The

ABZ
School Of Life Youth Handbook

Swade Johnson
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COPYRIGHT 1999
REVISED COPYRIGHT 2018
 Contents
Acknowledgments - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1
Introduction - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2
Parent-to-Parent - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3
Attitude - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4-5
Why You Are In School - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -6-7

8-10- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Your Homework

11-13 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Raising Your IQ
14-17 - - - -Respect For Authority: At Home, In School, In Life!
18-20 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Graduation Time

College: Are “You” Going? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 21

How Money Works - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 22-25
A Look at Corporate America - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 26-28
Your Resume: When Do I Start One? - - - - - - - - - - - - 29-31
The Job Interview - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -32-33
Where to Look for JOBS? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -34-36
So-Called Job Security - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -37-38

39-40 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -The Jump-Start

41-42 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Start Your Own Business
43-44 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -The “Three Foot Rule”
45-47 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sex, Drugs, Alcohol
48 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -No More Being Bored

Rewards in Life - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -49-50

 Acknowledgments
It is impossible to move along the escalator of life and not reflect on the people who share it with you and
make a lasting impact in your life along the way. Too many times the impact they make is realized and
appreciated later in life. Like a plant leaf our personal growth needs watering and caring in order to grow.

Looking back helps you see in front of you.

You fall so that you learn how to get back up.

Success is a team effort because you simply cannot make it alone.

A special thanks to my dear wife for her endless support and labor of love in revising and re-creating this
handbook that has been sitting idle for over 18 years and now has been made available for your convenience,
enjoyment and success. This revision truly has her name and signature on it as well. Thanks also to all my
friends and mentors in sales, business and management for all your encouragement and support.

Swade Johnson

1
 Introduction
O ne of the most important points I want to stress in this handbook is that all young ones need
every advantage they can get to enter into society and make it in today’s world. Our youth
need guidance to steer them away from the many mistakes that we adults have made in the
past or are experiencing now. Mistakes that can take years to fix, if at all possible. Do we agree? Sure we
do and that is why knowledge is indeed power and I wished I had learned the lessons expressed in this
handbook when I was young and growing up.
The “School of Life” is truly a teacher in itself, so when it comes to education, today’s youth are
on page 800. But when it comes to “life” our young ones are on page 2000 because they are exposed to
everything like the entertainment world, crime, sex, lifestyles, government, scandals, violence, war,
bombings, disease, government issues, school shootings, pornography and so much more.
Exposure is therefore a school and our young ones really have two schools going on at the same
time in their head. This means they are getting mixed signals, ideas, lessons, impressions and values that
will ultimately impact their future. Here is where the ABZ School of Life Youth Handbook got its roots to
grow to completion and now revised.
This is not a cure all or anything perfect, but it is simply a tool to help the youth, parents, teachers,
tutors, and school programs to address the challenges that all youth face as they move towards age 18 and
enter into society. Many of the concepts are tried and proven by many highly successful people and therein
lies the real value to the student of this handbook. Many agree that it is truly a “wake-up call”, a “head
start” or a “jump-start” for today’s youth to enter into society and make a positive contribution.
Let it be known to all that life is really 90 percent mental, meaning what you think is everything,
so get excited and be positive as you journey through your handbook and start chartering your course with
your parents help, your teachers help, your grandparents help or your older brothers and sisters help. Use
this book to go back to time and again, especially when you feel down, mad, challenged or discouraged.

Now before we get started there is an important message from “Parent–to-Parent”

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 Parent-to-Parent
T
o Parents: You should all be recognized, applauded and praised for meeting the incredible
challenge of being a parent and especially a high five to single parents who burn the candle
on both ends doing it all! This handbook was written clearly with you in mind to serve as a
tool to help you both relate and guide your children to adulthood. You no doubt have already instilled in
your children some of the values of what you are going to read, and again, that is very commendable. This
will only help you to reach your children’s heart and remind them that it is not just your thoughts to help
guide them, but rather thousands of successful people from all walks of life agree with the wisdom you are
trying to instill in them because you want them to be truly successful in life.

We as parents know that there is no free lunch and that one must simply pay a price for anything
of value in life. Once our youth really grasp this sobering key and know that the rewards are more than
worth it, then they will be motivated to move forward with a sense of reality. Hopefully they will not think
only of “now” or “instant success” or “that things will simply work out” which can even creep into adults
thinking process and lead to the same disappointment.

No place better for a youth to start on a successful course than in their own home and in school.
It is important to know that the pattern they start to establish will create footprints stepped in again and
again as an adult. Their ability to follow instructions, respect authority, do homework and chores, pass a
test, and get along with people of different backgrounds, yes, everything they respond to will bring good or
bad results to themselves. Success or failure, happiness or sadness, being lazy or industrious and finally
being positive or negative. With all the distractions our youth face today it can be very difficult to lay good
footprints as a youth that secure good footprints as a teen, and then as an adult.
Once again, parents have the toughest job on earth and I want to personally applaud you and hope
this handbook helps you give your children an advantage in this thing called life.

3
 Attitude
Y
our attitude is “everything” as the saying goes, and it is true! But why? Let’s first look at the
word itself. Webster’s dictionary defines attitude:

“A mental position or feeling with regard to a fact or state”.

How you feel inside your mind when you know for a fact that you are the very best in spelling,
math, reading, swimming, tennis, or anything is always good and positive.
But it is your attitude that prevents you from quitting along the way, all to become the “best” at
whatever it is you want to do. Yes, how you think inside your head can send you negative or positive
messages, and surely you want to send positive messages to your head. Here is the key: You have to be
positive even more today because there are so many negative things always coming out at you from all
sides of life. As a youth it is hard to think positive or good thoughts. In fact it is easier to think negative
thoughts because you see more bad things than good. You hear more bad things than good. This world we
live in is a “I want it now” kind of world and people get negative, discouraged, sad and mad when they
can’t have what they want right now.
Also constant advertisements with TV commercials, videos, magazines and billboards always in
your face “whipping up” our desire to have more money, cars, boats, clothes, toys, shoes, vacations and
diamonds and this list goes on and on. Youths are also attacked with advertising to get you to pressure mom
and dad to get this or that toy, jacket, jeans, cap, high dollar tennis shoes, designer jeans, play station game,
and again the list goes on and on with the same message of having or getting more.
The point is that as a youth you can waste valuable time being negative or mad or sad about not
getting what you want “now.” Then you become negative about everything including school, work,
homework and chores you have at home, things your mom and dad tell you to do, or your teacher, crossing
guard, older brother or sister, aunt, uncle, grandparents, or anyone else that cares about you! Can we now
see how your attitude can affect you day in and day out?
People who are winners keep a positive attitude. Now get this right… even when they are not
getting the things they want or have not reached the goals they’ve set just yet, I repeat “yet”. They know
by staying positive and working hard they will one day have what they are reaching for if they don’t get
negative and quit! Now do you know how Michael Jordan became so awesome? He was not born as a
superstar, and you know it, don’t you? Of course you do. He set goals and focused on reaching them.
However, there is one thing special about “attitude.” A negative attitude can be changed to a
positive one so that it will move you to success in life. It happens all the time, especially in sports. So make
sure you start thinking positive and exciting things about yourself, no matter what is going on your life.
Every child, kid, and youth is special, important, unique, and different and yes, that means you!

So, do not rob yourself of the best advantage that you have. You are… YOUNG, GROWING,
LEARNING, STRETCHING. Work on your attitude now so that you may be in the driver’s seat of
“life.” Remember that adults also have a hard time with attitude so develop a clear advantage by learning
not to be negative!

4
 As a youth or an adult in life there will be times when you will fail, tumble, mess it up, do dumb
things, hurt, cry, yell and scream. At those times get yourself back up off the ground and keep going! Learn
from your mistakes and turn back on “positive attitude.” Don’t take yourself so seriously, in fact, laugh it
off and keep going. You are on a long road called “life.” So don’t be in a hurry, take your time and enjoy
the journey of learning and applying what you learn and see the advantage you are giving yourself by
starting off now while you are still young. Get excited because the advantage is real and worth your every
effort.

Let’s now talk about why you are really in school…

5
 Why You Are In

School
W
hen I talk to teachers they usually say that many of today’s youth think they are in school
because their parents tell them they have to go. Is that how you feel? Don’t worry many
kids your age probably feel this way! When I was growing up I felt the same
way too. Your parents are right in telling you to go to school and also for staying on you to do
well. Why? Because this is why you are in school: You are in school to be prepared
to enter society or life as a responsible young adult. One that can add to the goodness
of the city, town, state, and country. One that can live, work, drive, rent, or buy a place
to live and add to the quality of life, not just of yourself, but of your neighbors and your community.
With preparation, you can gain the skills to secure a good job, or start a business to provide for
yourself and your family. All in all, you will also be able to give your children one day the same good
lessons that you’ve received. They too will go to school, learn how to read, write, add, subtract, and yes,
learn and do good in school like you. One day your children too will turn 18 years old and enter society to
make either a good or bad contribution.
Now stop and ask yourself what kind of life would I as a parent want for my kids? Is it to skip
school and not learn the very things that everyone else knows? Is it to raise children that are irresponsible
as they grow older? Is it to have kids who can’t find a good job, or one that can’t qualify for any colleges…
or those that are lazy, negative and want something for nothing? Worse yet, those that are not able to read
and think with the gifted mind they were born with or not able to add to the good of people? Of course not!
You don’t want to become a bad parent only to pass on bad to your own children without ever giving
anything good to them.
Of course you would not want that and neither does your parents or parent. You are in school to
get better as you move on to the next grade level and the next grade level after that and so
on. You will eventually grow, learn and become more responsible for your actions. You
will be responsible for everything, like everything that comes out of your mouth,
everything that you do, and every way you treat people.
Responsibility will always be a part of your life. As you get older you will have more
responsibilities. Then you will move to the next grade level only to learn more and master
the knowledge you have acquired, then get ready for the next level. Each grade level is like
a step up a ladder. As you continue to climb to age 18 you are constantly taken another step upwards. So
ask yourself: How are you doing in school? How is your attitude? These things you need to master in order
to take another step up the ladder and not fall back.
You are not in school to be cool and hang out with friends, look at girls, get into fights, act up,
cause trouble, find drugs, have sex, ditch classes or talk back because somebody says it is being “cool.”

6
 You are not in school to prevent others from learning and block them from progressing up the
ladder steps. You are in school to make sure that you are focused on stepping in the right direction… UP.

Be glad that you even have a school to go to because many do not and they have to work harder
on being positive. They do not have as many things as you have, things that many youths take for granted
until they grow up and have kids of their own to provide care for. School is like the front door to life. Keep
striving to be your best in all you do and make sure you get through the front door successfully.
There will always be somebody who tries to pull you down and prevent you from getting near
the front door. What they are really saying is “I don’t care about you and I don’t care about school.” Do
you know why your parents and loved ones all want to see you do well? It’s because they are confident that
you will indeed make an impact on not just your life, but their life as well and for good, not bad. Yes, you
will affect people around you in your home, school, neighborhood and city you live in with a positive view.
Remember, that you are in school to prepare yourself to enter society as a responsible person who
can make it in this world. It is sad to see some youth struggle in learning and developing in school. You
need to master reading and I mean be an “excellent” reader even if it means getting extra help. Reading is
a big key. There are some adults that do not have good reading skills and you can see it makes life harder
for them, so get busy reading. It will help you get the most out of your homework assignments, projects
and following instructions. Learn to love reading because it also helps you grow and develop in
knowledge, understanding and thinking ability.

Keep striving to be your best in all you do.

7
 Your Homework
H
omework, homework, homework. What is a youth to do? Your homework is really a great
time to work on your success ladder in so many ways, but most youth would rather watch
that TV program they like so much. Have you even wondered why programs seem to be on
TV at the same time you should be studying? Well, have you?
There is a certain time everyday called “prime time.” It is during 8 pm to 11 pm, it is the time
when most people are home including the children. Stop and think about how many cool programs are on
TV and those that are primarily directed to you? The programs are always funny with laughing, hip young
teens, with their life in school, home and personal life including some boyfriends and girlfriends parts. And
what about those commercials?
If you check your TV guide, you will find that these programs come on one after the other, and
every week. No wonder they become a kid’s favorite one, or two, or three programs. Yes, my daughters
had theirs favorite programs too. I noticed how they rushed through their homework so they don’t miss
their favorite TV program. It would also leave them tired the next morning when it was time to get ready
for school because they were up watching TV late at night.
As mentioned in the beginning of this handbook, a youth’s mind is under attack day after day
and therefore the mind is storing what it has taken in during the day good or bad. Doing your homework
assignments are like big steps towards becoming an adult. How? Well, first it is a very big responsibility
that you will answer for! That is something that will only increase as you get older. What is that? Being
responsible and answering for it when you are not.
Start now buy thinking of getting an “A” grade on your homework and tests. Think of it as earning
money, you know $$$$!!! You might be saying to yourself the “A” is not money, but it really is! How?
Because reaching out to be your best by getting “A’s” will only help you to do your best in everything. That
means getting the best education so that you can get the best job, all because you have the right skills. You
will make more money because you have mastered the skills in school. Later as you get older there will be
more jobs that require studying, interviews and guess what? Taking tests that you will need to pass.
If you do not take your homework seriously now and do your best, you are going to pay a big
price. When it is time to get paid and you apply for a job or do anything that requires studying, thinking,
passing tests, filling out applications, or applying for college, it could become a big obstacle. Some adults
today flunk tests because they did not master the techniques of studying and learning when they were in
school like you are now. So the “A” is really like money in the bank that will be paid later on when you
grow up, enter society and “compete” in the job market.

8
 Remember that the “A” = $$$$ and represents the very highest grade or score you can hit. If a
“B” was the highest score then fine, but it’s not! You have to take speaking, reading, writing and numbers
seriously and I mean “seriously.” As an adult you cannot avoid using those skills every single day that you
live. So your homework is really a time to advance your skills that you will use in the future. This is also
why some adults cannot get high paying jobs or promotions at work. This is also one of the reasons why
many adults end up going back to night school to get the education they missed when they were young.
This one adult had a business he started and should have been going out to look for customers.
Instead he spent all his time watching TV rather than trying to find new customers. One day his friend
finally told him: “Every time you watch TV put your wallet on top of the TV. When you are finished
watching TV, look inside your wallet and tell me how much money you earned okay?” Well he finally got
the point…zero!
It is the same with you, watching TV steals the time you should be working on your homework,
and being positive about it. Since you know now that you are investing in yourself for a big “payday” when
you become adult, you shouldn’t fear the things many adults still fear today: reading out loud, studying,
concentrating, pronunciation, filling out applications, taking test (including math questions), looking a
person in the eye during an interview, answering questions and everything else you may need to deal with
as a responsible adult seeking the things you need to take care of yourself.
It is easier to watch a superstar than pay the price to be a superstar. It is easier to watch youths
that are successful on TV than to strive to be your best so that you can be successful at the goal or dream
that you want to reach! Kids have dreams and some adults have nightmares because most quit paying the
price to reach their dreams no matter how big or small they are. Most just give up because it got hard and
life had too many distractions, setbacks, bumps, mountains, holes, pain, sorrow, and more hurdles that got
in the way. That is why you need to take responsibility and take homework seriously. Once you can see the
importance of homework, you should be excited to do it, and look forward to learning and working to be
your best in all you do. You’ll do this because you know it is money in the bank for YOU!
Get help when you need it and never think that you are asking a “stupid” question. Ask, ask, ask
and ask your parents, teacher, counselor, older siblings, or grandparents. Homework is the time to really
advance and be on top of your assignments in reading, spelling, math, writing as well as those reports and
projects. In everything you do, you can go for the “A!” Don’t think you are missing out for not watching
the biggest thief in the family… the TV! There will be time for TV… don’t worry. The “price” you pay for
doing your best on your homework will soon become rewarded in the A’s you get because you are a winner!

9
 Winner? Yes, everything in school is a challenge. You either win or lose, pass or fail, hold your
head up or hang it down, fight to the end or quit. In fact that is what makes people different, different from
those that are successful and those that are failures. Adults too, are facing challenges right now as you read
this. See why you have to be positive in your mind? You have to tell yourself, “I can do it, I will do it, I
won’t let people get in the way to my success or of the goals I’ve set!” This is how Michael Jordan and all
the superstars think. They are focused on the goals they set knowing that the price to pay is worth it.
Be sure not to stay up too late because you want to be ready, alert, sharp, and of course positive
for the next day of school. Especially since you paid the price by really putting the time in to do your
homework and know your assignments better than others. What you put in is exactly what you’re going to
get out. You will also get praise from your teachers which always, always feels great and lets you know
that your hard work paid off.
No teacher is going to just give you an “A.” You have to earn it and don’t you ever forget it.
Watch TV or do your homework…? You know the answer. Here is a very important tip that will add to
your ‘value’ as a young adult: You must learn Spanish! If you don’t, you will end up like millions of adults
who wish they learned it. You will be in demand and many opportunities in life will open up if you know
another language or languages. Let’s repeat this one more time, learn Spanish and learn it well. Stop and
use your mind to see your future life and money making opportunities grow because you are able to speak
two languages or even more! How many languages does Kobe Bryant speak? Look up the answer.
You simply are worth more because you know more and that makes sense right? Sure it does. It
is now a good time to talk about raising your IQ or your intelligence. Millions of people only use a tiny
amount of their brain ability while the brain ability and IQ can clearly be increased higher. Have you ever
heard of tests called IQ tests? They are test to tell you how smart or intelligent a person is and some people
young and old alike are very, very smart.

10
 Raising Your I.Q.
Y
our brain is just like a muscle and needs to be exercised like your body. Your homework is
really a time to think or exercise your brain in a different setting than your classroom. Your
home or library has a different feeling than the classroom. You feel a little more relaxed and
less pressure. You also have less pressure when you know the answers and know what the teacher is talking
about, don’t you?
It is also a good idea to get an appointment book or planner. You can write down all the things
you have to do the next day, like what time to get up (don’t be late!), homework time, house chores time,
relax time, bed time, and so on. Take this tip to heart, because making good use of your time has already
been proven to be important to your success. You get more done when you are organized. Many busy
people, doctors, firemen, and superstars have an appointment book. Be organized and get things done. There
is another reason why I’m bringing this up. You are going to have to put down a time to work on your IQ
and gradually raise your intelligence level. Do it once or twice a week, even on the weekends.

Use your
How do you do
this? Dictionary!

Look up different words and learn what they mean. Don’t make this hard, just a couple of words
each week. Understand the new word you found and put it into a sentence or statement. This can be fun
because people who are very successful use words that most people don’t understand because “they” do
not hang around them. It is like talking to an attorney or lawyer. They use big words that other attorneys
and lawyers understand as well as what the court judge understands… it is like a different language. The
same is true with doctors and hospitals, especially drugs stores that carry pills and medications with words
that are hard to say or understand.
Because your mind is young and fresh, you can very easily learn two or five new words a week
and have fun doing it! These would be words that your classmates have probably never heard or learned in
school! You may also know that computers have their own language too. Think about how you look and
sound when you can use big words as a youth and know what they really mean. Using these new words
everyday will only increase your IQ or intelligence for sure.
This will also prevent you from becoming fearful or nervous when someone that appears to be
real powerful, sharp, intimidating, or a “know-it-all” talks to you. This can happen to adults and especially
when they apply for a job.

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 The company president wants to ask them few questions to get a feel for the person before the
company decides to hire that person. You have to enjoy learning and make time for it to really get a
reward for learning “new” words and using them.
That is the problem with so many youths. They want to have everything and dream for it, but
don’t want to pay the price to get it. You are going to have to pay a price, one that is not so bad when you
stop and think about it, especially when you are young. Learn this point and get started now and have fun!
There is also something that is very special about studying and reading the dictionary. You are
exploring the very foundation of the American language that is the “English” language. This brings up a
very important point: Most adults do not really know how deep the English language is because even in
school, they like you, were never shown the full range of word choices and their meaning. People that use
big words use words that most people never use. When we learn English in school we are learning the
basics, which does us good in communicating with people on a day-to-day basis. The only problem is that
normal day-to-day speaking is usually basic everyday language. We are not motivated to dig deeper and
master English. Because life can push you into a day-to-day routine, one that is normal and average, you
will fit in with all the other normal and average people that have not expanded their minds in the very
language of the land.
The same language that all of us are taught when we first enter school is the same language that
you are taught! If we all get the same start in English, why do most of us not take the time to learn our own
language? It’s probably because the majority of people are “average” and to deal with them and live it does
not require us to expand our words. But if you go to college, study computer, medicine, law science,
business, marketing, or even English, you will expand your words and your IQ.
The English language is awesome once we learn deeper than the surface vocabulary of words.
Have you seen kids using big words on TV, and the people in the audience laughing because it’s supposed
to be funny? Well, the fact that kids can use big words should tell you that your brain too is ready for it
now! Take for example cartoons like Bugs Bunny. You’ve heard him talk about adult subjects like doctors,
lawyers, lawsuits, medicine, attorney’s and other “adult” subjects in a funny cartoon. How about Roger
Rabbit? Remember that time when Toon Town was attacked and there was a land deed or will that was lost
which claimed the rights of the land? Kids do not think to explore these “words” because they are too busy
laughing at the cartoon. Once again, kids are exposed to big words all the time, but are not encouraged to
learn them at a young age.
You are however encouraged to laugh, have fun, giggle, watch TV and more TV! Many people
will say that you are young or that you have a long time to worry about your vocabulary. Don’t forget that
you are investing in yourself by starting at a young age to prepare to enter society and “make it!” You will
get a better job than most by speaking the English language with power and by communicating words better
than most. You will have a higher IQ than most because you started now while you are young and did not
wait until you were older. People lack motivation and that is where you will exceed because you know how
important it is to have a positive attitude. You know you have to tell yourself, “Yes! I can do this! Yes! It
is possible.” Tell yourself if I start young, I will clearly have a greater chance at success in life while the
other kids waste precious time that you cannot get back.

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 Okay, here is the word:

Convoluted, or con-vo-lu-ted
=convoluted

If you check your dictionary you’ll find it means involved or intricate. “Intricate” you say to
yourself? Well how do we find out what “intricate” means? You look that up right? Sure you do! Now you
find intricate to mean “difficult, or hard to follow or understand.” You might now be saying to yourself,
what about the word involved? What do we do to find out what that word means? Look it up in my
d_________, right? Sure! Here it is: involved means “intricate”! Well how about that?
Okay, then “convoluted” means “involved or intricate or something hard to follow or
understand.” What about a big book with “big words” or a doctor’s medicine book or perhaps some part of
your homework? Let’s now put the word ‘convoluted’ into a sentence because now you really know what
that word means.
Here is one: This homework project has become convoluted and I need some help. Wow! Can
you see mom’s eyes getting bigger and their ears starting to move? They might not know what “convoluted”
means, as some adults won’t. So, you smile and help them understand your big word by saying, “convoluted
means hard to follow or understand.” Now you are on your way to reading better, learning more than most,
and speaking better with power. You will have a good feeling about yourself because your intelligence is
growing. Don’t know what ‘intelligence’ means? Look it up in your d_________!
There are some people on this earth who have read the entire dictionary from cover to cover!
Can you imagine their conversation and the words they use? Don’t forget that we are still talking about the
English language. Also, be sure to go back to any word that I used or will use as we move forward in this
handbook and use your dictionary to help you understand a word you have trouble with.
Raising your intelligence and IQ level is a great gold mine that will serve you well everyday of
your life. Your mind is ready to grow and grow! Now, you might agree that knowledge is POWER, and
you are the one in charge of your mind. It is up to you to feed it more knowledge that will benefit you now
and later as you grow older. It is also up to you to avoid the negative or destructive input that only kills
your motivation to be successful. Remember that people only use a small percent of their mind’s potential
power. How about you?
What you think affects everything you do. That is why you have to watch out for everything
your mind takes in. Digging in the dictionary, learning to read better than most, and speaking English to a
wide degree is one way to focus on positive things that will clearly reward you now. It will also reward you
“big time” in the future as you move closer to the special age of 18 and become an adult. Next thing you
know you are 21! It will happen so fast! So value, treasure and of course protect your super computer…your
mind.

Now let’s talk about respect for authority. It is very important to make your way in life
successful.

Remember: KNOWLEDGE is POWER

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Respect for This is a special
part of your
handbook. The

Authority
values and lessons
here will speak
for itself…

At home, In School, In Life

W
hen you are born into this world, “authority” along with many different levels of power
will already surround you. The older you get the more you will deal with authority
that has higher power. It is impossible to escape this very real lesson. How you view
authority growing up can make your road ahead rough or smooth. Once you enter society you will realize
that authority is all around you and there is a price to pay if you refuse to obey.
That is why we start at home since it’s clear what happens to you when you do not obey your
parent or parents, right? The big problem is that the word “respect” is kind of fading away from people’s
vocabulary and mind. A long time ago “respect” meant something of value. People would even demand
respect especially if they give respect to others in how they treat a human being. The word “respect” means:
To have a high or special regard or esteem; to refrain from interfering with another’s
privacy or right.

This says a lot because respecting authority means having a high regard for it and not interfering
or blocking the right of the person or thing that has the authority. Today you will see youths everywhere
and adults too, disrespecting and disobeying authority. You wonder why it’s so hard for people to this day.
Here comes that good old TV to help show you even more disrespect for authority. This form
of disrespect comes wrapped in comedy or something funny like cartoons… you know which ones they
are. There are also programs that are cool and fun to watch, but they don’t help because you see kids talking
back to parents on TV. You would have never seen or heard anything like that when “respect” had more
meaning and was used more often. Adults have their TV programs and movies that display no respect for
authority too. So don’t feel like you are being picked on. It surrounds you everywhere and every youth sees
it in class, at the playground, gym, hallway, cafeteria, bathroom, or other places at school.
No wonder a youth at home acts up when his parents ask or tell him to do something. The more
you get to mouth off back to your parents and the more you get away with it, the more you will do it. Do
you think it is cool to talk back to your parents or teachers because many youth do it? Does that make you
‘tuff’ or ‘cool’ or ‘down’ like the other hardheaded, disrespectful, disobedient, rebellious youths that are
blowing their future hopes now? Why is that so? Here is a reality check: you will always have to deal with,
listen to, follow and obey some kind of authority in life.

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 So, the question is….do you have authority as a youth in school over your parents or your teacher?
NO! Too many youths have tried and will continue to try to test their parents. However, you simply are not
an adult and have yet to pay the price your parents or parent have paid and are still paying. You have not
lived long enough to match or gain your parents or your teachers experience, knowledge and wisdom in
life. Your parents took you from birth and cared for you when you could not walk, talk, stand, wash, bathe,
or dress yourself. Don’t you think that it is sad that as soon as a youth can start to do those very things on
their own they now start talking back, giving that “look”, yelling, cursing, and swearing at the same parents
who raised you? Or your teacher who is trying to help you make progress in life? It is disrespectful to
disobey your parent’s or parent authority as well as your teachers.
And here is a good time to let you know that the older you get, the more you will deal with
authority in life, and you flat out cannot get around this sobering wake-up call. You have to respect authority
to drive a car, or while you are working under your supervisor’s authority, when you pay rent, taxes, or if
you go to court and when you are stopped by a police officer. The list goes on and on and on. So, start now
showing respect for your parents, teachers, and older adults. Do what they ask you to do because they both
care and love you very much. At home you should know exactly what your parents ask of you whether it is
empty the trash, clean up your room…DO YOUR HOMEWORK, wash the dishes, or cut the grass. Do it
and with a good attitude.
Why add to your parents or teacher’s already hard and many times stressful day by having them
come home from work to be challenged by you, to argue with you to do what they asked you. Same at
school, do not give your teacher a hard time or the other youths in your class a hard time. Remember, one
day you are going to have a boss at work that will ask you to do things as part of your job title description.
Do your part to make your home, classroom and job peaceful and happy by giving respect to those to whom
it is due. Of course you will see some youth in school and in their home talk back and disrespect their
teacher and parents anyway but do not laugh at what they do because it should tell you by now that they
don’t care about the very ones trying to help them. It is not cool and neither are they, they just think they
are cool.

Now a word about your teacher:

Many times a youth would simply say, “I don’t like my teacher.”

Maybe you have said the same thing. It happens all the time, but your
teacher is a very special kind of person in many ways that youths
don’t think about or respect.
Your teachers have dedicated their lives to helping children of
all races and colors to take good footsteps toward becoming an adult. They play a very important role in
your life. You have heard adults say they can still remember their school teacher when they were a kid, all
because the teacher had an impact in their life growing up. Stop and think about all the kids that come and
go through a teacher’s classroom, just to have new kids come in the next year and every year thereafter.
These are students that teachers have never known, but are still waiting and ready to try and
educate every last one of them. They strive to give youths the tools they need so that they can graduate to
the ‘next’ grade level and so on.
A teacher’s heart has a love of giving and sharing their life, all to help improve society by
becoming a school teacher for “you.” Also they help you be a good reader, understand math, speak properly,
and know the English” language, learn history, and learn the difference between good and bad.

15
 Your teacher’s guidance plays a huge role in your life and helps you avoid getting into trouble
at a young age so that you can focus on your growth. So here it is and it’s simple: Have proper respect for
authority including the authority of your teachers. Can you imagine what life would be like for a youth
without school teachers? Ouch! They work hard, year after year and some work during summer time to
help you young ones keep learning and growing. Yes, they truly care about you! However, with all the
work, effort, care and concern they show for you, they do not get enough “thank you” or “I really appreciate
you” or “we need you so much”. Instead, they hear “I can’t stand my teacher” or “they are boring”.

With that said, let’s now get right down to it:

The teacher was there first long before you got to school or long before you went to the next
grade level. They themselves have been to school and trained for their position to be a teacher which means
they have studied for test exams, taken them and successfully passed them. So, they really do deserve
respect and honor for the position they hold as “teacher” and they are very good at their job. All you have
to do is what they tell you and ask you to do as you keep in mind to respect and appreciate their authority.
Teachers want to see you win and move on to the next higher grade level and succeed there too.
They want to see you one day graduate from high school and enter society as a “winner” and not a “loser”.
When teachers hear good things about their past students later in life, the “good things” they hear are truly
rewards for them and it makes them feel proud to be a teacher and reminds them that it’s worth all their
hard work for you and all the other students that pass thru their classrooms. We have heard many sports
heroes talk about how their teacher played a big part in them becoming successful, how they learned to
work hard, study, be responsible and stay out of trouble. Can you imagine how teachers feel to hear that
kind of praise from their students? It makes them feel GREAT!
Now do teachers have to answer to authority in their lives like you do? Yes, yes, yes! Remember,
as an adult there is simply more authority to deal with and responsibility. It brings order to society so that
life in this world does not go crazy. It helps prevent people from just doing whatever they want to regardless
of who they hurt, abuse or even kill. It gives society order and a respect for life. Get it? Sure you do. As
you get older you will see that there is a difference in “liking” somebody and “respecting their authority”.
And, here is why…..

16
 As an adult you might not like your employer, boss, supervisor, secretary, bank teller, apartment
landlord, police officer, doctor, nurse, and the list goes on and on and on. Right? Get this into your head
while you are young because you cannot escape this fact of life. These same people all deserve respect for
what they do for others and knowing this just makes life more enjoyable and it’s better than fighting for
everything and getting down about all the things you don’t like in life and cannot control.
Respect the police, trash man, fireman, bus driver, baby sitter, security guard, yes people! Can
you add more to this list? Sure you can! And, don’t forget your parents and teachers.

This is a good time to bring up the ugly words of hate and prejudice.

It can even happen at school which raises the question: Where in the world would a young boy or
girl learn to hate people because they are not the same color or race, or do not have the same beliefs? Well,
let’s stop and think. It is something that is “taught”. Regardless, know for a fact that love and respect does
not see color or race. It looks at a human being of the same flesh and blood as all of us with a heart, mind
and body. Be glad the world of people are not all the same color. WOW! That would be very dull and
boring. Sports players make it known that regardless of their teammates skin color they are indeed a team,
no color lines there! A high-five, a thumbs up, a hug, a dance, a point of the finger….yes, it’s clear they are
a team respecting each player’s skill and talent that contributes to the team’s effort to compete, and WIN!

Now, keep in mind that you may see and may even experience the ugly words of hate and
prejudice because it has a long history. Take for example the year 1999. On April 20, 1999, Columbine
High School in Littleton Colorado, located in a little suburb of Denver saw the nation’s deadliest school
shooting leaving dozens dead and wounded as two youths dressed in black trench coats swept through the
high school with guns and explosives for a terrible suicide attack. Many said the killers were gunning for
minorities and athletes!
How do you feel when you hear news like this? The world was shocked back then and today we
still see and hear shocking news which makes this point so clear: Contribute to the good of society, being
your best, happy and positive all while you respect authority and people. Learn from your teachers and be
glad they care about you along with your parents or parent because: What you do in life matters to all
people when you look at the big picture, “LIFE” on planet earth!

17
 Graduation Time
T his is a goal to always be thinking about because there are many graduating steps leading
up to the big one! When you go from one grade level to the next, you are in fact
“graduating” to that next level. Of course, the big graduation is your 12 th year graduation
day and from there you have choices to go to college, trade school or go right to work, or even start a
business.

The key is to appreciate the grade levels leading up to the 12 th grade graduation day because
they are a solid indicator as to how you are growing in knowledge, maturity and attitude. For example did
you do well in 5th grade before you went to the 6th grade and from the 6th grade to the 7th grade? Tracking
how you are doing from one grade level to the next is very important because each grade level is a little
harder requiring more study, preparation and education. This will tell the teacher, your parents and you the
real progress you have made, are making and how you will be doing in the next grade level. So, here is the
bottom line message: Take every grade level seriously!

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Where to Look for

JOBS
I
t used to be that every Sunday you could get the paper to see the new job openings and
especially starting the new year when employers wanted to start hiring people after they
have their targeted budget and goals to hit for the new year. While things have changed over
the years however some things are the same when using your computer, tablet or cellphone to check out
jobs. They still have to be according to job category like health, sales, management, accountant, nurse,
maintenance, warehouse, supervisor and so on.
You can still check online for the newly added jobs and how long they run and here is the key
to searching jobs: Some job catagories simply have “more jobs available than others” and
you will notice this as you do your job search. Today, you have Craigs List, Career Builder, Indeed and
other job search programs and you can even click at the bottom for job openings to be sent to your email!
Is that cool or what? You can also post your resume online with these same job search programs so
employers can see you and your skill set, experience and talent. Again, things have changed from the old
days because of technology so be sure to use it to your advantage.
As a youth you have the opportunity to search jobs that you are not ready for yet but by searching
job catagories and job descriptions and qualifications some of these jobs will no doubt be interesting to you
and you can learn about how much they pay the employee…meaning YOU in the future! This, allows you
to make progress as you prepare while you are young to enter the job market and keep in mind you might
change your interest in a job and that is not a problem. Most people have to work because they have to and
they “need a job” and whether they like the job or not is unimportant because their “need” ranks higher
than what kind of work they “like to do”. YOU however, get to find out what you “like to do” while you
are young and focus in on it, prepare for it, know the job requirements, understand the job qualifications
and aim for the kind of job you like and will enjoy. Again, most of us don’t have that luxury or opportunity
like you do because you are only young once and when time is gone you simply cannot get it back.

These job catagories will usually have more jobs to choose from: Accountants, Computer
Techs, Engineers, Healthcare (this is a huge field with sales reps needed across the
industry), Medical, Nursing, Sales (again a huge field to look over because sales covers
so many different kinds of products and services), Telemarketing, Manager.

34
 Imagine young children investigating the job market years in advance and
preparing their minds for the workplace in a job they truly like and will enjoy because
they done all the homework on the job and understand what it really invloves and
requires. Back to searching for jobs online…. You can also choose the City or even State you want to
work in and you can enter in the search bar a variety of job titles like Healthcare Sales Rep, or Healthcare
Marketer, or Healthcare Business Development, or Healthcare Liaison. They all are closely related to each
other but you might find jobs in one category that does not appear in another, yet pretty much the same job
opportunity. And keep this in mind for all job searches to change the title around and see what you get.
Next, there are what we call “headhunters” whose job is to find you a job because that is what
they get paid to do, to place the right person in the right job, arrange the interview and you go and present
yourself because the headhunter already screened your skills, experience, talent and success you have had
and he “reccommends” you to the hiring employer. Hmmm, do you like that kind of job? You might and
there are both male and female headhunters out there that make a good income. Another name for a
headhunter is job recruiter and they too choose a certain job industry to work in like healthcare, medical,
sales, engineering, physician and nursing for example.
Another way to look for jobs is to get dressed professionally and go to the company you like
with your cover letter and resume in hand. Ask for the Human Resources Department because you want to
meet the manager or director briefly to introduce yourself, express your interest to know what job openings
are available and what jobs might become available in the future. You want to leave your resume and cover
letter with the manager or director and get their business card to send a thank you note and again express
how much you are looking forward to hearing about new job opportunities that come up. P.S. don’t forget
the manager or director’s name because you might see them anywhere in the future like the store, park,
movies, restaurant, game or even gas station. Keep in mind the experience you will get because you are not
afraid to walk into a big company and ask about job openings there, and too the company staff and manager
of Human Resources will be impressed that you came in to introduce yourself.
You can even ask the manager if he or she knows of any other company that has job openings
and are looking for a young, hard working, honest, quick learner to hire. Another tip is to go online and
search the company history, president, manager, human resource manager “before you go to the company”
and ask to meet with even the president “by name”. This is very creative and very impressive because the
staff will know that you are resourceful and know how to prepare for something you want to accomplish.
And where did all of this training begin? While you were young, in school, working hard to be your best,
doing your homework, going for the A’s, respecting your parents and teachers, understanding money and
how it works, thinking positive and focusing! It is all starting to come together in your mind while you are
still young like footprints that will guide you to be sucessful in the future!

35
 You will also see jobs that say training provided, entry level, and no experience necessary which
means you will have on the job training and most likely these jobs do not require a college degree. You will
learn how the company works, what products or services they offer or sell and what they expect for the job
responsibilities to be met (there is that word again). Now, here are some high paying jobs that also do not
require a college degree but do require that you pass an exam, get fingerprinted and get a license before you
can start:

Life Insurance Agent (Sell Whole Life, Indemnity, Term, Variable Life, etc)

Health Insurance Agent (Sell Medicare HMO, PPO, Medicare Supplemental Plans, Family
Plans, etc)

Real Estate Agent (Sell real estate properties that are listed, find buyers, show
property to clients)

Securities Agent (Sell investment, savings, retirement plans, IRA’s, UGMA’s, etc)

Property and Casualty Agent (Sell Car insurance, liability insurance, etc)

What is intersting about these kinds of jobs is that there are exam preparation schools you attend
before you take the required state exams which is pretty cool. Also, these are sales jobs which require you
to hustle because you are on commission, build your book of business clients, prospect for new clients,
build up referrals from others and provide your clients great customer service. Brand and billboard your
services via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get the word out for people to contact you about your
services. And, these job classifications do indeed pay very well for the go-getter who is willing to focus,
prepare, plan and then attack the opportunity. If you choose one of the above jobs you will also learn why
the ink pen is truly a mighty instrument.
There are job fair events where you reserve your attendance and bring a lot of your resumes with
you to meet with many hiring employers all under one roof making it convenient for you meet face to face
with employers. Of course, they too will tell you what you are learning here in your handbook: “Where a
suit and tie, look professional or dress to impress, be on time, bring extra resumes, etc”. What is important
about job fairs is to first see what companies and industries will be there so you can know what to expect
and gauge how much you are truly interested in what job positions they may be hiring people for.

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 “So-Called”

Job Security
T
here was a time when certain jobs were called secure and today there are still a few left that
you will learn about, however keep in mind that the employees that work in those jobs
usually do not move on and change jobs. Some, stay on the same job for 25-30 years and
some even longer. Here are a list of jobs that typically have long term employees: City Jobs, State Jobs and
Government Jobs. The employees that work there feel a measure of security unless there are lay-offs, or
early retirements, or downsizing. When and if that happens, the people then realize that even their job was
not really secure as they thought it was which brings us back to this chapter title So-Called Job
Security.

Yes, POOF and your job can be gone without saying a good-bye so never think that you are
permanently secure on the job, things happen and it is good that you understand this while you are young.
You also already know how to deal with negativity right? You stay positive, focused and get back on your
feet to look for the next job and that will become easier when you lock in your mind what is the absolute
real job security: BEING VERY GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO IS REAL JOB SECURITY.
By now, this should really be no surprise to you because you started being your best every step along the
grade levels you advanced to next. So then, if you lose your job there will be other employers that will
“want to hire you” just like when a top athelete becomes available “other teams want him or her to be on
there team” and why? Because he or she is very good at his sport or job.
And, when you send your resume out with all your documented success, awards, and recognition
employers will be calling you. If you get a headhunter or job recruiter they will be singing your praises to
their employer contacts for you. So, again, when you have serious skills, you simply have them and they
are desirable to companies that also want a “winner on their team.

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 Since all youth’s are clearly not the same or from the same background, status, environment, or
family size, what about youth’s that really have it harder growing up today than other youth’s? Maybe they
have only one parent and money is tight or the neighborhood is bad and everywhere they turn there is
drama. What about those youth’s? Well, there is no getting around it, they have to focus more on their
awesome future rather than their current situation, environment or drama. Is this easier said than done? Yes!
But can it be done? Yes! And, countless people of all backgrounds, ages, race, culture and nationality have
done it, and so can you!
When you read books about successful people you will find a common thread in most of them
and that thread or common ingredient is that the majority of successful people had little or nothing before
they became successful. That goes for muscians, actors, inventors, sports figures, artist, even businessmen
and women. They became focused on their goal and understood that if they simply did not give up that they
would reach the goal they set for themselves. A lot of hard work? Yes! Sacrifice? Yes! Self –Control? Yes!
Hope? Yes! Positive thinking? Yes! Seeing themself as already a winner? Yes!
Ah, by now this should all sound very familiar to you, yes you should remember this kind of
thinking process and mind set as it has been mentioned several times in this handbook. Now, getting back
to so-called job security and remembering that real security is being very good at what you do,
when you start a new job act as if it was your company. Learn how the company is set up and study your
job description so you know exactly what is expected of you, how you can go above and beyond the
“minimum job requirement” and strive to be your best. Now to improve your current skills, if there are
books about your work read them in your spare time and “create homework” for you to learn and advance
in your job assisgment. Homework to learn more and improve? This also should sound very familiar to you
by now, right?

Ok, keep these tips in mind:

Being good at what you do is job security!

Pay the price now while you are young and have an advantage!

If the job ends go find another because you are good at what you do!

Age 18 will come faster than you think so focus!

Don’t worry about past mistakes keep thinking forward!

You are in charge of your brain and mind!

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 The

Jump-Start
W
hen it comes to work and making money young ones are in special time of their life when
they can have an advantage as we discussed, but also you can have another advantage, a
Jump-Start. However, the key to this is you have to know what it is that you really
want to do when you are older and grown up. Here is where your focus comes into play and will be helpful.
Do you know what you want to do for work or to make money when you grow up? If not, don’t worry
because most youth’s your age don’t know what they want to do either.
But, it is high time you start at least thinking NOW about what it is you truly want to do to earn
a living, something that you enjoy because this chapter will get you both excited and perhaps get you to
start seriously thinking about what you want to do when you grow up.You can always come back to this
chapter when you find out what you want to do to earn money while applying these following points that
give you a jump-start. Pay attention to what you are reading here and when you are finished with this
chapter go somewhere quiet and private to think, ponder, imagine and ask yourself what you truly want to
be when you grow up.
Let’s say you know for a fact that you want to be a real estate agent as mentioned previously.
Here is your jump-start: you get the practice real estate exam and study book and go over the answers again
and again, also learn about real estate and the industry, the competition, who are the big real estate
companies and go in and say hello and introduce yourself as a “future agent on the rise”. Have mom or dad
help you and as you master the exam and questions, then when you turn 18 you walk into the real estate
office apply to be an agent, take the study course, take the exam and pass it with flying colors! All this,
because you knew you wanted to be a real estate agent and sell homes, or commercial property or land,
whatever. Does this make sense to you? Many adults wait until they are 30, 40 or even 50 years old to get
into real estate. What an advantage and jump-start over past generations of youths, and certainly my own.
Remember too, that many, many adults flunk the real estate exam more than once because of many
distractions and the time it takes to prepare well and master the subject.
Now, let’s say you know you want to be a stock broker or sell security investments like we
talked about under How Money Works. Do the same thing, get the practice exam for securities and books
about the investment industry, practice over and over, use your dictionary so you know what you are
learning and the vocabulary for that job field, like for example ROI which means “return on investment”.
Master the subject, practice the exam and keep in mind many adults flunk these exams as well. You can be
licensed as a Series 6, Series 7 and Series 63 securities agent but all three require exams that have to be
passed and require finger printing to be an agent and there are fees involved as well.
This jump-start tip can be applied to anything that you know you want to do! We continue with
a few more examples just to make this point very clear to keep in mind.

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 Let’s now say you are a girl and you just know you want to be a fashion designer, what do you
do? By now you should be able to tell me, your mom or dad exactly what you need to do to have a jump-
start, right? But, still here is a walk-through for you. You go online and find out about fashion schools,
classes, location, etc. You visit the instructor and tell them you want to learn all you can while you are
young. Or you watch YouTube online and see people creating and designing dresses, pants, etc. You go to
a fabric shop like Jo-Ann Fabrics and buy some cool fabrics and a pattern cutting pack for a dress or blouse
or pants, you practice and practice. You get creative and add this or that to be different and then you pick
out a cool name for you as a designer like Vera Wang or Armani or Boss or Donna Karen. You learn about
the drape, gorge and silhouette and other techniques in designing clothing. Put your styles online with
Twitter, Instagram, Facebook to get the word out and get responses to your style and some may want to
buy your clothing, wow who knows right? Look for places to display your work or you create your own
fashion show at a park or school auditorium and you invite the instructor you met to come! Well, this again
is to get you thinking at least about the advantage of being young and not wasting time that can be used for
your jump-start!
TV and movie actors too started when they were young and you can actually watch them grow
up on TV or in the movies to remind you that they paid a price when they were young to be successful as
an adult. What about sports? How old was Tiger Woods when he got started playing golf? He was a little
kid! So, these examples of jump-starts are really all around you once you start thinking about it. Then, there
is the life insurance agent and he or she can make good money too, so if that is something you want to do
where would you start while you are still young? Hello? Of course, get the practice exam and study material,
find out the requirements, study schools, how much it cost, where to apply. Do you want to be a captive
agent working for someone like State Farm or do you want to be an independent agent and work for many
companies? All these examples again require time, effort, study, research, focus and work which is why
being young is such an advantage to know about these things and start thinking about your adulthood which
comes faster than you think and you now know that there will be others looking for a job in the same field
you choose, so yes it is competitive for sure, but again you have an advantage and a jump-start!
Don’t forget the other examples of other successful people that all started when they were young
and gave themselves a jump start: music singers, dancers, skilled musicians that play piano, violins,
saxophone, guitar, etc. And, what about the Olympics where young ones train for years to be the best to go
for the gold? What about young inventors you see on Shark Tank who came up with a way to improve a
item or service? So, you can see getting a jump-start is not a secret but clearly a fact that those that get a
jump-start know what they really want to do in most cases and then they focus on their goals. And, they
understood how important it is to start while they were young.

The jump-start again is…find out what you really like and want to do….start looking into it
now….master the subject, skill or performance while you are young and…. give yourself a clear advantage!
What if you wanted to start your own business like young ones you see on Shark Tank?

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 Start Your

Own Business
S
tarting your own business is actually a simple matter of finding your product or service,
deciding on a cool name, get business cards, letterhead, filing a DBA (doing business as)
and announcing it in your local newspaper and appying for a Tax ID number which your
mom or dad can show you and you will be in business. Also, your mom or dad can have their tax person
give you more help about keeping track of your expenses (things you buy for your business) and your
profits ( money you make from your business) and when you subtract your profits from your expenses you
will know how much money you actually made for your self and how to manage your money, business
savings and your savings. Remember to pay yourself first.
Did you know that there are little small business opportunites that are out there for only a few
hundreds of dollars to start up and to give you a bunch of ideas of what you might really like? Type in
online “small investment home business opportunities” and see what you think. You will at least
see how the businesses work, what they require, how much to get started, how to get customers to buy from
you and how much money you can make. Of course, you already understand that it takes focus, dedication
and hard work to see results. You plant seeds of hard work to see your harvest of income start to grow. You
can even type in online “how to start your own business” and learn yourself which is a very good
way to create a jump-start for you. Another idea is to make this a “family project” to discuss your goals and
what you really want to be when you grow up and what business you would really like to start.

Brainstorm…..What “service” do you think people would be willing to pay for? Milk delivered
at their door like in the old days? What about bakery goods that you sell in a van throughout neighborhoods
like Helms Bakery did years ago and ice cream trucks still do? Well, the truth is the possibilities are endless
when you brainstorm, see what is out there already and try to improve and idea or service. People like to
have things that make their life easier, safer, simpler and saves them time which we all wish we had more
of right? Ask mom or dad for an idea that was cool when they were young that is forgotten today. What
about a roof cleaning service that keeps tree leaves and clutter off people roofs or a “home window cleaning
business” like people have for commercial business window cleaning services? Again, brainstorming,
checking if there is any competition already doing it, reseaching the need for your service all gets the
creative jucies flowing! And unlike in the old days you can use the computer to save you a lot of running
around. When you watch Shark Tank on TV you will see so many people with ideas for businesses and
some are great and some are not because the shark investors will not bite on a bad business idea, so enjoy
the show ( but after your homework is completed). Smiles!
With so many resources at your fingertips today that we older ones did not have when we were
young makes it really easy to learn and investigate as well as find a business idea or product that perks your
interest and even gets you excited! So, spend time online about starting a business even on “a shoestring”
which simply means very cheap.

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 Your business can also be a corporation which we discussed earlier and there are advantages to
doing it and different types of corporations to learn about like an LLC; S-Corporation; Non-Profit (501C3);
Nevada Corporation, etc. Many bigtime corporations are “Delaware Corporations” and why? Type in online
“Benefits to having a Delaware Corporation” and find out. Online thru your computer you can ask questions
about starting a business and get answers and directions that you can discuss with mom or dad and again,
even making it a family project.
The main point is don’t be afraid of business or starting a business if you really want one or
learning all the details so you can be a good business owner and successful. This journey is easy for a youth
that enjoys reading and studying which takes us back again to doing your homework and study assignments
and enjoy it because as you see in this chapter on “Start Your Own Business” there is no room for any
shortcuts. Business is serious business, right? Absolutely! You have so many things to consider
for ideas to start a business and ask your parent or parents about what might be a good idea to start a business
and keep in mind you can start small and grow the business but only if you stay focused, excited and willing
to put in both the time and work to be successful and this should sound so familiar to you again, right?
Did you know a long time ago families had their own businesses because that’s how people
simply made money to care for their families in the old days. Later on came corporations, automation,
technology and the big job market today. And, to this day there are still some people that simply do not like
or want to work for someone else and that could very well be you when you grow older. You may want
to be your own boss instead of having a boss.

Again, keep in mind that many young ones have already started businesses by taking
it one step at a time and getting help from mom or dad and by going online and
digging for answers to their questions. Something else will help you succeed in
business or whatever you decide to do.

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 The

Three Foot Rule

I
t is a rule that is carried out in your mind and many successful people use it every day and so
will you when learn about this, so here we go. Think back to the beginning of this handbook
and the fact that you are still determined to finish reading it already shows that you want to
start working on being succcesful as a youth and on into adulthood. You are willing to pay the price to be
different because you see the payoff that many other young ones simply will not see. But you see it! It all
makes sense! Start young and be ahead of the class as they say. Pay the price now and have an on-going
advantage throughout your life!
So, how do you keep focused and block out negative people that can trip you up and get you off
track of your invested game plan? Answer: the three foot rule. In your mind mark off your “positive”,
“I feel good”, “focused” and “I’m going to make it happen” territory in a three foot circle with you in the
middle. Can you see it? Remember, this is your three foot rule and nobody can see it except you.
In fact, you have been carefully drawing this three foot circle around you when you started
reading this handbook from the beginning starting at chapter one and your mental circle of protection you
have drawn for yourself is almost finished. You must protect yourself inside your three foot circle which
means your radar is always on to detect any negative people, thoughts, actions, jokes or any other kind of
influence that can pull you down. This is very important when you have a great idea or you are excited
about doing something like starting your own business or working on your invention or even reading up on
something you want to learn more about or just being excited and positive. Either way protect your three
foot circle rule. Do not take this lightly because negativity, drama, selfishness, lack of self control and greed
has already grown to alarming degrees and you are still young so expect it to be higher when you do become
an adult and have to deal with an even higher degree of attacks on your focus and goals.
Your three foot rule helps you to defend yourself against another self-confidence breaker
namely, people who simply do not want to see you succeed and be a winner. Have you ever heard this
before? “You can’t do that” or “That will never work” or “You are wasting your time”. Here is a fact to
keep in mind: All successful people had to endure and overcome negativity and drama to keep their focus
and overcome the odds against them, so you won’t be the first and definitely won’t be the last that has to
also deal with it. But, you now have an advanatage: the three foot rule.

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 Keep your focus and protect yourself from the following: procrastination;
negative thoughts; doubting yourself; lack of self-control; impatience; impluse
decisions; low self-esteem; being too hard on yourself if you fall; taking short cuts and
quitting.Yes, lot’s of distractions will surround you from every side not to mention all the bad things
happening on the news like we talked about earlier and bad news happens now everyday…. so you can
never tell yourself enough inside your three foot rule circle to….. keep your focus!!!

Yes like this – the eye of the cat. Is this cat cool or what?

Actually the saying is “eye of the tiger” LOL but you get the point, right? Sure you do!
Focused people have accomplished so much from inventions like the light bulb; television;
telephone; computer; cell phone; microwave; electric cars; drones; vacuum cleaners that run by themselves
while you read a book and the list is just endless, especially with fresh new young minds like “yours” at
work and being creative in a positive way that contributes to society and benefits people. Stop here and
spend some time in a quiet private place or room and just think about this and how you can reinforce your
three foot rule so it can truly be a protective wall that you can start enjoying today! The three foot rule is
fun for the whole family and even a reminder to mom and dad to keep focused as they carry their heavy
load of being your parents with all the resposibilities they have. In fact, here is another good time to tell
mom and dad how much you appreciate all they have done and are doing for you to help
you be successful. Tell them how much you love them and how proud you are of them
with hugs, hugs, hugs and thank you, thank you, thank you.

Ok, there are even more benefits to your three foot rule circle you are finishing drawing for
yourself, it is another kind of protection and defense that truly is of the utmost importance because it can
completely change the course of your life if you are not constantly on your guard as a youth growing into
adulthood. And sometimes the change of course it can take you on can take you down a dark road that is
very hard to find your way back! So, what is this dangerous road to avoid?

SEX, DRUGS and ALCOHOL

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 Sex,Drugs, Alcohol
P
erhaps now it is all coming together for you as we address this serious subject and how
important clear focus, thinking, learning, setting goals, doing your best, paying the price
while you are young and having a positive attitude are to you being successful. Sex, drugs
and alcohol are dangerous and can take your life before it gets started which is completely the
“opposite” of giving you a “jump-start” isn’t it? Well, isn’t it? Yes it is, so buckle down
and FOCUS.

The ABZ School of Life Youth Handbook first production was copyrighted in 1999 and clearly
a lot has changed 19 years later. Lifestyles, choices, relationships, freedom of expressions, attitudes,
music, entertainment, technology, crime, living conditions and a new information age are among just some
of the many changes over the last 19 years. Still, keep in mind that youths, yes young boys and girls from
ages 8-18 are just starting out in life and the goal of this handbook is to give them an advantage. So,
regarding sex, drugs and alcohol here are some documented facts on how all three can and have had a
dangerous impact on the youth. Take a look for yourself and tell mom and dad what you think after you
finish this chapter because remember, your parents, family and teachers and many others want you to be
successful and of course, so do you.

SEX: According to Sexual Behaviors/Adolescent and School Health/CDC -- “among U.S. high
school students surveyed in 2015 41% had ever had sexual intercourse; 30% had sexual intercourse during
the previous months and of these 43% did not use a condom the last time they had sex – 14% did not use
any method to prevent pregnancy – 21% had drunk alcohol or used drugs before last sexual intercourse –
only 10% of all students have ever been tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and you can look
up this information for more on sex behaviors among youth.

DRUGS: Teen Drug Abuse Facts/Teen Alcohol Statistics TEEN DRUG AND ALCOHOL
ABUSE FACTS AND STATISTICS – Drug and alcohol abuse in our nations teenagers has become a major
public health issue. The government collects facts on substance abuse and reports the statistics and they are
staggering. Almost 50% of high school seniors have abused a drug of some kind – By the 8th grade 15% of
kids have used marijuana – 43% of high school seniors have used marijuana – 8.6% of 12th graders have
used hallucinogens – 4% report on using LSD specifically – Over 60% of teens report that drugs of some
kind are kept, sold, and used in their school – 1 in every 9 high school seniors has tried synthetic marijuana
(also know as “Spice or “K2”) and you can look up this information for more statistics.

CIGARETTES: (from same report above) By 8th grade 15.5% of kids have smoked cigarettes
– Almost 7% of high school seniors smoke cigarettes every day – Everyday in the U.S. almost 3,900 kids
under the age of 18 years old try their first cigarette – After the first cigarette, 950 of the 3,900 kids who
try smoking will become daily smokers – Of the 950 daily new smokers, half will end up dying from their
habit. And , you can look this up for more information as these are just a few statistics I found and since it
covered cigarettes I thought it would be good to consider. Let’s look at alcohol….

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 ALCOHOL: (from same report) By the 8th grade almost 30% of kids have tried drinking
alcohol – 58% of sophomores have abused alcohol – 71% of high school seniors have used alcohol – 23%
of 12th graders reported on binge drinking with over 5 drinks in a row – The average boy who tries alcohol
is 11, girls on average 13 – 24% of high school students rode with a driver who had been drinking – Alcohol
is the leading factor in the top 3 causes for death in 15-24 year olds which are auto crashes, homicides and
suicides. Yes, you can look up this information as well but at least with just a few statistics you can see
how important this chapter is to seriously think about. Now, that we have considered a couple of
documented reports keep in mind that they are constantly being updated and there are many different good
reports your can find on all these subjects so you can be on guard and protect yourself against these
influences and keep your focus.

Here are some questions to also consider regarding sex, drugs, cigarettes and
alcohol to help you think beyond the statistics that were covered.

SEX: Are you really ready to shoulder all the emotions, responsibilities and consequences of
having sex at your age like children, marriage, a place to live, paying bills, medical coverage for a family?
Are you in love with someone and truly know the person? Do you truly know yourself at this early stage of
your life? Are you ready for adult responsibilities as a youth? No!

DRUGS: Now this is truly interesting considering that many adults themselves use drugs. This
can make it harder for a youth to take the “no to drugs” advice seen on billborads, school walls and TV
programs seriously. It is sometimes glorified in music, movies and promoted as “being cool”. But what is
the purpose of taking drugs? It is to “get high” or “low”, a feeling not normal or required in life as a human
being. It is an artificial feeling, fantasy or “trip” that will always come down or wear off once a person
“returns to their normal state of mind and being”. WOW! So, really you blast off and then finally come
back down and then what? You blast off again, just to come back down in a vicious cycle. Is it not simply
smarter to keep your senses sharp and alert to keep you positive and focused on your goals? God gave you
a precious brain and body so it is best to protect it from anything harmful, right?

CIGARETTES: Do you think that your lungs that help you breathe were made for drawing in
nicotine and smoke, holding it in and then blowing it out into the air? And, is it really cool to smoke? With
so many youths that are smoking and with the above statistics we considered, this is a real temptation
among youths in the past, today and no doubt in the future. Again, smoking is featured in
movies, a lot in classic movies, TV dramas, parties, nightclubs, sports events and really “everywhere”. So,
what do you think? How did smoking become so popular and viewed as cool? And, what about all the girls
and ladies that smoke? Oh boy, yes you are also surrounded by smokers in among “healthcare workers”
which is odd to see because they know how important our health is and the need to take care of ourselves.
And, then there is this possibility: perhaps your teacher, parents or their friends smoke, NOW WHAT?
Answer: Make the decision to take care of your health now and it will pay off big-time
as you get older. It is no fun being unhealthy or sick.

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 ALCOHOL: Here we go again because it too is everywhere you turn like cigarettes and
portrayed as being cool, even James Bond likes his drink “shaken not stirred” and there are all the
advertising in billboards, sports, TV commericals featuring pretty girls and handsome men promoting a
certain beer, wine or hard liquor drink to sell so here is a important balance when it comes to alcohol to
keep in mind:
While readily available at a “legal age” drinking alcohol still comes with serious responsibilities
because you can hurt other people if you are drunk. Have you ever seen a person that is drunk? How they
act and what they say? You can say and do things that you will regret for sure. Also, driving a car while
under the influence of alcohol has proven deadly time and again. Too much alcohol is simply not good for
your precious body and can cause you much harm. So wait, wait, wait until you are old enough and smart
enough to decide if you even want to drink first of all. Next, drink in moderation knowing your limits, be
in a safe place like your home, avoid driving a car under the influence and beware of a friend driving a car
under the influence of alcohol. Be responsible when you are old enough if you have made the decision to
drink alcohol. Remember, you only get one body and it’s just not smart to abuse it with drugs, cigarettes
and alcohol. Be smart, stay focused on your goals and make right choices.

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 No More
Being Bored
“I’m bored, there’s nothing to do…” REALLY?

Y
ou could and probably have said that before you started reading this handbook, but there is
no way you can say that now can you? Just the other night I saw a nine year old boy about
to start school and he said this: “when you have and idea and the motivation behind
you, there is nothing that you cannot do”. A nine year old boy! He had already made plans and
he could see how he was going to move in the direction of his goals. The young boy was saying the same
thing that successful people have been saying from all walks of life and many successful people started out
with nothing, nothing!
Now, we know that it is always easier to quit, get mad, stop, blame someone else, find something
wrong or just stop believing in yourself, so learn how to control yourself and your mind. It is an on-going
process which is another reason to start now. It will help you to imagine yourself as already reaching your
goals and how it was worth it not to quit. Bored? Did you know adults too can tell themselves they are
bored when they could be reinvesting in themselves, goals to attain and putting a game plan together to
reach those goals and in turn, get excited again no matter what age they are. But for you, don’t waste the
special window of time during your youth.
Also, take some time for recreation, exercise, walks and enjoying the creation because during
these times you can also continue to focus, stay positive, use your imagination or mediation to motivate
yourself moving in the direction of your goals and like that nine year old boy, you too, tell yourself that
“there is nothing that you cannot do” (when you are motivated). No More Being Bored. You have too
much going for yourself now and you don’t want to waste time that you simply cannot get back once it is
gone. And, keep in mind that if you change your mind and goals about what you want to do, that is okay
just chart out your new goals and focus again and get busy. Keep in mind that we adults are a generation
“going” and you young ones are a generation “coming” so reading is something you want to learn to enjoy
because you can learn from “past generations successes and failures”.

No time to be bored, life is what you make it.

Things to do, plans to make, people to see, places to go.

Improve your skills along the way.

You must think positive and know that life is 90% mental.

Write down your plans and goals, put it somewhere you can see it everyday.

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Rewards
in Life
L
ike anything in life of real value, it takes a lot of hard
work and there is no getting around it. You have already
put in the work, concentration, study and focus to complete
your handbook and that means you did not quit. That, is awesome because
you are interested in yourself enough to want the best for you and you have
demonstrated the value and award of paying the price for what you want. Hopefully, you
will now enjoy ever more reading, learning and appreciate discipline, self-control
and how important a positive attitude plays in your reaching the goals you set for yourself and truly enter
society and contribute to the good of people.

We are all proud of you from your parents, grandparents, older brothers and sisters, teachers,
myself and my wife. We are also excited for you to take and safeguard qualities of value from this handbook
to give yourself an advantage now, and as you continue to grow knowing that paying a price is worth it to
equip you to be successful and to be a good person. You are still young and will make mistakes along the
way, but being positive you will get back up from any fall and learn from it. You will be strengthening your
weaknesses because you humbly acknowledge where you need help and you will focus on how to improve
in any area of your life. This process of refinement will not end because even into old age you will face
new things, challenges, obstacles and hurdles all of which require the quality skills you are investing in
now, so keep up the excellent work knowing it is absolutely worth it as you will continue to have something
to show for your efforts as you keep growing and look back over the years that have passed by with joy and
not regrets. Your strength and confidence will grow like the plant on the front cover of this handbook and
why? Because you took the time to water it and care for it!

Remember the “compounding” effect that makes money grow by the interest it earns? Well, a
very important part of your rewards in life is the compounding benefit from your knowledge, experiences
and skills you master. The use of all these become your launching pad for new and creative thoughts, ideas
and insight when you are challenged or want to invent something or restructure a project or assignment and
to make improvements in things we use everyday. Yes, some of you will truly invent new things, improve
things and excel into different fields of work that are all around you, perhaps being a physician, actor, artist,
inventor, scientist, nurse, musician, author (hey now smiles), sculptor, fireman, fashion tailor or designer
and of course the list is endless and that in itself only underscores the WOW of your getting your ABZ
School of Life Youth Handbook degree and a jump-start advantage. Degree? Just kidding, but you can
certainly write it down on your resume as a self development course. Nice, eh?

This is a good time to also thank your parents, teachers and others who care about you and have
assisted you in completing your handbook. Thank you all very much for your time and efforts
helping, steering and guiding these precious young ones and I hope you enjoyed the
information as well.

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 There is an expression that is so true: “It’s funny how time flies” and what a reminder for all of
us young and old alike not to waste precious time and how everyday of life is very special. Because you
are young and building a good foundation for yourself don’t forget to keep balanced as you set goals and
focus on them meaning, don’t you forget about your parents, teachers and family. Take time to listen, thank
them, say “I love you” and how much you appreciate them because this will keep you balanced in viewing
success and what success really means. Yes, pay yourself first, learn how money works, save and invest
your money if possible for you and “your family” down the road. Yes, focus and go for it but at the same
time…….. understand and think about this:

Success doesn’t have to always mean being rich as so many think and yes, we use a lot of
examples of successful people that are rich to highlight focus, self-control, discipline and a positive attitude
and how they had to go against great odds to achieve their success reminding us that again you have to pay
a price which is so true. HOWEVER, there is much more to success than being rich like simply managing
money properly, understanding how money works, not wasting money by impluse or emotional spending.
In fact, here is a good reminder to use your “d________” to understand a word, right? Right, so here is how
success is defined according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

SUCCESS:
 Outcome, result.
 Degree or measure of succeeding.
 Favorable or desired outcome.

As you can see, it is not defined by a dollar amount but by the “degree or measure of desired or
favorable success results or outcome”. So, a person that makes $50,000.00 @ year can be highly successful
by being balanced in managing money, caring for family and loved ones, being content with what he has,
spending time with his wife and children, taking time for exercise, vacation, keeping out of debt, etc. Some
people strive to be rich and it is glorified all the time, after all we have TV programs like “The Life of Rich
and Famous” The Filthy Rich Guide” and books on wealth, riches, success and more. Also, be aware that
people who are rich does not necessarily mean that they are happy, so obvioulsy balance is important and
not forgetting what is truly valuable in life and what matters most.

Having this kind of knowledge at a young age is awesome indeed and understanding the adult
world “before you get there” is also an advantage because you know that life is not easy and there is a lot
of distractions that can blur your focus and goals you set for yourself. And don’t forget to make your goals
reasonable and in steps that can be achieved with hard work and focus, but again, goals that also include
family and people you care about and love while you are being responsible and accountable for your actions.

A lot of what you read was repeated over and over and no doubt you, your parents, teachers and
others picked up on that, because this handbook was written that way on purpose. Why? Because as you
get older you will see and hopefully remember that these simple “building blocks for success” are the same
simple building blocks that people “forget” as they deal with life, unforeseen occurrences, drama, stress,
bills, work, challenges, setbacks, disappointments, sadness and pain all of which, is a “part of life”. Under
the “load of life” a person can easily lose focus and a positive attitude, and since we know that life is 90%
mental once the positive attitude is gone expect stress and unhappiness to “move in”. So, stay focused and
positive as you grow from being a youth into a young adult and on into adulthood, yes the kind of person
that makes a difference and a joy to be around as you contribute in a positive and responsible way to society.
Keep growing and enjoy it!

We are rooting for you all the way. You can do it so get to it.

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 Congratulations
www.instagram.com/abzschooloflifeyouthhandbook

Take care of yourself and keep growing !!!

Swade Johnson

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www.instagram.com/abzschooloflifeyouthhandbook

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