They take little skill, but a ton of effort. It’s why most don’t make a difference.
“You want to make a difference in a kids life?
1. Actually care about them.
2. Develop trust.
3. Teach them how to work hard.
4. Hold them accountable.
5. Do not coddle them.
6. Discipline them.
7. Follow up.
8. Follow through.
9. Love on them.
10. Be available.”
-Ray Zingler on Twitter
We live in a world today where everybody prides themselves on being so busy.
Most people working with kids today aren’t doing it for the right reasons, despite outwardly saying they are and that’s just a fact.
You don’t make a difference by simply filling a role that has the ABILITY to change a kids life. You actually have to do the consistent hard work.
Simply showing up and existing doesn’t do anything for them except get in their way.
If you want to make a difference in their life:
1) Actually care about them. No, not just saying it because they are under your direction, but deeply longing to see them move the needle in their lives.
2) Develop trust. Kid’s aren’t going to automatically trust you simply because you’re a superior. You have to actually do the work in the trenches to EARN it.
3) Teach them to work hard. Hard work is not a default trait. It is a learned skill. You must tangibly lead by example and show them how to work hard. Talk is cheap.
4) Hold them accountable. It does no good to simply give them the blueprint. You must hold them accountable.
5) Do not coddle them. Adults today have this inherent desire to bail kids out of things when things get tough or busy. There is no greater theft from our youths’ global development than bailing them out of adversity. Adversity is a gift. Let them feel it.
6) Discipline them. Kids actually love discipline. They love structure. They love having expectations. The key is knowing how to appropriately create, dose, and deliver discipline.
7) Follow up. Follow up with them, check in, show them that you’re paying attention and interested.
8) Follow through. Do what you said you’d do in the beginning, if you expect them to keep moving forward, you need to, too, especially when it isn’t convenient.
9) Love on them. Do you have any idea how it makes a kid feel when you tell them you love them and they know it’s true? It’s life changing.
10) Be available. The best ability will forever be availability. Just simply being available for a kid can make all the difference in the world.
