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Sometimes the simplest notions are the most powerful. We all want to do well, to achieve and to be recognized for our efforts. Our modern society moves so quickly, and technology constantly bombards us with the opinions of others. It can be easy to forget that sometimes the best way to learn is by trial and error. No one gets it completely right the first time. All our lives we are either moving closer to our goals or further away from them. This does not mean that every misstep, every bump in the road turns us around. If our general momentum remains forward, we make progress. It is when we confuse progress with perfection that we set ourselves up for disappointments.

A Family Conversation About Progress

Parents: Remind your teens that it is okay to have setbacks. When they learned to ride a bike they inevitably fell time and time again until they got it. Your love is unconditional and they are only human. As long as they are trying, they are making progress. Sometimes things will come quickly and sometimes slowly but they should always work out as they are meant to if we put in our effort. Teach them to put in that effort.

Teens: Always strive to do your best but remember that it is your best and not anyone elses. Don’t compare yourself to your friends, your family or worse yet, some idealized notion from the media or internet. Focus on yourself and your story. You are responsible for the effort, not the outcome.