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Success for Teens: Chapter 4: Everything Starts With Small Steps

Point #1: The First Step Looks Harder Than It Is

Discussion and Reflection:

• Would you have done what Brian did? Why or why not?

• Have you ever taken a risk like that? What happened?

• Was Brian a success or failure? In what ways did he fail? In what ways was he a success? 

Point #2: There’s No Such Thing as a Lucky Break

Discussion and Reflection:

• What is your reaction to what you just read?

• Why do people wait for lucky breaks?

• Do you believe that people make their breaks, or that breaks come to them? Why?

Point #3: Make the Steps as Small as You Can

Discussion and Reflection:

• Do you relate to what Desiree and Jacob described? Why or why not?

• Have you ever broken a large task into small steps? What happened?

• Why do some projects or goals seem overwhelming? What makes them scary?

Point #4: The Second Step Is Just As Important

Discussion and Reflection:

Review the steps on p. 62 that Allison took to be successful:

• She adjusted her course. When she didn’t get a paying job at first, she took an unpaid internship. That experience led to a paying job later on.

• She was persistent. Looking for a job is one of the hardest things in life for anyone of any age, but Alison didn’t give up.

• She started at the bottom. She took the first job offered to her, even if it was the lowest paid position in the company.

• She put up with difficulty on the job. Her feet were killing her, but she still showed up.

• She created her own luck. By not giving up and taking action, she put herself in the position to take advantage of a better job when it came around. 

 

• Would you have persisted, like Alison, or given up? Why?

• Have you ever looked for or had a job? How was the experience similar to or different from Alison’s?

• What’s the main point you learned from her story?