Lisa’s blog: lessons learned from high school
Author and career coach Lisa Quast looks back and discovers how teenage behavior impacts adulthood.
Last Saturday evening my husband and I were relaxing on our patio eating dinner, admiring the backyard, and enjoying a glass of wine. We began pondering all the things we learned in high school that have actually helped us in our adult lives (a glass or two of wine will sometimes do that to you).
I know this might sound crazy, and I realize it’s sometimes physically painful just thinking back to those awkward and sometimes horrifying high school years, but it’s truly amazing all the lessons learned from those experiences.
Here are just a few examples of our high school learnings:
1. Geeks rule. The super popular folks rarely remain so. The math club president might just become the next Bill Gates. Unless you’ve truly got the talent to be a professional athlete, it’s best to have a back-up plan that includes an excellent college education.
2. Mohawks are unbecoming. Did we really dress like that? True friends are those who stick together no matter how tough the situation or how ridiculous the fashion trend.
3. Dealing with hairy brutes in locker rooms builds character. Dealing with tough situations teaches you the importance of standing up for yourself all throughout your life. Always stand up for what’s right and do the right thing.
4. The ugly duckling becomes the swan. Beauty is more than skin deep. That so-called ugly duckling you teased in high school may end up becoming a beautiful swan later in life.
5. Bullies are nothing but ignorance disguised by a big ego. The majority of bullies are merely people who lack confidence in themselves and have a need to put others down in order to feel better. Nice guys and gals don’t finish last; they finish first and they end up earning the respect and loyalty of others along the way!
Lisa Quast is a published author (“Your Career, Your Way!” ), certified executive coach, and the founder of Career Woman, Inc. (http://www.careerwomaninc.com), a Seattle-based international career development consulting company.
