s of Problem Solving will help you form a plan.

Pattern, Purpose, Perception, Partnership, Prosperity = Plan

NEXT TIME YOU HAVE A PROBLEM… ‘TAKE FIVE’ TO FIND A SOLUTION.


Pattern and Purpose

* p a t • t e r n : frequent or widespread incidence

1. Pattern

• When does the problem occur?

• When does it not occur?

• What happens right before the problem comes up?

Begin to notice exactly when the problem comes up and when it doesn’t. What happens right before the problem happens that is DIFFERENT from other times when it doesn’t happen? These are great clues!

* p u r • p o s e : something set up as an object or end to be attained

2. Purpose

• What does the problem accomplish?

• What are the benefits of the problem?

• What would be different if the problem didn’t exist?

Often times a problem keeps on being a problem because it is actually serving a purpose or accomplishing something. That sounds weird, but why else would it keep happening? You will find clues to the problem when you look at the problem a different way… What are actually some of the benefits of the problem and for whom? Another way to look at the problem from a different angle is to see how things would be different if the problem didn’t exist.


Perception and Partnership…

* p e r • c e p • t i o n : a mental image

3. Perception

• Who sees it as a problem?

• Who else?

• Who doesn’t see it as a problem?

• Who else?

Who actually sees it as a problem? Remember that everyone has a unique perspective in life. When you notice who actually sees it as a problem and who doesn’t, you will get clues about a useful plan for solving the problem!

* p a r t • n e r • s h i p : one associated with another especially in an action

4. Partnership

• Who is NOT involved that needs to be?

• Who is involved that does not need to be?

Often, there are too many opinions and advice floating around the problem. Are the right people involved? The right people are the people who can actually affect the problem in a positive way – not just gossip and complain about it!


Prosperity

* p r o s • p e r • i • t y : the condition of being successful or thriving

5. Prosperity (prosperity = happiness/success)

• How does it keep you from being happy?

• How does it keep others from being happy?

• How does it keep your workplace from working?

When you can see how the problem keeps you and others from being happy and prosperous, it’s a great clue for change! Because you can then look at the other side of the coin…

If __________________keeps me (or others) from being happy, then ______________________

would make me happy! If ________________ keeps my workplace form working, then

________________ would make it work!

The answers to these 5 topics hold the solutions to the problem or the PLAN for the problem.

Can you see HOW the answers to your questions hold clues to solving the problem?

Can you look at these answers and come up with a plan for a problem of your own?


Let’s Solve a Problem!

Defining the Problem: Pick a current problem in your PERSONAL life. The problem might be at school, at home, or within…

• What is the problem?

• What is the REAL problem?

• Is that really the problem?


• Are you sure?

Go back through this list of questions as many times as necessary until you have clearly and concisely defined the problem… until you can answer YES! to the last question, “Are you sure?”

Once you are sure… write the problem in one clear sentence below.

Now go to the next page and make a plan.


Clues to the problem…

The personal problem for me is…

Pattern

When does the problem occur?

When does it not occur?

Purpose

What does the problem accomplish?

What are the benefits of the problem?


Perception

Who sees it as a problem?

Who doesn’t see it as a problem?

Partnership

Who is NOT involved that needs to be?

Who IS involved that doesn’t need to be?

Prosperity

How does it affect your happiness and/or the happiness of others?


Possible Plans or Solutions to the problem, from the insights you gathered in the answers above:

Plan 1

Plan 2

Plan 3


Solving the problem…

Are one or more of these plans useful for you?

YES NO

If YES, which plan or plans are useful? What makes it useful?

If NO, which plan (or plans) are not useful? What makes it NOT useful?

Can you come up with at least one plan that is useful for you? Select one…

YES NO

If you cannot find any useful plans, are you actually benefiting from the problem in some way and that’s why you do not wish to solve it right now? Be honest with yourself… It’s okay if you are not ready… just remember the power to choose lies within you when you are ready to move forward.


Let’s Solve ANOTHER Problem!

Defining the Problem: Pick a current problem in your PERSONAL life. The problem might be at school, at home, or within…

• What is the problem?

• What is the REAL problem?

• Is that really the problem?


• Are you sure?


Once you are sure… write the problem in one clear sentence below.

Now go to the next page and make a plan.


Clues to the problem…

The personal problem for me is…

Pattern

When does the problem occur?

When does it not occur?

Purpose

What does the problem accomplish?

What are the benefits of the problem?


Perception

Who sees it as a problem?

Who doesn’t see it as a problem?

Partnership

Who is NOT involved that needs to be?

Who IS involved that doesn’t need to be?

Prosperity

How does it affect your happiness and/or the happiness of others?


Possible Plans or Solutions to the problem, from the insights you gathered in the answers above:

Plan 1

Plan 2

Plan 3


Solving the problem…

Are one or more of these plans useful for you?

YES NO

If YES, which plan or plans are useful? What makes it useful?

If NO, which plan (or plans) are not useful? What makes it NOT useful?

Then can you come up with at least one plan that is useful for you? Select one…

YES NO

If you cannot find any useful plans, are you actually benefiting from the problem in some way and that’s why you do not wish to solve it right now? Be honest with yourself… It’s okay if you are not ready… just remember the power to choose lies within you when you are ready to move forward.


What have you learned about making a Plan for a Problem?

What have you learned about the Power of Problem Solving today?

How does your power to problem solve affect your work?

How does your power to problem solve affect your family?

How does your power to problem solve affect your future?


What will you do differently now?

Top 6 Questions to begin Problem Solving.

1. Have you clearly, briefly defined the problem?

2. When does the problem happen and NOT happen?

3. What purpose does the problem serve? (What does it accomplish?)

4. Who sees it as a problem and who DOESN’T?

5. Who should be involved and who should NOT?

6. How is it affecting happiness/success?


The 5 P’s in Problem Solving

EXAMPLES FOR YOUR REFERENCE

Let’s Solve a Personal Problem!

Defining the Problem…

What is the problem? My parents keep trying to tell me who my friends should be, and they won’t let me hang out with the people I like.

What is the REAL problem? I should be able to choose my own friends but my parents don’t get it.

Is that really the problem? YES!

Are you sure? Well, I guess part of the problem is I’ve gotten in some trouble with my friends… Like last week a cop had to drive me home because the guy I was riding with got picked up for drinking… But I still don’t think my parents should be allowed to tell me who my friends can and cannot be! It’s a free country!

(Go back and keep trying until the problem is clear and true…)

TRY AGAIN…

What is the problem? I got into some trouble with this new guy I’ve been hanging out with.

What is the REAL problem? It’s sort of affecting my grades and I’ve been absent from work a lot lately because I call in sick to hang out.


Are you sure? Yea. I’ve been spending time with him and things aren’t going so well right now. I stay in trouble at home, at work, and at school…



Once you are sure, write the problem in one clear sentence below.

I’ve been having a hard time ever since he moved here and we started hanging out.

Clues to the Problem: The personal problem for me is…

I’ve been having a hard time and getting in a lot of trouble lately.

Pattern

When does problem occur? When I hang out with my new friend who just moved here.

When does it not occur? Duh. When I’m not with him.

Purpose

What does the problem accomplish? When he gets in trouble, he can blame it on me or have someone to get in trouble with him. Maybe it makes him feel better?

What are the benefits of the problem? When I go along with what he’s doing, it gives him an excuse to keep doing it. Sometimes I even egg him on. Also, when I am grounded I can blame my parents that I can’t hang out.

Perception

Who sees it as a problem? My parents, teachers, my principal, my school counselor, and I guess …me.

Who doesn’t see it as a problem? My friend doesn’t think it’s a big deal.


Partnership

Who is NOT involved that needs to be? I won’t really let my parents get involved until they have to get me out of a bad situation. I won’t talk to them about it. I guess it might help them understand?

Who IS involved that doesn’t need to be? My brother… He keeps ratting me out!

Prosperity

How does it affect your happiness and/or the happiness of others? I have fun when I hang out with this guy, because he is really funny and doesn’t care what people think. I like that. But I am unhappy most of the time because I stay grounded for my grades and all the other junk that happens!

Plan 1: Stop hanging out with him totally… but that sucks because he is new and doesn’t have any friends besides me.

Plan 2: Stop acting like he is so cool when he does things that get us in trouble. Just let him know it’s not that cool…

Plan 3: Keep doing stuff with him and just see how bad it gets!


Let’s Solve a Problem at WORK!

Defining the Problem…

What is the problem? I keep getting in trouble at work for messing up customer orders in the warehouse. The customer gets the wrong product, then calls and complains.

What is the REAL problem? I’m about to get fired if I don’t fix it.


Are you sure? Yes. It’s a problem! But I double-check the information every time and no one believes me!


Once you are sure, write the problem in one clear sentence below.

The customers are getting the wrong product and I am getting blamed for it.

Clues to the Problem: The work problem for me is…

The customers are getting the wrong product and I am getting blamed for it.

Pattern

When does problem occur? When I ship to customers in the certain states. (Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas)

When does it not occur? When I ship to any other customer in states other than those three, things seem to work just fine.


Purpose

What does the problem accomplish? It makes the customer mad!

What are the benefits of the problem? The freight company benefits because the customer ships the order back at my company’s expense. And I get a chance to do some research and show my boss that I am a good employee.

Perception

Who sees it as a problem? I do! My boss does. The customer does.

Who doesn’t see it as a problem? Nobody I can think of.

Partnership

Who is NOT involved that needs to be? Our computer guy might need to look at the customer files to see why these three states are messed up when it comes to products. The customer service agent who takes the order.

Who IS involved that doesn’t need to be? All the other warehouse guys have something to say about it. One of my friends keeps telling me to just quit if they won’t believe me.

Prosperity

How does it affect your happiness and/or the happiness of others? It affects me personally because I need this and the wrong shipments make me look bad. It affects the customer because they are not getting what they ordered. It affects the company beause maybe these customers will get tired of it and buy their product somewhere else!


Plan 1: Tell my boss what I’ve noticed about the wrong shipments to three specific states and see if that might help us figure out what’s going on.

Plan 2: Go talk directly to the customer service agent and see if she can look in her computer screen to see what the error is for customers in those states…

Plan 3: Get defensive and complain because it’s not really my fault but no one listens to me because I’m a teenager!


ACTIVITY 2.3: GETTING ORGANIZED

What does that phrase “getting organized” mean to you?

What do you think it means to your parents or the adults in your home?

What do you think it means to an employer?


Organization seems to be a hot topic…

People everywhere are asking you to get organized… At school, at home, and especially at work. Sometimes it seems like being organized and being a teenager are opposite ends of the world. After all, you have the rest of your life to get organized, right? Being a teenager is about living in the moment, having fun, doing stuff on a whim, and keeping your schedule as open as you can so you are available for whatever comes next. So what seems to happen is that teenagers see this equation…

ORGANIZED = TOO MUCH RESPONSIBILITY = LACK OF FREEDOM = ADULTHOOD = BORING!

If you think the above statement is true… it’s a pretty fair assumption on your part. Because a lot of adults carry responsibility like they are carrying around a 9,000 pound elephant on their shoulders. They complain; they are tired; they are stressed; they don’t have any fun.

They probably want you to get organized so they can give you more responsibility and lighten their own load a little. But you are watching them and they seem miserable. So you avoid being organized as long as possible… because when you do finally get organized, it means you have to be responsible. And obviously that is NO FUN from what you see. So, it doesn’t take long for you to figure out that getting organized may very well mean getting miserable!

Over the next few pages, let’s try to paint a little bit different picture of Organization for you. Let’s try to see if we can find some good in it.

Organization… what does it mean?

Sometimes, it’s easier to understand a concept when you break it down or look at it from another angle. What are some other words that mean organized? Enter some of your own ideas:

Putting in order

Categorizing

Arranging

Putting together

Sorting out

Assembling

Classifying

Systemizing


Which one do you like? Pick the word you are most comfortable with and use it from now on in this lesson when you see a box like this one

Organized

It will help you shift your focus from a word you may not like to something that fits you a little better! A change in perspective can really help.

Before we go any further, let’s take a quick look at some of the BENEFITS of being organized.

• Being organized can actually help you get MORE free time. • Being organized will get adults off your case. • Being organized will help you get respect from adults. • Being organized will help you get places on time. • Being organized will lower your stress level. • What else?

The thing about organization is this: there are as lots of ways to do it. People’s ways of getting organized are almost as unique as their fingerprints. So what one person sees as organized is not often the same as what the next person will see. If you dropped a deck of cards on the ground, and someone asked you to pick them up and organize them, how would you do it? Face up or face down? By color, by suite, or by number? In one pile or several?


It’s important to learn about your personal style of organization because what already comes natural to you will be the easiest way to start.

How do you organize your music? By artist? By Genre? Another way?

Describe how you do it:

Why do it that way?

Recording information…

When you need to remember something, how do you do it?


Why?

How does that work for you?

What kind of information do you need to record to make your life easier?

• Tests • When assignments are due • Work schedule • Errands • Dates • What else? Describe here:

Writing things down in a way that works is really helpful… If it works, it means you can find where you wrote it quickly and use the info easily… is an important step in organization another word for on Lots of people use a day planner or a calendar, which you can find at your local office store or general retail store. You can spend $5 or you can spend $105, it doesn’t matter as long as it works for you.


When looking at a Planner, be sure to check out the following things.

1. Is it laid out by day, month, or week? This will usually determine the size of the planner and how much detail you can actually write in the spaces. Think about what you will be writing and how much room you need.

2. Will it fit in my backpack, purse, or shoulder bag? If it won’t fit somewhere pretty easily, you probably won’t take it with you.

3. Do I like the way it looks? A Planner can become part of your life, so pick one you like!

If you know, in all honesty, you won’t carry a Planner around, try something different to record information you need. Most cell phones have a calendar in them that allows you to record information for specific dates. You probably have your cell phone with you all the time, so this might be a good way to keep track of important info. If the phone you have now doesn’t have a calendar, next time you trade phones, try to get one that does. You can then choose the week or month. It lets you name the entry, the time, the date, the duration, etc. You can even set an alarm to remind yourself! This is an excellent way to get organized !

Prioritizing… What comes first?

When you need to prioritize something, how do you do it? In other words, how do you decide what is most important to least important?

How does that work for you? In other words, do you seem to stay in pretty good working order from day to day?


What kind of information do you need to prioritize to make your life easier?

• Time with my friends • Family responsibilities • Work schedule • School work • What else? Describe here:

If you have three or four responsibilities to do, how do you decide which one to do first, then next, then next?

A good way to prioritize or decide which thing is most important to do first, is to ask the person who gave you the responsibility. If the task is something for yourself, you can decide. And if the task is for someone else, like a teacher, a boss, a parent, or a friend, ask that person about the time frame.

• “How soon do you need it?”

• “What is the latest you need it?”

This will give you an idea about how to arrange the things you are supposed to be doing in an order that works! It will also help you lower your stress because you won’t be trying to do everything at the same time.


Now sometimes it happens that several people tell you their task is first, and you find yourself with four things to do all at once! This can be super-stressful. When you find yourself in this situation, take a minute to consider the following points.

• Who asked for your help first? • Who will understand and be most open-minded if their task is late? • When you look at each task one by one, which one seems most important to

your personal well- being? (For example, will you get a bad grade at school? Will you get fired at work? Etc.)

{Helpful hint: if you decide that something can wait, be sure to talk to the person involved and explain the situation. He or she will respond much more positively if they know in advance you are trying!}

What do you look for in a responsible person?

What’s your most important possession in the world? Name something you take really good care of and place a high value you on…

Now think about it… Think about how much you enjoy it. What it means to you. How you prioritize it in your life. Now imagine you have to go away for a while. Where you are going, you CANNOT take your most prized possession with you. You have to leave it behind, but you get to choose one person to take care of it for you.

1. Who would you pick?


2. What qualities does this person have that causes you choose them to take care of it for you?

3. How would you expect them to treat it?

4. What condition would you expect it to be in when you returned?

When an employer hires you, that person is giving you responsibility for their most prized possessions… their money, their customers, their equipment, their reputation, their business. They picked you to take care of it just like you chose the person in box 1 above.

• Will you display the qualities that you named in box 2?

• Can your employer expect you to treat this responsibility as you wrote about in box 3?

• Will you return the responsibility to your employer at the end of each day the way described in box 4?

What might you do differently in a job when you understand that your employer is entrusting you with their most valuable possessions?


Being organized at work…

Remember when trying to find a job, trying to keep the job you’ve got, or working hard to move up to an even better job… employers are simply looking for employees who are considerate and thoughtful about their work. Don’t’ be afraid to ask questions.

• Ask for the supplies you need to do your job well. • Ask for extra folders to correctly categorize your papers. • Ask about the time frame for a task when it is given to you. • Ask what the goal is for the task. • Ask how they would like for it to be presented. • Ask how to be more organized from your

employer’s point of view.


ACTIVITY 2.4: SELF CONFIDENCE and APPRECIATION FOR ME

Having confidence in yourself starts with appreciating who you are as a person.

What IS self- appreciation? Let’s take a look…

Self-Appreciation… An understanding and admiration for who I am and what I bring to the world as an individual.

What makes it SO important that you understand and admire who you are and what you bring to the world as an individual?

• You are one of a kind and your existence here is absolutely significant. No exceptions!

• No one else has your fingerprints.

• No one else’s heart beats the same rhythm as your heart beats.

• You are ‘one of a kind’ and there is no one else like you on this planet… There never has been and there never will be.

• In your own special way, you have something to offer this world that no one else can. (Yeah, it’s true. Who you are and what you do matter THAT much.)

What else can you think of?


How does Appreciating yourself help you respect your mind, body, and soul?

• You will feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally.

• You will have confidence.

• You will have less stress.

• You will be content.

• You will enjoy life more.

• You will not hurt yourself (emotionally or physically).

• What else can you think of?

What can keep you from appreciating yourself?

• Society defines your success: looks / money/ achievement.

• Others are too hard on you.

• You are too hard on yourself.

• You listen to the world’s negativity.

• You spend too much time in someone else’s business instead of taking care of your own.

• You brush off compliments from others.



Which of the things listed on the previous page are IN your control?

• Being hard on yourself.

• Listening to the world’s negative talk.

• Spending time trying to change other people.

• Brushing off compliments

Which of them are OUT of your control?

• How other people will treat you.

Let’s identify some ways other people cause you to doubt yourself.

1. They tell you that you are not good enough / smart enough / fast enough / talented enough / etc. “You can’t do that. You’ll fail. You are not smart enough.”

2. They cause you to question your own abilities or dreams by creating doubt within you. “Are you sure you want to do that? It sounds really difficult.”

3. They say or do something that makes you feel guilty about being YOU. “Oh, I could never do that! I am not smart enough. I wish I was as smart as you are.”

Why do people create this doubt within you?

Reasons that are NOT useful… Reasons that may be useful…

They don’t want you to succeed They have experience and want to share it with you.

They want to bring you down. They care about you and don’t want to see you get hurt.

They think they know what is best for you, and want to BOSS you.

They think they know what is best for you and try to help.

They are afraid that you will do better than them and create self-doubt within THEM. They are afraid, and want to protect you.


Who in your life creates this doubt in you?

What do you want to do about it next time it happens?

What can you do when another person causes you to doubt yourself or discount who you are?

• Check to see if you can understand the motive of that person without asking.

• Ask him / her what is the purpose / what is the reason?

• Dismiss the doubt and proceed with your plans.

• Consider the questions and see what your gut tells you.

• Let that person know how he / she is making you feel and ask them to stop.



You can choose how you react to people and decide if they make you doubt yourself. Will you let them choose for you or will you choose what is best for YOU? The decision is yours.

There are many ways to learn to appreciate and respect yourself. Can you list some here?

You can use the tools you’ve learned here to address feelings of self-doubt. Being AWARE of what makes you doubt yourself can actually give you power to believe in yourself. Believing in yourself is a wonderful step towards Self-Appreciation… which leads to Self-Confidence…

When you appreciate who you are as a person, you are saying:

“SELF, I see you and I believe in you. I respect you. I appreciate who you are and what you are.”

When you appreciate yourself, you have more confidence. When you have more confidence, you make better decisions and enjoy life more. Let’s take a look at what self-confidence might look like for you!

Tackling the issue of Self-Confidence…

On a scale of 1-5… 1 lacking self-confidence and 5 being very self-confident, how would you rate your self- confidence?

1 2 3 4 5


What is true self-confidence?

• A positive outlook on life. • A sense of purpose. • A sense of hope. • A sense of Self. • Loving who you are. • Respecting who you are. • Faith in yourself, your choices, your passions, your needs, your wants. • Knowing how to get your personal needs met in healthy ways. • What else can you think of?

Where does this kind of true self-confidence come from? How might you get it?

• Self-appreciation. • Education. • Encouragement from others. • Life experience. • Being loved by others. • Believing in something bigger than yourself. • Learning from your mistakes. • Watching someone else who has true self –confidence. • Nurturing yourself / being kind to yourself / honoring all parts of who you are • What else can you think of?


Self-confidence versus arrogance… what’s the difference anyway?

How might you recognize a person with self-confidence? • The way he/she carries himself/herself: posture? • Facial expressions, including eye contact with others? • Physical appearance, do they take care of themselves? • Ability to interact well with other people and not seem self-conscious • What else can you think of?

Why might you assume a person is ‘arrogant’, ‘over-confident’ or ‘stuck up’? Many times the way you recognize self-confidence looks very similar to the way you recognize arrogance. It’s important to review your assumptions here. Many people want to have self- confidence, but they negatively judge those who have it. It’s sort of a double-edge sword! Because self-confidence and arrogance can look dangerously similar, people often avoid expressing self- confidence because they don’t want people to think they are stuck up. Do you think it’s true in our society that confident people can sometimes be judged unfairly? Are you worried about it?


What might a fear of being ‘stuck up’ cause you to do?

• Put yourself down frequently • Brush off compliments • Make excuses for your good fortune or blessings even if you have purposefully

chosen your way into a ‘good’ life. • Be fearful of what others say or think about you & your choices • What else can you think of?

List 6 things you really like about who you are.


List 3 things you want to do differently so you’ll like yourself more. Write about how you might do each thing differently starting today.


True self-confidence is used to pull others up… What are some ways you might ‘help’ another up and along the pathway of life by using your self- confidence?

• Encouraging another

• Taking time to listen and share your own experiences

• Sharing wisdom you’ve learned

• Pointing out their successes/gifts they might not be noticing

• Taking time to understand what it might be like to walk in their shoes

Too much confidence or arrogance is used to push others What are some ways you might push another person down along the pathway of life by being arrogant or over-confident?

• Judging

• Looking down your nose at another for not succeeding as you have

• Not taking time to share what you’ve learned in a helpful, loving way

• Assuming the gifts you have are more valuable than another person’s


List some ways YOU currently pull others up.

List some ways YOU currently push others down.


After learning more about true self-confidence, rate yours again.

On a scale of 1-5… 1 lacking self-confidence and 5 being very self-confident, how would you rate your self- confidence?

1 2 3 4 5

Did your score improve?

If not, do you know what to do now to bring your score up?

Are you willing to do it?


Write down three things you will do to bring up your score. It might help to think about “What are three things I can do to appreciate myself more?”

How will this information help you in key areas of your life, like a job search?

How will this information help you once you get that great job that’s coming your way?

Remember that you are unique. You are one of a kind. You have a special contribution to make to the world that no one else can ever make. Now that’s something to be confident about!


ACTIVITY 2.5: CORNERSTONES OF GOOD TEAMWORK

Teamwork reviewed…

Where are some areas that teams come into play in your life?

• Sports • Group projects • Work • School clubs • Siblings / families • Where else?

What happens when a group of people (the team) that are supposed to be working together towards a goal… don’t actually work together?

• People get mad because others aren’t pulling their weight. • The goal doesn’t get accomplished. • The person in charge (boss/coach/teacher/group leader/parent) yells. • People in the group dread their time together, because it’s NO fun. • It seems like a waste of time. • Anything else from your personal experience?


So why is it important to have a basic idea of how a good team functions?

• To help organize a team when you are one. • To give the team all that you personally have to give. • To enjoy the team effort and to have fun. • To meet the goals of the team.

The MYTH about teamwork: You’ve probably heard something similar to this statement when talking about teams…

“There is no ‘I’ in the word team.”

What does that mean, anyway?

• Does it simply mean how the word is spelled? • Does it mean you cannot be selfish on a team? • Does it mean that you have to think of the whole group? • Does it mean to put the group first when you are making decisions?

A New Idea of Teamwork…

But is that stuff really true?

And let’s be honest…are you are really going to commit to a team if it is not about YOU even a little bit? It doesn’t sound very fun, does it? And some people would say that it’s not supposed to sound fun. That it’s all about sacrificing yourself for the good of the team. But who wants to sacrifice himself for a bunch of people you don’t know or you don’t even like? Seriously!

So let’s scratch that whole ‘sacrifice yourself’ idea and start somewhere new…

If there are 5 people on your team, there are 5 “I’s” on your team. If there are 20 people on your team, there are 20 “I’s” on your team. Because if “I” am on your team, the way I think feel, react, connect, contribute and commit is important to the team. Good teamwork doesn’t happen out of duty or obligation, good teamwork happens from respect for and commitment to the people on your team. And to gain commitment and respect for your teammates, you have to get to know them… and they have to get to know you!


Beyond the daily activities in the workplace, each person has a life. Each person has hobbies, friends, families, pets, good stories, bad stories, happy moments, and sad days. Every person has a unique life experience that shapes the way he or she interacts with other people. No one has the same heartbeat or the same fingerprints, right? So that makes every person one of a kind. Most people have spent a lot of time in life becoming individuals and trying to carve out their unique places in the world. They have climbed huge mountains and overcome giant struggles in ways you’ll never know about.

But all of a sudden people come together at work or on a sports team or for a class project, and they are supposed to forget their individuality and work together… WELL! Isn’t that a bit of a stretch? Wouldn’t it be easier if each person could just bring their individuality along and USE that individuality rather than ‘sacrifice’ it to help the team achieve its goals? YES! Absolutely! Let’s look at how you can help your team do just that…

From the angle of “I” in team, look at the 4 Cornerstones for good teamwork.

1. Awareness and ownership of personal CHOICE

2. RESPECT for the individual team member

3. POSITIVE COMMUNICATION

4. GENUINE LISTENING -- SAY IT!

CHOOSE > RESPECT > COMMUNICATE > LISTEN CHOOSE > RESPECT > COMMUNICATE > LISTEN CHOOSE > RESPECT > COMMUNICATE > LISTEN CHOOSE > RESPECT > COMMUNICATE > LISTEN CHOOSE > RESPECT > COMMUNICATE > LISTEN

Write that statement down here:


CHOOSE

Why would this be the first part of good teamwork? Isn’t it sort of an individual thing?

You bet! That’s why it has to start here. Until you grab a hold of this VERY important concept, teamwork won’t work!

Why is your awareness and ownership of CHOICE so important? “You are ALWAYS choosing.” That means that…

• Even when you choose to do nothing, you still CHOOSE it. So by not doing anything, you are still doing something…

• Everyone has free will.

• You get to choose and you own the outcomes of what you have chosen.

Even though the universe brings you many circumstances in life that you may or may not have chosen in some way or another, you choose what’s next.

Don’t be afraid to explore the options that seem ‘wrong’. Only when you see many of the options you could choose, can you truly see that you are in fact making a choice to do what you are doing right now. When you are looking at the options, you need to ask yourself,

“Is this option useful or not useful to me right now and later in my life?”

When you look at this situation where it feels like you don’t have a choice, can you see a choice right now? What are your options?

After you’ve listed options above, go back and write ‘useful’ or ‘not useful’ beside each.


Why is your awareness and ownership of personal CHOICE so important? …So that you don’t blame other people for problems and circumstances in your life.

One of the biggest reasons for embracing personal CHOICE in your life is to stay in control of what is rightfully yours. Everyone wants a sense of power and control over their own lives, but how easily people give it away just to avoid facing their own problems and taking responsibility! When you blame other people for what is happening to you, you give away control of your own life. What you think is punishing them, is really only punishing you. When you blame other people you become a victim. Victim mentality keeps you stuck. When you take responsibility, you become a warrior or a ‘victor’, keeping the power within yourself! When you acknowledge that you always have a choice, you can take control of your choices.

CHOOSE > RESPECT > COMMUNICATE > LISTEN

When you take a minute to look at your LIFE, what do you see as someone else’s fault? Who are you blaming? Write it down here.

It is _________________________________________‘s fault that ___________________________________

__________________________________________________________ (this is happening or happened).

What happens when you blame that person?

• You become a victim. • You lose control. • You get stuck in a cycle of doing nothing to fix things. • You stay angry a lot of the time. • You try to punish them.

What choice can you make to take the responsibility back?


What are two ways your LIFE will improve when you take that responsibility back?

Now take a minute to name a TEAM you are a part of…

What do you see as someone else’s fault on that TEAM? Who are you blaming? Write it down here.

It is ________________________________________________________‘s fault that ___________________

___________________________________________this is happening or happened on our team).

What choice can you make to take the responsibility back?


What are two ways your TEAM will change when you take that responsibility back?


Why is your awareness and ownership of personal CHOICE so important? …So that you take ownership.

What does the phrase ‘take ownership’ mean to you?

Of what does every person need to take ownership?

decisions anger attitudes fears

goals boundaries problems health

careers habits relationships choices

actions words


What happens when you DON’T take ownership for the things above?

• You give someone else control of your life. • You have little or no direction. • You are a victim instead of a warrior. • You will not reap the benefits the universe has to offer for ownership. • You can’t find the solutions to your problems. • You end up blaming other people all the time. • It is difficult to find a solution to your problems. • You lose your ability to choose. • Your life spins out of control. • You cannot accomplish your desires.

What happens when you DO take ownership for your own ‘stuff’?

• You can make things different. • You can make things better. • You will go further in your relationships / your career / your achievements /

your life. • You will see CHOICE more clearly


Read the following lists. Be honest with yourself and circle each area where you are not fully taking ownership.

My actions My problems My decisions My anger My health My career My attitude My relationships My habits My fears My goals My boundaries My words My choice My future My life


I am not fully taking ownership in this area in my LIFE.

It affects my LIFE because…

If I TOOK ownership for this my LIFE would be different because…

Am I willing to choose differently to create positive change?

One choice I can make to take ownership of this area of my life is…

I am not fully taking ownership in this area on my TEAM.

It affects my TEAM because…

If I TOOK ownership for this area my TEAM would look different because…

Am I willing to choose differently to create positive change?

One choice I can make to take ownership of this area of my life is…



CHOOSE: Why is your awareness and ownership of personal choice so important? So you realize that other people have a choice, too. This is a big one. After all this talk about control and taking yours and owning your own ‘stuff’. It is only fair and reasonable that other people get the same opportunity. If you have personal CHOICE in your life and can use it to create whatever situation you choose to create, then so does every other person on this planet. This is both liberating and frustrating! On one hand, it is amazing because it frees you. You are no longer responsible for other people’s decisions, good or bad. You can only do the best you can with what you’ve got and give 100% of yourself. How other people respond to your efforts is not your responsibility. This helps you to resolve and unload feelings of guilt. Ok, great. That takes a lot of pressure off of you. But it also requires that you loosen your grip on other people. Since you have choice and control of your own life, you need to respect that every other person in your life does, too… Which means you need to stop telling people what to do. You may think you know what’s best for them. However, you should only offer your thoughts and advice and not be insulted if they don’t do as you say. When you take a minute to look at your life, do you see a situation in which you are taking too much responsibility for the choices that another person is making? It may be a friend, a brother or sister, a parent, a boyfriend or girlfriend, a teammate… Write about that situation here. (The goal here is to see how you might be trying to control someone else’s life or possibly taking on the weight of unhealthy decisions made by another person.)


CHOOSE TEAMWORK In your opinion, what does awareness and ownership of choice have to do with teamwork? What will you do differently on a team now that you’ve done this work? RESPECT Wow. That is a loaded word for most people… especially teenagers! Respect…

• What does it really mean? • How are you supposed to get it? • How are you supposed to show it? • How can someone earn it? • Should someone HAVE to earn it? • Should you give it to someone JUST because they are older or more experienced

than you?


Respect is a confusing word in our vocabulary. It means different things to different people. Some people think you can earn respect in direct relation to career accomplishments or money. Others only respect people who look, act and live like they do. They might have a hard time respecting people who have different values or opinions. Some people think you have to earn respect based on your age and life experience. Your specific definition has been molded by your family, your culture, your education, your location, your friends, your life experience, and a lot more…. You have your very own idea about what it means to be respected and what it means to show respect. But no matter who you are and how you define respect, the deal is… EVERYBODY WANTS IT. This is why it plays such an important role in good teamwork. So one of the biggest questions that seem to hang around when it comes to respect is this one… Should someone HAVE to earn my Respect? There are lots of different opinions and answers regarding this question. People will probably argue about it until the end of time. For the purpose of this teamwork program, there is a simple way to approach this subject:

Automatically give people respect. What the ?!&*!%? Seriously? YEP. Seriously. Respect other people based on an absolute fact. They are human beings. You are a human being. He is a human being. She is a human being. And granted, being human is not always pretty. Lots of people mess it up. But here’s the deal… you don’t know WHY people mess it up. You don’t know why people act like they act. You have not lived in their skin, walked in their shoes, seen through their eyes, felt with their emotions, or smelled with their noses. You have not touched with their hands or heard with their ears. This may all sound a little goofy, but have you? Seriously? Can you really know why they do the things they do without question? So the point is this… when people do things that cause you to disrespect them, it might all make sense if you saw their whole life. And you can’t see their whole life can you? So you just need to remember that they have baggage and you have baggage and life is hard sometimes. If you will approach other people with an open mind, especially your teammates, you’ll be shocked how well it will turn out. They might just give you respect back one day when you haven’t exactly earned it! … Ever have those days?


RESPECT Over the next few pages, you are going to look at ‘RESPECT’ from one angle… yours.

• What does it really mean to YOU? • How are YOU going to get it? • How are YOU going to show it?

Honestly, your definition of RESPECT is the only definition that counts. People are going to choose their own path and choose the way they respect or disrespect others. You can’t choose for them. But you can set a good example and positively affect others by being real with your definition of respect… giving it and living it. Go to the next page and fill in the answers as quickly as you can without thinking about it too much. Gut reactions are the best reactions. When you are finished with the worksheet on the next page… come back and answer the questions below. Valuing and respecting my teammates for their unique journey in life is important because… Valuing and respecting my teammates for the unique contribution they each make to our team is important because… Here are three ways that I will respect my teammates as individuals…


Here are three ways that I will respect my teammates as individuals… RESPECT Let’s take a look at RESPECT from YOUR point of view. Here’s an example:

To get my respect, a person needs to: Be honest.

Do you always respect others this way?

[ x ] YES NO WHY?

It’s just a fact of life that people don’t always tell the truth. What do I need to change?

I need to let people know how I feel about honesty. And if I respect it, I need to live it. By being honest.



Now, you do a few: Respect – FIRST example: To get my respect, a person needs to: Do you always respect others this way? YES NO WHY? What do I need to change? Respect – SECOND example: To get my respect, a person needs to: Do you always respect others this way? YES NO WHY? What do I need to change?


Respect – THIRD example: To get my respect, a person needs to: Do you always respect others this way? YES NO WHY? What do I need to change? Respect – FOURTH example: To get my respect, a person needs to: Do you always respect others this way? YES NO WHY? What do I need to change?


COMMUNICATE Communication is such a buzz-word in the workplace. “We need good communication.” “We need more communication.” “We need open communication.” “We to need to communicate, communicate, communicate!” People complain that there is a lack of communication in the workplace, and that’s a little misleading. You cannot NOT communicate. Communication is everywhere. But there is a lack of POSITIVE Communication in the workplace. People communicate just fine; it’s the root of what they are communicating that can be useful or not. Positive communication is necessary for good teamwork, because it has purpose. It helps the team achieve greater things. What is Positive Communication? It means…

• Sharing information in a way that helps the team effort instead of hurting it. • Encouraging others with your words and actions. • Offering solutions to problems instead of complaining about them. • Building others up instead of tearing them down. • ‘Adding’ to the team effort instead of ‘taking away’ from it. • Taking ownership. • Making useful choices.

Positive Communication does not include…

• Gossiping. • Complaining. • Pointing the finger of blame at others. • Avoiding responsibility. • Spreading negativity.


Keys to Communicating on Purpose:

• Communicate with positive actions.

• Communicate through information that HELPS.

• Communicate through Problem Solving.

• Communicate through positive language.

- Tell people what you want instead of what you don’t want.

- Tell people what you can do instead of what you can’t do.

- Tell people what you get to do instead of what you have to do.

- ‘BUT’ out!


Communicate through information that HELPS. Positive Communication means sharing information in a way that helps the team effort. Take a minute to think about how much information exchanged between people in the workplace that DOES NOT help people do their jobs… in fact how much of the information exchanged has the opposite affect? How much of it actually keeps people from doing their jobs well? Any information necessary to the performance of the team CAN be presented in a positive way.

For example… The boss says to the manager at 4:40 on Friday, “The sales numbers are terrible and if you don’t show a 10% increase by the end of the quarter, we will start cutting jobs on your team!”

The news can’t get much worse than that right? So how can the manager uphold the foundation of Positive Communication and still get that important information to the team? Yikes! Okay… Positive Communication WOULD NOT sound like this… “Management just told me that we are all out of a job if we don’t improve our numbers right away! We’ll have a meeting about this first thing Monday morning!”


WHY would that statement NOT demonstrate Positive Communication?

1. The manager just stressed everyone out and sent them away on Friday afternoon to worry about their jobs the entire weekend.

2. The statement shows no trust or belief in the team effort… It sounds like the manager doesn’t believe they can work it out.

3. The manager just passed on the frenzy from her boss to the very people she is trying to motivate and inspire.

Maybe, it could sound more like this… “Team, our sales dollars are lower than they

need to be. We need to improve them. Our jobs depend on it. Please spend some time

this weekend thinking about our situation and come up with at least 3 ideas to meet our

goal. We’ll share our solutions in a meeting first thing Monday morning.”

Communication that HELPS, also means not getting involved in workplace gossip or

team politics. Do all you can to keep your communication ‘above board’, which means

helping your teammates with encouraging words and meaningful information, not

complaints and gossip.

How will the use of Positive Communication help MY team?

How will the use of Positive Communication help me move up in my job?


LISTEN (GENUINELY!) How would you describe Genuine (sincere) Listening? Name at least five ways you know someone is sincerely listening to you when you are talking.

How does it make you feel when someone is listening to you in this way?



Name 5 things a person does that signals they are NOT listening to you.

How does it make you feel when someone is listening to you in this way?


So why do you think genuine listening is important to team work?

Some more reasons it is important to genuinely listen when you are on a team…

• So you truly hear what is being said • So you respect individuals • So you take advantage of teamwork • So you can avoid crisis situations • So you can truly judge the importance of an issue and make good decisions

Genuine Listening: How many people do you think genuinely LISTEN? Do you?

Listening is an art form. Genuine listening happens with your whole self. Your eyes,

your ears, your mind, and your body language. Genuine listening tells the other

person you are present and you are respectful of what he or she has to say. Genuine

listening is a cornerstone for powerful teamwork because you cannot effectively

work with other people unless you actually hear what they have to say. If you don’t

hear your teammates, you might as well be flying solo… which means more work,

more responsibility and more pressure… for you!

I can demonstrate to my teammates that I am genuinely listening to them by

doing the following things:


Some helpful hints to genuine listening:

• I will look someone in the eye when they are speaking.

• I will nod my head sometimes to let them know I am listening.

• I will ask thoughtful questions about what they are saying.

• I will repeat back to them some of what they have said.

• I will turn directly towards them and give them my full attention.

{Helpful hint} You may think about people on your team who interrupt and / or talk

about stupid things and waste your time doing so…Maybe they keep interrupting and

sharing stupid things because no one is listening to them in the first place! Take time

to genuinely listen to them the first time, then honestly communicate what you need

from them… even if you need to move on… you can feel good and guilt free about

having genuinely listened for something important they might have to share.

{Helpful hint} Many crisis situations at work could be avoided by proactively

listening the first time. You might save yourself a lot of work by listening well.

You’ve got the 4 Cornerstones for Good Teamwork: Individual

Choice, Respect, Positive Communication, and Genuine Listening.


Now it’s time to start building your foundation for good teamwork with these

cornerstones. The worksheet below will help you decide what ways you would like

your team to work together and how you can set the example to make it happen!

You’ll find examples on the following page that will help you chart your own ideas.


Your expectations for Good Teamwork: “I would like my team to…

“I……” “I represent this behavior on my team.” TRUE OR FALSE

“This is what I need to do to reflect the behavior I expect from my team.”


An example worksheet: “I would like my team to…

“I……” “I represent this behavior on my team.” TRUE OR FALSE

“This is what I need to do to reflect the behavior I expect from my team.”

Respect my ideas by listening when I talk

“I respect their ideas by listening when they talk…”

FALSE… sometimes I am too busy talking to someone else…

If I want them to respect my ideas and listen, then I guess I need to do the same for them…

Stop griping about the boss all the time. I kind of like her and it makes me mad.

“I don’t grip about anyone.”

FALSE… I don’t grip about the boss, but sometimes I grip about the other manager to my teammates.

I guess I can’t really complain about their griping until I quit. I need to keep my complaints to myself.

Quit asking me to cover their shifts, I don’t really want to but I’m afraid they’ll get made if I don’t.

“I don’t ask anyone to cover my shifts.”

FALSE… Sometimes I do, but it’s only about once a month!

I need to tell my teammates that I can take one extra shift a week and no more. Whoever asks me first, gets my help!

Pull their own load. I feel like I get stuck with more than my share of the work.

“I pull my weight on the team.”

TRUE… I do pull my weight and my boss always compliments me on it.

I will choose to stand up for myself instead of complaining quietly. I can say ‘no’ when people ask me to do their work, or I can to talk to my boss.

To be nicer to each other. It seems like everyone is mad all the time.

“I am nice most of the time.”

TRUE… I am nice in my own way, but maybe it doesn’t come across that way all the time…

I can use what I learned about Positive Communication to set a better example for my teammates and maybe encourage them, too!

Like work. “I like work.” TRUE… I feel pretty lucky to have this job. Lots of my friends get paid less than I do.

I can tell my boss that I like my job and thanks for letting me work here. I can also ask that I can do to improve myself.



SECTION 3: Career Exploration

ACTIVITY.3.1 BUSINESS INTRODUCTION BUSINESS INTRODUCTION AND SELF-ASSESSMENT AN ENTREPRENEUR IS

SOMEONE WHO CHOOSES TO OPERATE HIS OR HER OWN COMPANY. THE COMPANY

CAN HAVE EMPLOYEES, OR IT MIGHT BE JUST ONE PERSON - THE ENTREPRENEUR.

INTRODUCTION

In previous Activities, you've looked at jobs and careers where you work for someone else. In this Activity, you'll explore what it means to be an entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, you'll work for yourself and often own your own company. Being an entrepreneur takes more effort, initiative, and creativity than most jobs. You risk more, but there's the opportunity to gain much more - satisfaction, helping others, independence, creating something new, and significant financial rewards. How do you get started?

ALL businesses started with an idea, energetic people, and lots of hard work. Every business that exists now, or has ever existed, probably started with one of the following initiators and a group of dedicated people:

• Have an idea and build it from scratch, on your own, with your own resources, and own the entire company

• Combine ideas and resources with others, build from scratch, and share ownership with your partners

• Buy or assume or inherit an existing business, by yourself or with other partners • Work for a family business and gradually assume more leadership and

ownership • Work your way up in an existing business, family or otherwise, and buy a share

or most of it as you go

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Do you have what it takes? Not everyone has the right skills, talents, and values to succeed as an independent business person. Take the following survey to evaluate how well you fit the independent style. Rate each item with:

1 'doesn't apply to me at all,' 2 'applies somewhat to me,' 3 'applies to me a lot,' 4 'this is definitely me.'

CREATIVITY: YOU THINK FOR YOURSELF, YOU HAVE A LOT OF IDEAS, AND YOU LIKE TO TRY NEW THINGS. PERSEVERANCE: YOU CAN STAY FOCUSED AND MOTIVATED WHEN THINGS GET CHALLENGING. INITIATIVE: YOU CAN START AND FINISH PROJECTS ON YOUR OWN, LARGE AND SMALL. INDEPENDENCE: YOU WORK BEST ON YOUR OWN, AND YOU CAN FINISH TASKS WITHOUT SUPERVISION. PEOPLE: YOU LIKE TO CALL THE SHOTS, BUT YOU CAN ALSO LEAD, MOTIVATE, AND GUIDE OTHERS. RISK TAKING: YOU LIKE TO TAKE REASONABLE CHANCES AND CAN MANAGE THE UPS AND DOWNS.


TOUGHNESS: YOU DEAL WITH SETBACKS, DISAPPOINTMENTS, EVEN FAILURE WITHOUT GIVING UP. BUSINESS: YOU ARE EXCITED BY BUSINESS, MARKETING, SALES, CUSTOMERS, AND PRODUCTS. FINANCE: YOU UNDERSTAND MONEY, HOW IT'S USED & MANAGED, HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF IT. NOW, RATE YOURSELF BELOW BY TOTALING YOUR SCORES ABOVE.

9 - 16 You should probably look for a job, where the risks and independence are less.

17 - 22 You entrepreneurial skills are not strong, but consider teaming with other entrepreneurs.

23 - 29 You have many of the skills to be an entrepreneur; note your lower scores above.

30 - 36 You're a prime candidate to work for yourself and run your own business.


ACTIVITY 3.2: WRITE A SIMPLE BUSINESS PLAN EVERY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS STARTS WITH A GOOD BUSINESS PLAN

FILL OUT YOUR BUSINESS PLAN The Business Plan is critical to the success of a business, especially a new business just getting started. It describes what REAL problem exists out there in the real world and how the business and its products will solve that problem. People in the marketplace and other businesses will pay money to have real problems solved, and that's how the business generates income and grows. In the following Activity, you will create a simple Business Plan. Think up an idea you have for a business. (If you can't think of an idea, think of an existing business that you know of and use it as an example.) Pick something that interests you, or a business that you buy from now. Answer each of the follow questions for your idea. When you're done, you'll have a Basic Business Plan. FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BUY YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE, WHAT IS THEIR NEED? WHAT

PAIN OR PROBLEM ARE YOU SOLVING FOR THEM?

WHAT PRODUCT OR SERVICE ARE YOU OFFERING THAT WILL SOLVE THIS PROBLEM?


HOW IS THIS PRODUCT OR SERVICE UNIQUE FROM ALL THE OTHER COMPANIES OFFERING

THE SAME PRODUCT OR SERVICE?

WHO IS THE MARKET? WHO COULD POSSIBLY BUY YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE? BE SPECIFIC

HOW BIG IS THE MARKET (TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO COULD POSSIBLY YOUR

PRODUCT)? HOW WILL PEOPLE FIND OUT ABOUT YOU AND HOW WILL YOU CONVINCE THEM TO PAY

MONEY FOR YOUR PRODUCT?


WHERE WILL YOU LOCATE YOUR BUSINESS AND WHY? WHO IS THE COMPETITION AND HOW ARE YOU BETTER? HOW MANY OTHER BUSINESSES ARE OUT THERE, IN YOUR MARKET, SELLING SIMILAR

PRODUCTS? HOW WILL YOU PAY FOR THE STARTUP EXPENSES OF THE COMPANY?


WHAT ARE ALL THE WAYS YOU CAN GENERATE MONEY FOR YOUR BUSINESS? (SALES AND

REVENUE ARE NOT THE ONLY SOURCES OF FUNDS FOR A COMPANY.) WHAT ARE THE FIRST FIVE THINGS YOU MUST DO TO GET YOUR BUSINESS STARTED? TASK 1

TASK 2

TASK 3

TASK 4

TASK 5

DO YOU HAVE ALL THE SKILLS NECESSARY? WHO ELSE WILL YOU NEED ON YOUR TEAM?


ACTIVITY 3.3: REAL WORLD NEEDS FINDING YOUR USEFUL PURPOSE IN THE WORLD

EXPLORE AND DECIDE REAL WORLD NEEDS Instructions and Guidelines: The activities and questions below use drop-down fields and links to resources on the Internet. Be sure to open and use this Activity on a computer connected to the Internet, to allow access to those links.

A Real-World Need is simply a product or service that our society needs to function properly. Examples include Health Care, Entertainment, and Waste Management. At one time or another we all have the need for a doctor or medicine. Therefore Health Care is a Real-World Need. Having clean and litter free streets is a need that our society has. Therefore Waste Management is a Real-World Need. People need to relax and be entertained, therefore Entertainment is a Real-World Need.

For each Real-World Need, there are hundreds of jobs or careers that can meet the same Real-World Need. Entire businesses are created to address real-world needs. So you can choose a real-world need such as Animal Care but you do not have to be a vet. You can look at your own values, skills, interest, and personality preferences to determine exactly the right job that still meets the need of Animal Care.

For example: Perhaps you are really good at bookkeeping, and record keeping, and you like to interface with people. Then perhaps you would be better suited as the office manager of a veterinarian’s office. Or perhaps you like to do research and analysis much more than examining animals and dealing with their owners. Then perhaps the Lab Technician is the role for you. Both of these jobs involve working at a vet’s office, but they require different skills and interests, and they both accomplish the same goal of working to help animals. If you don’t care to be around a lot of people, and you have a strong desire for training animals, then you could be a whale trainer at Marine World. Again, you will meet the real-world need of Animal Care, but you will do so utilizing the best of who you are.

SELECT THE REAL-WORLD NEED ADDRESSED BY TWO ADULTS CLOSE TO YOU You can select a supervisor, your parents, a co-worker, or other adults you know. If the adult is a teacher, then they meet the real-world need of education. Look at our list of real-world needs and you will find education. If this adult is a doctor, then they meet the real-world need of healthcare.


PERSON'S NAME: _____________________________________________ REAL-WORLD NEED THEY ADDRESS: PERSON'S NAME: _____________________________________________ REAL-WORLD NEED THEY ADDRESS: WHO IS THE CUSTOMER, AND WHAT DO THEY ACCOMPLISH FOR THE CUSTOMER?

For example: A pilot addresses the Real-World Need of high speed travel. The pilot's customers are "people who travel." The pilot's accomplishment is to deliver his customers safely and on time to their destination.

FIRST PERSON: WHO IS THE CUSTOMER(S) THAT IS BEING HELPED IN THIS EXAMPLE?

WHAT DOES THIS PERSON ACCOMPLISH FOR THEIR CUSTOMER?

SECOND PERSON: WHO IS THE CUSTOMER(S) THAT IS BEING HELPED IN THIS EXAMPLE?

WHAT DOES THIS PERSON ACCOMPLISH FOR THEIR CUSTOMER?


NOW, SELECT THE REAL-WORLD NEEDS YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS

PLEASE READ AND CONSIDER THIS CAREFULLY: Below are a set of real-world needs that are fulfilled through many different jobs and careers. For any of these, click the real world need to link to an example list of related jobs and job titles. Each of these links will help you to understand the various characteristics of the job, such as the tasks, knowledge, skills, abilities, work activities, interests, work styles, wages, and much more. The links will show examples of the various occupations that can address these real-world needs. Remember: real people, organizations, customers, etc. have real-world needs – needs that you can get passionate about fulfilling. Real-world needs do not necessarily reflect the job title that you will have. This is a very important point for you to understand. You’re not trying to answer the question “What do I want to be?”, instead you’re trying to answer the questions, “How do I want to contribute, and what real world-need will I address?” For example, consider the person who flies commercial airplanes. Their job title is “commercial pilot.” But the real-world need they fulfill is “move people quickly, safely, and comfortably from one place to another.” The job title describes the person or role, but the need does not even mention that person or role. The need describes what is needed by real people out in the real world. The need comes first: if people in the real world did not need to get safely and quickly from one place to another, there would be no pilots. This concept applies to ANY job or career. In this Activity, you will first identify the real-world needs that you are excited about addressing. Meeting these needs will become the foundation of your personal mission in life, and therefore direction of your career exploration and planning. Check the boxes for all the Real-World Needs that interest you.


ACCOUNTING Individuals, families, businesses, & government need financial data that's accurate, organized, available

ADULT CARE Adult citizens want & need comfort, health, safety, & good nutrition

ADMINISTRATIVE Offices & managers need to run smoothly & efficiently

AGRICULTURE All people need food & plant products, such as medicines, fuel, paper, & much more

ANIMAL CARE Animals want & need to be healthy, happy, trained, & their owners need assistance to help their animals

AESTHETICS (ART) The world needs & appreciates beauty, wonder, & joy in art, music, drama, literature, architecture, & so many other ways

ARCHITECTURE Society, cities, businesses, & people need functional, attractive designs & plans for buildings & homes

AUTOMOTIVE To keep people, commerce, & government moving, we need safe, reliable, affordable cars & trucks

BUSINESS People everywhere need commerce & business to provide jobs, income, services, & products

CHILD CARE Parents & children need safe, caring, creative caregivers for their children while they are at work or elsewhere

CLOTHING We all need warmth, protection, style, & comfort from the clothing we wear

COMMUNICATIONS To share information, manage our lives, & socialize, we need ways to connect & share

COMMUNITY AFFAIRS Whenever people live together, programs, projects, resources, & assistance must be available for their use

COMPUTER SCIENCE Businesses, government, & individuals need computers for processing info, communicating, creating, & entertainment

CONSERVATION The forests, streams, lakes, air, & all our resources need protection & management

CONSTRUCTION Our buildings must be built, roads paved, & utilities maintained for our cities & towns to function

CONSUMER AFFAIRS All people need the right to buy what they want & be offered the best buying practices

DESIGN All things we create as a society must be designed first

EDUCATION Children & all people need to learn, grow, develop living & job skills, & improve themselves

ENERGY From countries to individuals, we all need fuels to supply heat, transportation, electricity

ENGINEERING We advance as a civilization by solving our toughest technical problems

ENTERTAINMENT You and all people seek fun, laughter, music, & the need to play

ENVIRONMENT For the benefit of people & the planet, the earth, air, water, & all resources must be managed & preserved

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FOOD & DRINK To enrich & sustain us, we seek tasty, quality, affordable meals & spirits

GENERAL SERVICES All facilities need good management, oversight, & leadership, from laundry service, to carpet cleaning, to lawn care

HEALTH All people need to avoid sickness via fitness, medicine, therapy, plus have rapid, competent services for medical emergencies

HOMEMAKING Children, families, adults want & need to live & grow up in safe, healthy, happy homes

HOSPITALITY AND LODGING

People traveling for business or pleasure need comfortable, affordable, fun housing away from home

HOUSING All people need safe, warm, affordable living conditions

INFORMATION All organizations, businesses, governments need data, knowledge, insight for many purposes

INSURANCE Individuals & organizations need financial safety nets in times of crisis or emergency

LANDSCAPING Owners of businesses, homes, & other properties want their grounds to be attractive & functional

LAW ENFORCEMENT Citizens everywhere require peace, order, safety, & their property & rights protected

LEGAL MATTERS To maintain order & resolve conflicts, we need intelligent, effective laws that define our conduct in society

MAINTENANCE We need our buildings clean, grounds tidy, & our machines working well

MANAGEMENT Business, organizations, government, & all groups must be led, organized, trained, guided

MANUFACTURING Business, industry, & government need processes, materials, & systems to create, build, & assemble all kinds of things

MARKETING People need to be aware of the benefits, costs, & varieties of products & services available

MONEY, INVESTMENTS People & business must keep track of & grow finances, & provide funds for groups that need it

MOVING & HAULING When we move our homes or businesses, we need to safely relocate all our belongings

NATURAL SCIENCES We must understand our natural world & all its plant, animal, geological, climate, & other aspects

OFFICE AND CLERICAL Offices & office workers have many basic tasks that must be done often & done well

POLITICS Civilized people need systems of government that make laws, maintain infrastructure, manage crises, protect citizens, help society

PROPERTY AND REAL ESTATE

Societies need land & buildings, & they need systems, resources, standards to buy, sell, & manage

RECREATION We all need fun pastimes, hobbies, & adventures when we're not working

RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY

Billions of us need connection with a higher calling, greater meaning, & the essence of who we are

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http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Hospitality

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Hospitality

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Housing&g=Go

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Information&g=Go

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Insurance&g=Go

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Landscaping

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Law+enforcement&g=Go

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Legal+matters&g=Go

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=maintenance

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Management+&g=Go

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Manufacturing&g=Go

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Marketing&g=Go

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Money%2C+Investments&g=Go

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Moving+%26+hauling&g=Go

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Natural+sciences

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=office+and+clerical

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Politics&g=Go

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Real+estate&g=Go

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Real+estate&g=Go

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Recreation&g=Go

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Religion

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Religion


RETAIL Providers of many products need to sell their products easily, & buyers need easy access to purchasing

SAFETY AND FIRE Everyone needs a safe environment & be protected from the dangers of fire & other life-threatening hazards

SALES Businesses need to show, & consumers need to see, the benefits & costs of products & services

SCIENCE Our civilization needs intelligent, systematic ways to understand, control, & utilize the world around us

SECURITY Property & people need to be kept safe & protected

SOCIAL SERVICES Those in need require help with housing, medical, food, education, & other services

SPORTS Millions want to enjoy the fun & excitement of competition, as participant or spectator

TECHNOLOGY The world needs to solve problems & create things of value with electronic & mechanical means

TRANSPORTATION In many ways, people want to move safely, efficiently, & quickly from one place to another

VOLUNTEERISM Many organizations need people who give freely of their time to help others, & they need leadership, management, & funds

WRITING People in business, medicine, education, entertainment, & much more need clear, well-crafted written communication

You may also enter some of your own Real-World Needs, if you don't see what you want in the list above:

Visit the Occupational Information Network to explore these other Real-World Needs.

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Retail

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Safety+and+fire

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=sales

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=science

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Security&g=Go

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=social+services

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=sports

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Technology&g=Go

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Transportation&g=Go

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Volunteerism

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/result?s=Writing&g=Go

http://www.onetonline.org/


Select Your Top Three Real-World Needs

From the selections you made above, you will now select the top three Real-World Needs you are passionate about and are committed to address. These three Real-World Needs can define a Career Path for you. They will be the cornerstone of your future mission. This is a big deal, as you are saying “This is how I want to contribute to my world.” Do not worry about how much money you will make, or what your friends or family will think, or whether or not it is realistic. Just trust your heart, and select the three that give you the most energy and excitement. REAL-WORLD NEED 1:

REAL-WORLD NEED 2:

REAL-WORLD NEED 3:



SECTION 4: Career Planning

ACTIVITY 4.1: YOUR VALUES VALUES ASSESSMENT: Objectives This exercise will help you to identify what is really important to you in your life from a personal and career perspective. Those things that are very important to you are called Values. Please recognize that your Values MUST be met in order for you to be happy. This is non-negotiable. Therefore you should find a career that supports your values, otherwise you will risk experiencing tremendous unhappiness in your career. Do not underestimate how important your values and therefore this exercise is. Also recognize however, that your values can change as circumstances in your life change. Simply be aware of the change and be willing to adapt accordingly.

What Does It Mean for You?

Understanding your Values has considerable impact on your life. Consider someone you know that is very important to you. You talk to them almost daily, they are always there for you, and you cherish their friendship dearly. Now imagine if you took a job that forced you to lose complete contact with that person. Do you think that your life would be happy without that person? Or would you have a constant desire to spend time with your old friend?

This type of longing or loss creates unhappiness. Therefore you may have been better off taking a job that allowed you to remain in contact with the people you care about. In this example, "friendship" is one of your Values, and for you to be happy, your job must allow you to continue your friendships, and therefore support this Value.


Instructions and Activities

Below is an alphabetical list of Values that many people seek in their lives and careers. Read each value and its definition, then rank from 1-4 how important the Value is to you. Here is a definition of the ranking order:

4 = Very important for your career satisfaction 3 = Reasonably important 2 = Not very important 1 = Not important at all

ADVENTURE: HAVE WORK DUTIES WHICH INVOLVE FREQUENT RISK-TAKING. AESTHETICS / ART / BEAUTY: BE INVOLVED IN STUDYING OR APPRECIATING THE BEAUTY OF

THINGS, IDEAS, ETC. AFFILIATION: BE RECOGNIZED AS A MEMBER OF A PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION. ARTISTIC/CREATIVITY: ENGAGE IN CREATIVE WORK IN ANY OF SEVERAL ART FORMS. CHANGE & VARIETY: HAVE WORK RESPONSIBILITIES THAT FREQUENTLY CHANGE IN

CONTENT AND SETTING. CLOSURE: HAVE A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT WITH MEASURABLE RESULTS (OUTCOMES)

WITHIN A SPECIFIC TIME FRAME.


COMMUNITY: LIVE IN A TOWN OR CITY WHERE I CAN GET INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY AND

NEIGHBORHOOD AFFAIRS. COMPETITION: ENGAGE IN ACTIVITIES WHICH PIT MY ABILITIES AGAINST OTHERS WHERE

THERE'S CLEAR WIN-AND-LOSE OUTCOMES. CREATIVITY: CREATE NEW IDEAS, PROGRAMS, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES OR ANYTHING

NOT FOLLOWING A PRE-DEVELOPED FORMAT. EXCITEMENT: EXPERIENCE A HIGH DEGREE OF (OR FREQUENT) EXCITEMENT IN THE COURSE

OF MY WORK. FAST PACE: WORK IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THERE IS A HIGH PACE OF ACTIVITY; WORK

MUST BE DONE RAPIDLY. FRIENDSHIPS: DEVELOP CLOSE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE AS A RESULT OF MY

WORK ACTIVITIES. HELP OTHERS: BE INVOLVED IN HELPING OTHER PEOPLE IN A DIRECT WAY, EITHER

INDIVIDUALLY OR IN SMALL GROUPS. HELP SOCIETY: DO SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE BETTERMENT OF THE WORLD IN

WHICH I LIVE. INDEPENDENCE: BE ABLE TO DO MY WORK WITHOUT LOTS OF SUPERVISION OR BEING TOLD

HOW TO DO IT.


INFLUENCE PEOPLE: BE IN A POSITION TO CHANGE ATTITUDES OR OPINIONS OF OTHER

PEOPLE. INTELLECTUAL STATUS: BE REGARDED AS A PERSON WITH INTELLECTUAL STRENGTH OR AS

ONE WHO IS AN EXPERT. KNOWLEDGE: ENGAGE IN THE PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE, TRUTH AND UNDERSTANDING. LOCATION: FIND A PLACE TO WORK THAT'S CONDUCIVE TO MY LIFESTYLE WITH

OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THE THINGS I ENJOY MOST. MAKE DECISIONS: HAVE THE POWER TO DECIDE COURSES OF ACTION, POLICIES, ETC. MORAL FULFILLMENT: FEEL THAT MY WORK IS CONTRIBUTING SIGNIFICANTLY TO A SET OF

(OR MY OWN) MORAL STANDARDS. PHYSICAL CHALLENGE: HAVE A JOB THAT MAKES PHYSICAL DEMANDS THAT I WOULD FIND

REWARDING. POWER & AUTHORITY: CONTROL THE WORK ACTIVITIES OR THE DESTINIES OF OTHER

PEOPLE. PROFIT & GAIN: HAVE A STRONG LIKELIHOOD OF ACCUMULATING LARGE AMOUNTS OF

MONEY OR OTHER MATERIAL GAINS.


PUBLIC CONTACT: HAVE A LOT OF DAY-TO-DAY CONTACT WITH PEOPLE. RECOGNITION: BE RECOGNIZED FOR THE QUALITY OF WORK IN SOME VISIBLE WAY. SECURITY: BE ASSURED OF KEEPING A JOB AND A REASONABLE FINANCIAL REWARD. STABILITY: A WORK ROUTINE AND JOB DUTIES THAT ARE PREDICTABLE AND NOT LIKELY TO

CHANGE OVER TIME. SUPERVISION: HAVE A JOB IN WHICH I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WORK DONE BY OTHERS. TIME FREEDOM: RESPONSIBILITIES WHICH I CAN WORK AT ON MY OWN TIME SCHEDULE; NO

SPECIFIC WORKING HOURS. WORK ALONE: CARRY OUT PROJECTS BY MYSELF, WITHOUT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF

CONTACT WITH OTHERS. WORK/LIFE BALANCE: HAVE JOB AND WORKPLACE EXPECTATIONS THAT ALLOW A BALANCE

WITH PERSONAL LIFE. WORK UNDER PRESSURE: WORK SITUATIONS WHERE TIME PRESSURE AND/OR QUALITY OF

WORK IS CRITICALLY JUDGED. WORK WITH OTHERS: HAVE CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH GROUP; WORK AS A TEAM

TOWARD COMMON GOALS.


Select and describe your TOP FIVE Values Great job. Now your task is to identify your top five Values. Be sure that your future career supports these Values. Take a look at the list of Values above that you ranked VERY Important or Reasonably Important and from them, pick your top five. The five don’t have to be in any order, just identify the five that are the most important to you. As you make your selections, write each of the five Values in the boxes numbered 1 through 5 below.

There is one last step to this exercise. Below, for each of your top five Values, describe what these Values mean to you, by writing definitions for each of them. Write the definitions in the large boxes below each value.

1

2

3

4 5


ACTIVITY 4.2: YOUR INTERESTS INTERESTS ASSESSMENT: Objectives In this exercise you will identify the things that you enjoy doing. These activities are your Interests. The objective will be to match your future work activities to your Interests.

Has your current work, or past job experiences, provided you the chance to do what you like to do? Imagine doing the things that you like to do in your job. That would provide a fast paced and fun filled day, and help you be a happier and more productive person. The point of this exercise is to identify what you like to do.

If you can match these things, also referred to as your "Interests", to your future work activities, you will be like one of those famous people that claim that they would do their jobs for free because they enjoy it so much. Sound good? Now, get started.


INTERESTS: What Do I Like to Do?

Check the boxes below to indicate the specific tasks that interest you most.

PHYSICAL

□ Being athletic □ Operating □ Computer repairing □ Equipment repairing □ Driving □ Working with your hands

INVESTIGATIVE

□ Learning □ Investigating □ Exploring □ Evaluating □ Solving problems □ Researching

CREATIVE

□ Thinking up new ideas □ Using your imagination □ Inventing □ Creating □ Using your artistic ability

SOCIAL

□ Enlightening □ Training □ Curing □ Treating □ Advising □ Communications □ Helping others develop skills

BUSINESS

□ Influencing □ Persuading □ Performing □ Leading □ Managing □ Reasoning persuasively □ Mediating

ANALYTICAL

□ Record keeping □ Recording □ Keeping minutes □ Calculating □ Budgeting □ Preparing financial reports

Key Thought to consider: I incorporate my Interests into my future work in order to make work fun.


All the Interests I selected from the table above (the things I like to do):

INTEREST CATEGORY SPECIFIC INTERESTS

PHYSICAL

INVESTIGATIVE

CREATIVE

SOCIAL

BUSINESS

ANALYTICAL


Now, from the six Interest Categories above (PHYSICAL, INVESTIGATIVE, CREATIVE, SOCIAL, BUSINESS, ANALYTICAL), choose your top THREE Interest Categories and enter them below -- be sure to pick one of the six CATEGORIES and not one of the Specific Interests.

My First Choice:

My Second Choice:

My Third Choice:

Which of the six categories - Physical, Investigative, Creative, Social, Business, or Analytical – had the most interests for you? This is an excellent indicator of the type of career and the type of day to day work that will be most interesting and satisfying for you.


ACTIVITY 4.3: CAREER DEVELOPMENT PLAN What is the Objective of this Activity? The object of this exercise is to help you create your own Career Development Plan, which is a personal roadmap for navigating through life as you work towards your Career and Life Goals. Remember, here are the differences between a Personal Development Plan and a Career Development Plan:

• A Personal Development Plan is focused on YOU and is more inward-looking. How will you build your skills, knowledge, and qualifications? What will you do to invest in yourself and enhance your attitude, motivation, and abilities?

• A Career Development Plan (this Activity) is focused on the world around you and is more outward-looking. Who will help you? What financial resources are available? What tools and technology will you need to reach your goals?

What Does This Activity Mean for Your Life?

If you have a Career Goal, now what? How do you get from here to there? What steps should you take? What do you need to do next? The point of this exercise is to help you create a plan that will help you answer these questions and build step-by-step instructions for getting to your Career Goal.

Instructions and Activities

Use the following Activity to create a Career Development Plan for getting from where you are today, to where you would like to be in the future. You can create multiple plans if you like. If you do, give each plan a title. This lets you create a big plan that shows how to reach your long term goal, and smaller plans to map smaller steps along the way. You may want to map one year or even one month at a time. Choose the size, or time period of the plan that works for you.


A key part of this process is to show your Career Plan to a trusted adult, such as a

parent, teacher, counselor, friend, or coach. They can help you execute your plan,

help remove obstacles, and suggest resources that will help you stay on course.

DECIDE MY OBJECTIVES, ACTION STEPS, RESOURCES, TIMING, AND SUPPORT

Below, for the FOUR “Career Planning Objectives”, enter the Objectives you want to accomplish to reach your Goals. For each Objective, describe up to four Action Steps that will move you toward that Objective. Then, enter the Resources available to you for this Objective.

"Objective" is defined as an intermediate outcome or result you will need to achieve in order to make progress toward your Goals. Your Goal is what's at the end of the path; your Objectives are the major steps along that path. For example, an Objective could be "Find financial resources for college." Your Action Steps might be:

1. Decide how much money I'll need for college 2. Talk to my parents about their help 3. Visit the counseling office at school 4. Search online for scholarships

Your Resources for this Objective could be: "Scholarship listings online, funds from parents, government loans, and materials in the high school counseling office."


MY FIRST CAREER PLANNING OBJECTIVE

MY FIRST OBJECTIVE

ACTION STEP ACTION STEP ACTION STEP ACTION STEP RESOURCES AVAILABLE (COUNSELORS, LIBRARY, PARENTS, INTERNET, ETC.): START DATE FINISH DATE WHO WILL HELP ME, AND HOW THEY CAN HELP:


MY SECOND CAREER PLANNING OBJECTIVE

MY SECOND OBJECTIVE



MY THIRD CAREER PLANNING OBJECTIVE

MY THIRD OBJECTIVE



MY FOUTH CAREER PLANNING OBJECTIVE

MY FOURTH OBJECTIVE



HOW DID I DO?

After you’ve completed all the action steps for a particular Objective, come back to this Course to fill in the section below. Evaluate how close you came to accomplishing your objective. Is it complete or is there more work to do? If there is more work, repeat the above process for the same objective, but this time include the actions that will help you accomplish your objective. Complete this section after you've reached your "finish dates" above. It may be weeks, months, or even years before you know these answers -- that's okay. Just remember to eventually consider "how did I do?" My 1st Objective: How did I do with this objective?

My 2nd Objective: How did I do with this objective?

My 3rd Objective: How did I do with this objective?

My 4th Objective: How did I do with this objective?


ACTIVITY 4.4: THE POWER IN YOUR FUTURE Purpose 1 To help you begin to define the personal and

professional future you want to build.

Purpose 2 To help you name the steps you can take to create that future.

Purpose 3 To help you name the talents you have to offer the world you are a part of and figure out how you can contribute to the world.

Why is it important to identify what you want in your life?


Why are people sometimes scared to name their ultimate hopes and dreams?

What can happen if you don’t identify what you really want?

Do you already know what you want to do with your future?

What if I DON’T KNOW what I really want from life?

That’s OK! Lots of people don’t know what they want. The important thing is that you keep searching for the answer. Try asking yourself some of the following questions to get your mind rolling. You can also go to all the activities in this e-book to explore possibilities. Remember that his process is about exploring what you really want from life, so there are NO wrong answers!


Is there something in your Individual Values and Interests or Real World Needs (above) that I could spend your career improving in this world?

Go to your previous Activities and copy your Values down here:

Brainstorm! What are some professions that promote your Individual Values?

HINT: On your computer or tablet, go to Real World Needs above and click on the links for all the individual Real World Needs. You’ll find lists of values and interests for all those careers and professions.

What kind of people (or species) do you enjoy working with? What age? What race? Are they sick or handicap? Young or old or your age? Do they live in this country or somewhere else in the world? Where do they work? Where do they live? How do they fit into the world?

Brainstorm! Write down the type of people you enjoy working with or helping:


Brainstorm! When you look at the type of people you enjoy working with, do you see clues for your future? What professions would allow you to work with these people on a regular basis?

Brainstorm! When you look at the type of people you enjoy working with, how could you help them people on a regular basis as a volunteer?

What are some of my favorite things to do for fun? What am I passionate about? What am I interested in?


Brainstorm! Do you have hobbies or sports or creative talents you could turn into your profession?

The Power in My Future: What contribution can you make?

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, this is the only thing ever has.” Margaret Meade

Everything you’ve learned about the inside of your SELF up to this point is coming together for something important outside of your SELF. Knowing who you are day in and day out, what you really care about, what makes you angry, what makes you happy, what fills up your gas tank, what holds you back... and all the parts of your unique design is fantastic. It’s important. It’s essential in STARTING to find joy and peace in your life. And yes, it’s only a start. There is MORE to it.

Once you’ve mapped the road within your SELF, you need to continue paving the road to the outside world. It’s tempting to stay inside once you’ve finally figured out who you are after so much searching. It feels like sweet relief to finally know your SELF well and become friends with that SELF. Many times people want to just hide out and protect themselves… fearful that the world will try to steal their inner peace. And that’s okay… for a little while.


It’s important to get comfortable with all the wonderful things you’ve learned about your SELF and try them out one day at a time in safe places. But don’t linger too long. The world needs you. And if you stay focused on your SELF too long and too intensely, you’ll lose sight of the greatest joy and peace you can find… giving to other people. You understand the self within, so you can use what you know about yourself to give back to the world in a way that fills you up and also helps others!

Why is it important to use your unique identity to GIVE BACK to the world?

What might you receive in return when you GIVE BACK to the world using your unique identity?

Why do many people miss this part of the puzzle to joyful living?


Take a look into your own identity and begin to define what you have to give to the world...

Is there something in your Individual Values that tells how you can help? Go to your Values Activity (above) and copy your Values down here:

Brainstorm! What can you do to help the world and promote your Individual Values at the same time?


The Power in My Future

If there are no rules, no obstacles, no fears, no limits… what do I really want in my life?

Review all the brainstorming you’ve done on the last two pages. Do you see anything that peaks your interest or gets you excited about the future? Write down anything and everything that might provide interesting work for you.

MY CAREER: I enjoy policies and procedures and fighting for the underprivileged. I want to be a lawyer, maybe even a politician…. The world needs some honest politicians!

It’s just as important to identify how you want your personal life to look as it is your professional life. After all, if you can identify it, you can make it happen. So let’s take a look at your family life… What will it look like?

MY FAMILY: I want to marry a person who respects me and lets me be my own person. I want to raise children that are honest and confident. I want to be single and successful.


What things will bring you inner peace and contentment? If you know now how to take care of your SELF, you can make a plan to feel good from the inside out… throughout your life.

MY INNER CONTENTMENT: I want to take good care of my physical self by exercising and eating right I want to be content with the way I look. I want to enjoy my work.

What difference do you want to make in the world?

Remember: “Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead

MY SOCIAL CONTRIBUTION: I want to make a difference in the lives of under privileged kids. I want to want to increase awareness of global warming and to do to stop it. I want to make a point to recycle everything I can.


Naming what you want from life is a GREAT start. Now you need a plan to start working towards your goals now. to make a plan to meet the goals you have set for yourself, you need to identify the potential obstacles you are facing in reaching those goals. Being honest with yourself and your focus will keep you on the right track.

MY CAREER:

I want to be a lawyer, possibly a politician. I want to make a positive change in society!

What could keep me from reaching this goal? (Fear or action)

Anything on my police record could keep me from this goal.

What needs to change for me to reach this goal?

I need to stop drinking and driving. If I go to a party and only have two beers and get pulled over for anything, it will go on my record and possibly keep me out of law school. Besides, if a party gets busted that will hurt me, too.

What is my action plan to create this change?

I need to find some people to hang out with that don’t have to go to parties every weekend or I need to NOT drink when I do go.

Am I willing to pursue this goal?


MY FAMILY:

I want to marry a person who respects me and lets me be my own person.


Anything on my police record could keep me from this goal.


I need to make a point to only date people who respect me and support me in what I do.


I will write down how I expect a person to treat me. I will only date people who can get close to the list. I will treat others with the same respect, so hopefully I will attract the kind of person I want.


MY INNER PEACE:

I want to be content with the way I look.


I am too hard on myself. I am never happy with myself when I look in the mirror.


I need to appreciate myself and look for the good things about me. I need to realize I am unique & one of a kind.


I will make a list of five things I really like about my looks. Maybe it’s my hair or my smile or my nose… I will read that list out loud in the mirror every morning.



MY SOCIAL CONTRIBUTION:

I want to fight global warming.


I don’t know enough about global warming to carry on a smart conversation about it, but I know it’s important.


I simply need to educate myself about the topic. There have to be a million websites. I need to weed through the info and find real facts, too.


I will schedule 15 minutes each week when I am at the computer to start digging around and researching global warming.


Write down important discoveries you’ve made about what you want to do with YOUR future!

Congratulations for completing this course! You’re on your

way to a productive, purposeful, and satisfying future!


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