If you’re 13-18 years old, please watch this video…

Summary

In this inspiring video, Amy encourages teenagers to embrace their youth without the pressure of making it the 'best years' of their life. She shares her personal journey and four key strategies that led to her success, emphasizing the importance of making early decisions, standing out, playing sports, and developing soft skills. Amy's message is that by focusing on personal growth and authenticity during teenage years, one can build a strong foundation for a fulfilling future.

Takeaways

• 🎯 The 'good old days' are a myth; you shouldn't feel pressured to make your teenage years the best or most productive years of your life.
• 🏌️‍♀️ The analogy of life as a game of golf is used to illustrate the impact of small decisions made early in life, which can have significant effects later on.
• 🔑 Four key principles are shared to guide teenagers towards setting themselves up for a successful future.
• 🧩 The importance of not fitting in and valuing personal growth over peer approval is emphasized, as it can lead to greater achievements and self-confidence.
• 🏆 The speaker shares personal experiences of excelling in school and building a dream life, highlighting the payoff of hard work and resilience.
• 🤔 The idea that being 'odd' or different can be beneficial is presented, as it often leads to standing out and achieving more.
• 💪 The benefits of playing organized sports are discussed, including the development of discipline, maturity, and life skills.
• 🤝 The significance of soft skills, such as communication and empathy, is highlighted as being more impactful for overall life success than hard skills.
• 👥 The value of jobs in service industries for developing interpersonal skills and understanding the value of money is underscored.
• 📚 The speaker advises against focusing too much on self-improvement outside of school and other commitments, suggesting that teenagers are already self-improving through their daily activities.
• 🌱 The message that it's never too late to start working on oneself and that growth is a continuous process, regardless of age, is conveyed.

Q & A

What is the main message of the video about teenage years?

The main message is that teenagers should not feel pressured to make their teenage years the most fun or the best years of their life, nor should they stress about being super productive. Instead, they should focus on making good decisions early on, which will have a greater impact on their future.

How does the golf ball analogy relate to decision-making in life?

The golf ball analogy illustrates that small decisions made early in life, like changing the angle by just 2°, can lead to significantly different outcomes over time. It emphasizes the importance of making decisions early in life, like during teenage years, as they can have a profound impact on one's future.

Why did the speaker feel insecure during middle school?

The speaker felt insecure during middle school because she was on the basketball and volleyball teams and felt less cool compared to other girls. She experienced pressure to conform to what others considered cool.

What strategy did the speaker use to cope with the desire to fit in?

To cope with the desire to fit in, the speaker reframed her actions as cooler than what others were doing. She focused on her values and what was good for her future, which helped her stay confident in her choices.

How did the speaker's mindset change regarding studying and being cool?

Initially, the speaker felt studying was uncool, but she reframed it as being cool because she was using her privilege and opportunity to excel. This mindset shift allowed her to be proud of being the only one studying and happier than her peers who saw studying as a burden.

What is the significance of the speaker's experience in AP environmental science class?

The speaker's experience in AP environmental science class is significant because it demonstrates the payoff of her hard work and resilience. She was the only one studying while others were not, and she was also the only one who got a perfect score on the AP test.

Why is it important to stand out and work on oneself during teenage years according to the speaker?

Standing out and working on oneself during teenage years is important because it builds human capital and gives one more options in life. It sets a foundation for future success and flexibility, as illustrated by the speaker's ability to work anywhere in the world.

What is the speaker's advice on dealing with peer pressure and fitting in?

The speaker advises not to write off friends but to be strong about one's own beliefs internally. She suggests focusing on personal growth and values rather than conforming to peer pressure.

How does playing organized sports contribute to personal development according to the video?

Playing organized sports contributes to personal development by instilling discipline, maturity, and life skills. It teaches commitment, teamwork, and handling pressure, which are valuable in other areas of life.

Why are soft skills more important than hard skills in certain aspects of life, as per the speaker?

Soft skills are more important than hard skills in aspects like career opportunities, social events, and overall life improvement because they involve interpersonal abilities, empathy, and communication, which are crucial for success in various life situations.

What is the speaker's stance on self-improvement during teenage years?

The speaker believes that teenagers are already self-improving through their daily activities and experiences. She suggests focusing on doing the best in what they are already involved in, rather than seeking out additional self-improvement activities.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Embracing Teenage Years for Long-Term Success

The speaker, Amy, challenges the notion that teenage years must be the best or most productive years of one's life. She emphasizes that it's not necessary to feel pressured to be super productive during these years. Amy shares her personal experience and that of her successful friends, stating that playing the right 'cards' during adolescence can lead to a fulfilling life ahead. She introduces a golf analogy to illustrate the impact of early decisions on one's future trajectory, highlighting the importance of making decisions as early as possible for a greater long-term effect.

05:02

🏀 Standing Out by Embracing Individuality

Amy discusses the struggle with fitting in during her school years and the realization that adhering to her values, such as focusing on studies and math competitions, was more important than conforming to what was considered 'cool'. She reframed her mindset to view her actions as cooler than those of her peers. This approach led to her achieving high grades and developing a strong sense of self, which she believes was more rewarding than fitting in. Amy encourages embracing individuality and using it to one's advantage, as it can lead to personal growth and future success.

10:04

🏆 The Power of Discipline and Commitment Through Sports

The speaker shares the benefits of participating in organized sports, which she believes accelerate life skills and discipline. She explains that the commitment required in sports, such as early morning practices and team cooperation, instills maturity and discipline. Amy argues that even without natural talent, the experience of being part of a team and the lessons learned from it can significantly contribute to personal development. She extends this advice to other organized activities that require commitment and cooperation, such as robotics.

15:06

🤝 Developing Soft Skills Through Service and Empathy

Amy highlights the importance of soft skills over hard skills in various aspects of life, including career opportunities and social interactions. She shares her experiences in tutoring and volunteering, which helped her develop empathy, adaptability, and persuasive communication. The speaker suggests that working in service roles can greatly improve one's ability to handle different types of people and situations, emphasizing that these experiences are invaluable for personal growth and future success.

🌱 Self-Improvement Through Life Experiences, Not Just Books

In this paragraph, Amy advises teenagers not to focus too much on extra self-improvement activities outside of their regular commitments. She believes that being a teenager itself is a period of significant character and skill development. Amy shares that she did not seek out self-improvement books or activities as a teenager but found that when she read her first self-development book in college, she had already developed many of the recommended skills through her life experiences. She encourages teenagers to focus on doing their best in their current activities and reflecting on how to improve, rather than adding extra self-improvement tasks.

🎯 Authenticity and Growth Mindset for Future Opportunities

Amy concludes by sharing her current personal experiences with applying to a program, emphasizing the importance of authenticity in applications and the relief she felt when she decided to be true to herself. She also discusses the value of reaching out to people for advice and assistance, such as requesting letters of recommendation. The speaker hints at revealing the program she is applying to in an upcoming video and encourages viewers to subscribe and engage with the community for support and growth.

Keywords

💡Teenage Years

The term 'Teenage Years' refers to the period in a person's life typically between the ages of 13 and 19. In the video's theme, it emphasizes the importance of making the most of this time without feeling the pressure to conform to societal expectations of what makes these years 'fun' or 'successful'. The script mentions that even if one's teenage years are not the 'best years of your life,' it is still possible to set oneself up for a fulfilling future.

💡Productivity

Productivity in this context is the efficiency of making the most of one's time and resources to achieve goals. The video challenges the notion that teenagers must be super productive to ensure future success. It suggests that the focus should be on making decisions that align with one's values and long-term goals, rather than just immediate achievements.

💡Golf Ball Analogy

The 'Golf Ball Analogy' is used to illustrate the impact of small decisions over time. The video explains that a slight change in angle when hitting a golf ball can lead to vastly different outcomes, symbolizing how early decisions in life can have significant long-term effects. This analogy is central to the video's message about the importance of making decisions in one's teenage years.

💡Fitting In

The concept of 'Fitting In' relates to the social pressure to conform to the norms or behaviors of a group. The video discusses the struggle with fitting in during middle school and high school, and how the speaker overcame this by refocusing on her values and future goals. It suggests that prioritizing personal growth and values over fitting in can lead to greater satisfaction and success.

💡Values

Values are the principles or standards of behavior that guide one's life. In the video, the speaker talks about valuing her education and future over social acceptance, which helped her make decisions that aligned with her long-term goals. The video encourages viewers to stick to their values, even when they conflict with what is considered 'cool' or popular.

💡Self-Improvement

Self-Improvement refers to the process of enhancing one's knowledge, skills, and abilities for personal growth. The video suggests that teenagers are already engaged in self-improvement through their daily activities and challenges, and they should focus on doing their best in what they are already committed to, rather than seeking external self-improvement methods.

💡Soft Skills

Soft Skills are personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively with others, such as communication, empathy, and teamwork. The video highlights the importance of soft skills over hard skills in various life aspects, including career opportunities and social interactions. The speaker's experience in tutoring and volunteering helped her develop these skills.

💡Hard Skills

Hard Skills are specific abilities or knowledge that can be taught and measured, such as coding or mathematical abilities. The video contrasts hard skills with soft skills, noting that while hard skills are important for academic achievement, it is the soft skills that often pay off in life and career.

💡Commitment

Commitment in this context refers to the dedication to a cause or activity. The video speaks about the benefits of being committed to organized sports or other team activities, which can teach discipline, resilience, and maturity. The speaker's experience as a benchwarmer still provided valuable lessons in commitment and teamwork.

💡Authenticity

Authenticity is the quality of being genuine and not pretending to be anything other than what one truly is. The video touches on the importance of being authentic in applications and essays for programs or universities, suggesting that admissions officers value true stories over conforming to perceived expectations.

💡Mindset

Mindset refers to a set of attitudes and beliefs that shape how a person approaches life. The video emphasizes the undervalued role of mindset in achieving goals and suggests that having the right mindset is crucial for taking helpful actions. The speaker's podcast aims to help listeners rewire their mindset for success.

Highlights

The 'good old days' concept is debunked, emphasizing that teenage years don't have to be the best to set up future success.

Teenagers are encouraged not to stress about being super productive for future success, but to live their best life now.

The video is described as crucial for every teenager, with a golf analogy used to illustrate the impact of early decisions.

Amy shares her personal experience of balancing academic success with social life and the importance of making early choices.

The importance of not fitting in and staying true to one's values is highlighted as a key to personal growth.

Reframing activities as 'cooler' than the norm can lead to increased confidence and better decision-making.

The benefits of standing out and focusing on self-improvement rather than fitting in are discussed.

The speaker emphasizes the long-term payoff of hard work and resilience during teenage years.

The role of organized sports in developing discipline, maturity, and life skills is underscored.

Playing sports, even without natural talent, can significantly contribute to personal development.

The significance of soft skills over hard skills in various life aspects is pointed out.

Jobs that involve helping others can greatly improve soft skills such as empathy and communication.

Service jobs are recommended for their ability to teach people skills valuable in all walks of life.

The notion that teenagers should not overly focus on self-improvement outside of their regular activities is presented.

The idea that self-improvement happens naturally through life experiences and reflection is introduced.

The transcript concludes with the message that it's never too late to start making positive changes.

The importance of authenticity in applications and recommendations for college admissions is discussed.

The speaker shares personal strategies for managing the college application process, including preparing documents for recommenders.

An upcoming reveal of the college program the speaker is applying to is teased for the next video.

Transcripts

you want to hear something crazy the

good old days are a lie you don't need

to feel pressure to make your teenage

years the most fun best years of your

life because they won't be and guess

what you also don't need to stress about

being super productive to set your

future self up for Success if you're

between the ages of 13 through 18 and

you play your cards right you will be

living your best life for decades and

still get to enjoy being a teenager now

you know how I know because that's

exactly my experience and those of my

friends who are killing it at life I

spent months creating this video because

it's one of the most important ones I've

ever made and every teenager should

listen to these messages so buckle up

buckle up imagine your life as playing a

game of golf you have your golf ball in

front of you and you have a club to hit

it with so with each hit your goal is to

get the golf ball as close to your

destination as possible imagine you hit

it in One Direction angle a now what if

you change your angle just 2° so now you

hit the ball at angle B well it seems

like those 2° is so minimal right maybe

you can't even see the difference but

the farther the ball gets hit you will

see that those two de made a larger and

larger difference that represents each

of the decisions you make in your life

they may seem like small decisions now

but the earlier you make them like in

your teenage years the greater impact

will materialize farther and farther

down the line eventually when golf ball

a and golf ball B land you wouldn't even

know that they came from the same spot

that's the power in your decisions now

as early as possible when you're older

and you're in your 20s only then trying

to make good decisions that will make

far less impact than if you had started

earlier so that's why it's so incredibly

critical to take care of your teenage

years I'm sharing with you today how to

hit that golf ball right so you're on

the winning traj Factory hm but you

might be wondering who the heck am I to

tell you how to spend your precious

teenage years well I'm Amy I got into a

top 10 University while sleeping an

average of 8 hours a night and having a

social life now I'm currently living my

best life in the playground of New York

City yeah in New

York my work barely feels like work and

I get to share amazing experiences with

the best people but how did I get here

and how can you get to your best life as

well just like I explained in my golf

ball analogy what I did in the past

significantly paid off later to get me

to my dream life today as a teenager I

didn't know it at the time but it wasn't

good grades and awards that got me to

where I am but it was these four keys

that you will learn today remember the

first way to get your golf ball on the

winning trajectory is to set this video

on full screen and lock in so you're

already above average let's go how much

do you care about fitting in in when I

was in Middle School I was super

insecure and felt like the least cool

person especially because I was on the

basketball and volleyball teams and the

other girls made me feel way less than

them I felt so much pressure to follow

what other people were doing I had this

friend who had very strong opinions and

she was considered cool for example at

dinner she would say ew this dish is so

gross and even though I really liked it

I would follow and be like yeah ew

that's so gross even going into high

school I didn't know know how to do

makeup like the other girls I was never

invited to parties and I was always the

one who never got asked out to a single

school dance I struggled with this

desire of fitting in with a cool crowd

but I also knew my values I valued to do

what was good for me and for my future

that includes studying doing math

competitions but that also conflicted

with what people thought was cool

therefore to stick with my values and to

cope I ref framed what I was doing as

cooler than what other people were doing

this habit of thinking also makes you

more confident in your choices and

opinions now instead of just agreeing

with my friend that something is gross I

can happily say hey I'm not going to go

to that football game today because I

need to study for my math test that was

the best way to happily and sustainably

develop my best self I stopped wanting

to fit in I heard inspirational stories

of people who stood out instead of

fitting in in and thought I want to be

like them I'm meant for more and I'm

special I don't want to be like the

other kids at my school thinking this

way and then acting in accordance with

this mindset paid off in AP

environmental science class I was the

only one who was in the back of the

classroom studying on the black lab

tables while my classmates were fooling

around and chatting but guess what I was

also the only one who got a five on that

AP test and I was the only one there who

got a five on the AP Physics test

achieving things like that through my

hard work and resilience made me proud

to be the only one even better I was

actually happier than many of my peers

who also wanted straight A because they

saw studying as uncool and as a burden

but with my reframing I saw studying as

being cool because I'm using my

privilege and this opportunity if I

tried hard I don't know what I will get

exactly but I know it will pay off and I

will be cooler than all of these peers

in the future after volleyball practice

when the girls are grouped together

gossiping obviously leaving me out

because they can't relate to me doing

math competitions or me studying so much

I thought hey that's okay you do you I'm

going to do me and I know this will pay

off because I'm okay with being the only

one I feel like some people might take

this the wrong way and think it's

vengeful but I'm just trying to say that

you want to take everything to your

advantage if you're left out think huh

maybe I'm being left out as a good thing

if 99% of people are going to that party

hey I'm the 1% and maybe me being that

1% that stays back to study will

actually make me the top 1% in the

future I got to excel in school while

being more content while building my

human capital these skills ended up

being invaluable to me by the time I

went to apply for college make new

friends and search for my first job when

you choose to stand out and work on

yourself you give yourself options

because now I have the option of working

anywhere I want in the world but I could

not have this flexibility right now if I

didn't build my human capital to do so

the people who limit themselves by

fitting into boxes now will be limiting

themselves far more in the future now

this doesn't mean you write off all your

friends and outwardly become this

strange Lone Wolf I still had friends

this just means that you have to be

super strong about your own beliefs on

the inside I know it can be really hard

with peer pressure and if you don't have

anyone to do this with you so you can

strengthen your mindset with my podcast

your A+ life just like on this channel I

hope that by sharing my experiences

excelling in school sustainably and

building my dream life can help you do

the same for example in this episode I

talked about how I made myself lucky

even though I was technically unlucky by

having a disability of migraines don't

forget that you can't be number one one

without being

odd I discovered this really helpful

piece of advice that I haven't seen

anyone else talk about in my

interactions with others whether it was

in high school college and Caltech or

work there are some people who tend to

be more efficient diligent proactive

resilient these are the people who are

disciplined enough to pull themselves

away from a conversation late at night

and say they have to go to sleep these

are also the people who I found are much

more passionate about living a fun and

exciting life instead of being on their

phones all the time I realized that

there was something in common with most

of these people can you guess what it is

before I share playing sports I talked

about this with my sister and she agreed

and said she realized the exact same

thing playing organized Sports where you

might have to wake up at 4:00 a.m. you

have to practice for 3 hours a day no

matter what you have to show up to

practice 15 minutes early and stretch

and run laps and then you have to play

games where you're under tons of

pressure you have to be on a team and

cheer each other on you have to pick

yourself up even when you feel down for

the well-being of the whole group these

experiences give you years upon years of

maturity you accelerate your life skills

you get so much discipline because you

have to push yourself even when you feel

like you can't go any longer when I was

at Caltech and on the basketball team

teams I felt like I was going to

collapse half the time but I had to

still run sprints and make my free

throws when you have commitments and

practices that you can't just shrug off

you have to learn how to be efficient

and manage almost like a part-time job

of playing sports in addition to school

and homework and other activities for

this tip I was contemplating saying oh

you can just do some activity that has

competitions but no Sports Just Hits

different okay to say that least if you

can't do Sports then at least be on some

organized team like robotics that

requires commitment cooperation and

growth in fact you could suck at that

activity you could suck at that sport

but it doesn't matter your experience

will set you eons ahead of other people

who don't have exposure to that kind of

environment and commitment I had no

natural Talent at basketball and

volleyball and I was a benchwarmer at

Caltech but did I still gain a ton from

them yes and so will you and the cool

thing is that because everything is

holistic these skills will carry into

other areas of your life such that you

will become a better student friend and

everything else you want to be more

easily what do you think is more

important hard skills or soft skills

hard skills are technical abilities like

being able to code do math chemistry

while soft skills are ability to present

something to speak with others to

empathize and to write ding ding ding it

is the soft skills part and this is very

interesting because I really really

worked on my hard skills hence being

able to get into Caltech which is one of

the hardest stem universities in the

world but when it came to career

opportunities fun events with friends

and just making life better overall it

was my soft skills that I realized paid

off so much but how did I get those soft

skills if I was doing a lot of math and

Technical work well that came from

having jobs that help people ever since

high school I've been privately tutoring

students it's been amazing for me to

adapt to different students learning

styles their backgrounds and experiences

I have a more open mind and can

empathize with people who think

differently from me and I learned how to

work with people who are different from

me and how to be persuasive and get the

result I want even when someone is

difficult this isn't a job where I earn

money per se but I also volunteered at

the hospital I worked at the front desk

so often patients and really stressed

moms about to give birth would come up

and ask me for help and I had to be able

to calm them down and handle people

relationships Under Pressure working a

job in Services is highly underrated

every single person should have the

experience of serving other people like

being a waitress at a restaurant that

experience just makes you a better

person honestly because then you also

know to respect other service workers

and you will become a superstar at

dealing with different kinds of people

no matter if they are grumpy or they're

stressed about a certain situation you

will be able to handle it all and you

will be so surprised at how much that

helps you in the future even if you are

bad at the technical skills as a bonus

if this experience helps you earn money

you will start to learn the value of

money and how hard it is to actually get

it so you won't just want to buy

whatever you want now with your parents

money and you will work harder for your

future finally if you're watching this

this might be controversial but you'll

see what I mean if you're watching this

you probably care about self-improvement

and you've been watching videos to work

on your

self-improvement however when I was a

teenager did I care about doing extra ex

ra self-improvement outside of school

heck I could barely get my homework done

and do Sports and extracurriculars and

just live a happy Teenage life so I

didn't have time to search the latest

self-improvement books or to decide hey

I'm going to do five push-ups a day to

get better and be more disciplined and

if I do say so myself I think I turned

out pretty well actually I have the

resilience the efficiency the discipline

and all those other skills those

self-improvement Guru talk about but I

didn't purposefully search them out as a

teenager see the thing is as a teenager

please don't care too much about doing

extra self-improvement you are already

doing so much and these are the years

where you're developing your character

your skills your awareness your

relationships so much that you are

automatically self-improving you just

need to try your best in the things you

have to do in your life and then reflect

on how you can do them better like I

didn't read a single self-development

book before college but what's crazy is

that when I read my first

self-development book I discovered that

the tips in there were things that I've

already developed myself like I knew a

lot of the advice by simply trying my

best and reflecting in the things that I

was already busy with as a teenager tips

and videos are great and super helpful

but you should adapt them to things

you're already doing and you you don't

need to go out of your way and be like

hey I need to learn discipline so I'm

going to add climbing a mountain to my

list no you can learn discipline by

doing better in your math class or

working harder in tennis and staying off

your phone if you have five things

you're working on in your life already

then get those all to 100% before you

try and addon self-improvement extra

self-improvement by doing these four

things as a teenager I accidentally set

myself up to have the dream life I have

now just because you're younger doesn't

mean it's going to be the good old days

because right now I honestly wouldn't

choose to go back in time and live as a

teenager again because I just love the

kind of life that I've built for myself

I have the freedom I have the

flexibility I have the most amazing

people around me because I found myself

and my values putting myself in a place

where I'm always growing like I am

always leveling up the past and when I'm

young is not where I peeed I am never

peeking I'm always growing even if you

are 18 or 19 or any age outside of this

age range that I said remember I'm

trying not to be exclusive it's just a

good it's just a good title you've been

seeing how those videos are blowing up

okay I got to do what I got to do anyway

even if you're outside of this age range

it's never too late start doing these

now even if you weren't on the best

trajectory you have time to sh shift

over to the winning path and you're

doing great because here in this YouTube

Community We Are The A Team the best

team where our amazing members are acing

school and Beyond by having the right

mindset and working on holistic habits

join by hitting that subscribe button

and giving this a like so we can make

our 18 even bigger and help more people

and remember to check out my podcast

your A+ life where you can rewire your

mindset and make getting getting on the

right golf trajectory easier than ever

because just like I always say mindset

is something really undervalued nowadays

like all the advice is about what

actions to take but you cannot do those

helpful actions without the right

mindset great job and I'll see you next

time reaching out and having coffee

chats with people who are more

experienced and more knowledgeable is so

so helpful in my latest coffee chat the

guy told me that people will try to

conform their profile and their essays

into something they think the admissions

officers will like but what that ends up

doing as he predicts is make everyone

look more similar his recommendation is

at the end of the day just be super

authentic share your true story as long

as it makes sense with a program and

have fun with it and knowing that bottom

line just took a lot of pressure off of

me because I think a lot of the stress

was what do they want to see how do I

make myself look more like that

but I remember that I actually am I

think exactly the kind of person this

program wants so I just have to present

that I just have to let that shine

through the words on the page and yeah

that's all I have to say oh also I have

been reaching out to those I want to

write my letters of recommendation and

both of them said yes so I'm just

researching and preparing the documents

for my recommenders such that they can

more easily know what to write about get

ahead of the deadlines and overall just

an outline to make the process easier

for them I know it's been a long time

coming it's been a long time coming now

do me um so I will be revealing what

program I'm applying to finally in the

next video the next mini Vlog so if you

would like right know guess in the

comments before I review it it's

actually probably pretty easy to guess I

think so hint is that it will be in the

same city as the previous program I got

into