Those important, turbulent, emotional, exciting, scary, formative years between twelve and twenty – so much changes in those years, and yet it can be easier if you maintain perspective.

This eight-year portion of your life is small in comparison with the rest of your adult life – about 60 years – and here are a few things that will help you cope with the hard times.

Things Will Matter Differently In the Future

In the years from age twelve to twenty, things seem to be magnified, and much more important than they really are. Relatively small things that a mature adult would hardly notice are attributed major significance. A bully or a jock, a rejection or a victory or failure seem mountainous, even though they will be forgotten very soon.

Coping with Bullies

The fact is that 97% of the people you know will never amount to much.

Most of the school bullies will end up in jail, on drugs, working in dead-end jobs, and dead. The reason why they are bullies is that they have emotional and mental problems – it really has nothing to do with you, except that you are a threat to them – they are jealous of something about you, so they attack you. Most bullies have low intelligence and problems at home, and you can use your mind to outwit them.

Things Will be Forgotten… And What to Do in the Mean Time

The key is to try and remain rational and objective about the things in your life.

This is very hard, I know – our emotions are pretty extreme in those years – but it helps a lot to be able to sit down with a wise adult, preferably not a teacher – and discuss your issues, fears, concerns, and dreams with them. They have a mature perspective.

In a few short years, hard as this is to believe, those incidents and people will be forgotten. Most of the things that seem huge right now are in fact insignificant compared to the bright future waiting for you.

Glean the Benefit & Leave the Rest Behind

The trials and tribulations of these years come with great benefits – youth, energy, strength, opportunities, optimism, and an open mind.

By focusing on building an exciting future and realizing that most of the things that upset you are really just barking dogs, life gets easier.

• That teacher that gives to you a hard time – a man amongst boys, but a boy amongst men – will be a joke to you in a few short years. You can easily earn more money than him and put him in his place quite soon.
• That pretty girl that rejected and shamed you in public will soon be fat, pregnant, and married to an unemployed jock.
• And your mistakes will be forgotten.

Do you think Bill Gates was teased at school? Probably. Where are the people who teased him now?

It’s YOUR Life

The only person whose opinion is important is YOU. It’s YOUR life.

Success in life is a choice. We choose how to interpret the circumstances presented to us. We choose how to react. And our choices will determine where we end up.

Your Philosophy is Your Compass

The most important factor in your life is your PHILOSOPHY. With the right philosophy, or world view, life gets a lot easier.

Look at successful people whom you admire, and ask yourself what their philosophy is.

The most powerful philosophy I have found, the one that gives you the most freedom, opportunity, and fun, is that of Objectivism. You can find out more about it here and here, but in a nutshell, it says that you own your life, and you are not answerable to others or responsible for others.

• Read “The Fountainhead” and the “The Virtue of Selfishness” by Ayn Rand.
• Get yourself some good role models.
• Stay away from people who want to manipulate and control the way you think.
• Don’t be a victim, don’t blame others or make excuses.  Take responsibility for your choices now, and life will be good.

Understand Money & Create Value to Make It

Finally, by now you know that 97% of your problems in life will be solved or diminished by money. The good life costs money.

If you understand money and value and how to create wealth, you have control and you can choose any life you want. Your age and circumstances won’t prevent you from making money. You can get rich fast, no matter how old you are, when you know how. Money doesn’t care how old you are!

Learn about how you can do that, starting right away, at www.JVWisdom.com.