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I can't remember how many times when I ask my friends exactly what the problem is, their reply would always be five to ten minutes of continual beating around the bush excuses, instead of explaining in two to three sentences what the problem really is. My father was the kind of guy who 'tell it as it is.' There was no 'well, maybe, unless, perhaps, or nearly, it was either a 'yes' or a 'no'. So even in my early childhood, I learned really fast to always be clear, objective, honest and straightforward with him or else I won't get anywhere.

Now that I am a little older, I am very much appreciative of my father's attitude, although sometimes it was frustrating to get a 'tell it as it is' reply. However, as I observe my friends in how they handle problems and make choices, I can't tell you how many minutes, hours and days they waste 'beating around the bush'. Their skill of making up their minds and taking advantage of beneficial opportunities was often disappointing. Life waits for no one. Nobody owes you anything. Opportunities come and go in an instant. What you decide today, affects tomorrow. The difference between victory and defeat could be measured in .001 of a second difference.

I challenge you to set a clear and straightforward vision for your future. When positive opportunities arise, you seize the moment and never look back. When problems arise, you zip the fluff, you cut down the bush, admit your problems, admit your weaknesses and fix them. There's nothing worse than constantly giving excuses and never fixing the problem. Think of how long you'll last in your future career if you always responded to your boss, 'it's not my fault.'

The top 1-2% of teens that later arise to becoming great, powerful and respected society members learned early, the lesson of accepting the situation and making the most of it. It doesn't matter if you or your parents live in luxury or bare essentials, abusive parents, suicidal/drugs/alcoholic friends or family members, disability/cancer or disease, bullied constantly, harassed, denied of necessities, or tragic and emotional moments, powerful and effective teens learn to accept what has happened, zoom into reality and zip the fluff. An old proverb rings true 'if it's going to be, it's up to me'.