Saturday, January 26, 2008

Starting financial life from school.

It’s probably appropriate to open with something related to the start of the school year.

No, it’s not graffiti 101. Most of that’s just defacing public and private property. But then a lot of modern ‘art’ is just crap too and the artist gets paid a fortune for it. Get smart. Get off the walls and onto canvas or board then learn to sell the stuff.

There’s a lot of money in art and if you can pull the right strings, you’re made.

If you have some original artwork you’d like to show more people, send it or your site name and I’ll advertise it for you. It’s free.

Now let’s get on to the idea of school. What’s it all about?

It’s there to give you grounding in a whole lot of different topics so you can make some decision about your future. And it should teach you how to learn for the future.

It should stimulate your mind to greater learning by getting you curious about how and why things work. The way to treat it is to take everything the teachers know and make it yours.

You’ll find what you’re good or bad at, so that’s an indication of the path you can follow in life. And it should be fun. We learn better if it’s fun or if we have a goal.

Oh look, that’s what I wanted to talk about! Goals.

Most people don’t have goals because

they don’t know what they want!

So they don’t have plans on how to get what they don’t know.

What are you going to do after leaving school? What’s your life’s passion? If you want to build the first lunar orbiting hotel resort, you’d better hurry because Richard Branson http://tinyurl.com/2h634j is beating you to it. Robert Bigelow http://tinyurl.com/2f6elp is making inflatable orbital space stations for Earth and beyond.

Maybe you just want to be rich, or rich and famous; maybe invent the all purpose sonic screwdriver or personal flying car (better hurry on that one too).

Maybe become a rock guitarist and get “money for nothing and chicks for free.” Do you want to make a film, be an expert on comics or design cluster yurts?

Whatever you want – IT HAS TO BE CLEAR IN YOUR MIND.

THAT’S your GOAL.

The first step is to DECIDE.

Next is to make something happen. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

Most people won’t get past step one, let alone take ACTION.



You have to get information.

Fortunately the net can give you just about all you want but go to whatever source you can think of to get extra info.

Knowledge is power. You have to get info to MAKE A PLAN.

The plan is important but so is the next step. That’s ACTION.

Now we’ve got our Three Point Success Formula

DECIDE DECIDE DECIDE

PLAN PLAN PLAN

TAKE ACTION TAKE ACTION TAKE ACTION

Be sure of what you want because you are going to get it.

Your plan will change with circumstances but that is the way things go. Be prepared for changes.

‘Take action’ means to start right now. Scribble down what you want and describe how you can get it. That’s ‘decide and plan’ taken care of. Now do anything to start.

Let’s say you want to make a million dollars in 7 years. How; by selling real estate, as an interior decorator or internet marketer?

Let’s pick Interior Decorator. http://tinyurl.com/2opcrp Learn about fabrics, design principles, space ratios, function versus aesthetics, how to make a place feel homely, vibrant, business like or fun, how to guide the eye or feet. Get a part time job in a decorator’s and suck their knowledge. Pick your style of client and learn about them. You want to work for the rich ones.

There are sites on the net right now waiting for you to visit. You can start NOW.

Maybe you’d like a million dollar house. Is it in this country or another; in this state or county; city or rural setting? Where is land cheap now but will grow in value over 7 years? Will a relative help you buy it? Do you know about the strength and superior space enclosing factor of Dome homes? http://tinyurl.com/2q4wb8 Have you investigated the thermal savings of “Underground’ homes? http://tinyurl.com/2lvcls What’s involved in turning an old factory into a spacious home? Does hay bail http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/strawbaleQandA.htm or mud brick http://tinyurl.com/2h7uah constructions suit your purpose?

What will it look like; open plan or many rooms with different uses?

Set about making it a reality.

If what you want involves selling, start selling something. Get a weekend job where you can get paid a commission on sales so the more you sell, the more you earn.

Millionaires tell us the first $200,000 is the hardest. That should be your first big step up the financial ladder. After that you’ve learned enough to survive and have the buying power to be a bit player in bigger stakes. Be careful. There are always bad guys out there who want quick money by cheating you.

But Wait,There's More...

On this journey through life there are potholes and Gremlins and road signs pointing in the wrong direction.

Please, when you fall over a rock on the road, pick yourself up and push it off the road so those behind you don’t fall over it too.

We are all here together and working with each other is far better than fighting.

I remember a cartoon that showed a world in complete devastation. It had one heavily armed soldier standing with mad eyes in the middle of dismembered limbs, heavy black smoke, you know the scene. What looked like the last man on earth said, “I won.”

Plenty of millionaires and conquerors have died lonely or hated. What did they win? Be sure of what you want.

Two people working together will achieve the work of three people working alone. It’s a fact. Cooperation gets results so get along with people.

IQTeens hopes to show you the map so you can end life with no regrets except that there should be more time. It seems forever now but believe me; time goes faster as you get older. And you are doing that right now.

Use your youth before it runs out.

----------------------------------
DO YOU want to contribute to IQTeens? Well DO IT or, in the words of Aunty Jack, “I’ll jump through the screen and rip your bloody arms off!”

Let me know what you want to talk about. Be the first on this new blog.

Up like a rocket, Jay Ross.

(c) Would you like to be notified about each issue as it happens? It means you can log in with only a click. Send your edress to iqteens@gmail.com and put "send" in the subject line. Simple.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Hi and Welcome,

IQ Teens has been created as a separate entity between "grown children" and "young adults", because it encompasses some aspects of life that are out of place in either of the other categories. (IQChildren and IQAdult)

Thinking properly while coping with puberty, peer group pressures, religion, parental control, the search for the idealistic in a far from perfect world, can be difficult.

Most teenagers mature well and this blog is meant to further that development by providing reliable info on topics that they maybe haven't considered yet. Many topics are usually not fully explained because of social taboos or ignorant parents, so we'll talk about them.

We want to discuss the problems and confusions too.

There is a great benefit in being anonymous when wanting to ask embarrassing questions. That can be done here. It is better to get info from someone who does know than rely on peer opinion as fact. The benefit of hindsight from having ‘done that’ is of immense value.

But this site has no "Do it this way!" philosophy. Hopefully you can make up your own mind with the real facts.
Remember, as a future responsible adult, you are the master of your life.

Why the high youth suicide rate in many affluent countries? External influences have their effect but it's the mental workings of the not-child-not-adult youth that need attention. Their thinking has to be understood. Too often adults forget what they did and felt when they were teens.

Even though the child was raised 'well', something can happen in youth that kicks all adult logic. Kids often can't express themselves clearly so here is a chance to talk openly to someone neutral.

That "rebellious period" can lead to a disastrous entry into adulthood. Teens don't seem to realize how many tears can accompany lessons in life. But then tears may be the only way to learn. It's all part of character building.

So how do they think and how can we understand even though we as adults have already been through it?
”Ours was a different time”. Well, Plato wrote about it back in 430 BC and if you think back, your parents said the same as you do now. Was ours really a different time?
Externally it has changed but essentially inside we face the same problems.

TV and PC games may have replaced the old games and various sports, the Colosseum. But we all face similar problems in each generation.

This blog should ideally be regarded as an older brother or sister, not as a stern parent. You are free to say or ask what you want provided you treat others with the same respect you want shown to you. Saying “That Sally is a shit faced bitch!” doesn’t get anybody anywhere so it won’t be published. If you gave some sort of reason for your opinion we might listen.

If you’re not part of the solution; you’re part of the problem.
We need to fix things, not complain about them.
Please think about it.
IQTeens
is about making it right, finding the best way, so offer a solution or ask for one. Just complaining achieves nothing. A lot of adults do it.

The future belongs to those who build it.

You are building yours now. IQTeens wants to help. The idea is to point you in the right direction and let go of the bowstring.

Among the things I would like to discuss are drugs, money, health, sex, suicide, boredom, communication skills, getting a job, learning skills, marriage, being conned, being deceived, relationships, adults, responsibility, the nature of life, religion, the way the planet is run, your potential, logical thinking, achievement…

There’s more but you get the idea. And let’s have some fun along the way.

You are welcome to write in to iqteens@gmail.com with questions, suggestions or comments and you can also post comments at the bottom of the page. It’s easy.

What do YOU want to know?As far as swear words are concerned; I don’t mind but make them relevant to your topic, not there to cover inadequacy in thinking clearly. Read this and then take out all the f***en swearing – “F***, why don’t they f***** take all the f***** cars off the f***** road and f***** make every f*****body ride f***** push f*****bikes?!” The swearing here doesn’t serve any purpose other than to make you look like an idiot.

“Fuck” has been in the dictionaries for decades. It’s in movies with the best actors and read in magazines so what is the wowser objection all about?

Another thing on the gripe list is “ You know kinda like what sorta people like um know what I mean kinda talk like yeah sorta well like this really like I mean you know mean and yeah hey?” WHAT? (Translation – “What do people who talk like this mean?) OK.

Last thing for now is “My car has a turbo triple charged multiple gauge sub woofer dip stick, so there!” Honestly man, go to a car forum. Being a Teen is a process of growing up, becoming an adult. “My Dad can beat your Dad” belongs in the kiddies’ playground.

There is a lot to learn but you can do it.
There are seven years between turning thirteen and turning twenty. These are going to be confusing, enlightening, embarrassing, rewarding, and so much else. Most of you will have sex, make love and some will even become parents. Others will find special friends of the same sex. Many of you will go through the pain of rejection or lost love.
Some will die.

Your future job, career, livelihood will take shape and your attitudes will start to solidify. If you start off on the wrong foot now, change it now, because later it will be much harder and sometimes impossible. For example; a criminal record will haunt you all your life. It doesn’t matter if you have changed since then.

Similarly the wrong choice of recreational drug may decide your fate, without your consent, and destroy everything you hoped for.

Getting on well with people is essential to a happy life but be careful. Being urged into doing foolhardy thinks is risky. Running a red light because your friends say so is stupidity. And those friends are stupid because they’re in the car with you.

Committing a prison-able crime may not kill you but young guys are “fresh flesh” for sexual pleasure in jail. And you’ll be passed around.

Risk taking is part of life but the ones who win have analyzed the odds and have a good chance of winning. You do not have to be a hero or legend.

A lot of adults stop learning and become victims of a ‘safe’ routine. These people are boring and afraid of losing their “security”. They’re not living; they exist. They’ve lost their imagination. You can learn to keep the spark of youth going through life by getting interested in diverse topics and people, encountering varieties of thoughts and beliefs. A mind that can change its ideas or accept new challenges is free from the prison of inaction and boredom. These minds stay youthful.

The habits to achieve this have to be developed now. In fact just about everything you make a habit of in these years will be there in your adult life. So get it right.

Hopefully IQTeens will help steer you in that direction.

The edress for questions or comments is iqteens@gmail.com Maybe you’d like to contribute a paragraph.

IQTeens can help. Your input is welcome.

Round like a rissole, Jay Ross.