Advice to a High School Student

QUESTION

Hi Mr. Cofone, I'm a high school student and I'm trying to figure out what in the world I want to do.

I have lots of different passions varying from crafting to playing sports. I have no idea what career I want to pursue.

What advice would you give to your high school self? What opportunities should I be taking advantage of in high school? Should I be concerned about the future right now?

 —Avery

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ANSWER

Avery, I have great news for you: just by asking this question you are already leagues ahead of most people your age.

The following are a few bits of fundamental approaches to life that have served me well no matter what I’m doing. They’ve worked at all ages, in all realms (personal and professional).

 Here’s my advice:

• Learn to communicate well. No matter what it is you’re doing in life, you’re not doing it alone. Even writing a book, which seems like a lonely endeavor, requires a host of people to bring to life. Which means communication—written and spoken—is a necessary part of anything you do. Wield it with precision.

• Follow what you enjoy. It’s a fact that people who enjoy what they do naturally perform better and go longer. There’s no trick here—they’re simply interested, and therefore whatever they’re doing seems less like work and more like play; it’s enjoyable. Try your best to do more of what you enjoy and less of what you don’t. Over time it adds up.

• Try a lot of things. Similar to the previous suggestion—don’t write off anything until you first try it. It’s easy to turn down things that you’re unfamiliar with, but if you make that a habit then you end up dramatically shrinking your world. Experiment—often.

• Don’t worry about what others think. Look, I’ll be straight up with you. No one really cares what you’re doing because most of the time they’re worried too much about themselves. So don’t be afraid to look silly or sound stupid. The more you take risks, the more you grow.

Integrate these philosophies into your life and you’ll be amazed at how life seems to unfold in your favor.

Rooting for you.

—Joey

Creator of Baronfig
Author of The Laws of Creativity

The last point—don't worry about what others think—reminded me of the Hellfire Club from Stranger Things. Those kids did what they enjoyed even if others didn't understand why.