Celebrating a brand new release in non-fiction, we’re sharing an extract from Teenager’s Book of Life by Tony Griffin. A book drawing on psychology, philosophy, sport and real human experience for young people, read on below to see a sneak peek – with gorgeous illustrations as featured in the book.
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Being a teenager in today’s complex world isn’t easy.
And raising one is no walk in the park either.
Discover Your Zing
Your zing is the real you, the you who no one else could dream of being. It has been called many names – heart, soul, essence. It’s the piece of meteorite dust that you are, that no one else can copy. The sad thing is that as people grow up, they often lose touch with their zing and feel that they are not good enough. Really, the purpose of life is to rediscover your zing over and over again. Some adults say that having dreams is wishy-washy, that dreams are for children, or something you do when you’re asleep and you should grow up and live in the real world. I think that’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.
The truth is that dreams are a serious business. They are life and death. Because if you don’t have dreams, you die while still living, and that’s the worst thing of all – to be walking dead.
Dreams are more important than oxygen, because having a dream, following its trail, is the way back to your zing. And remember, finding your zing is the reason you’re here.
Zing
Dreams are the inner magnet that lead you to your zing. They pull you in the direction that your heart and soul want to go. Your mind will come up with every reason why you should be careful and not allow the magnet to pull you where it wants you to go. This is because the Law of Dreams is that they test you by revealing how much you had inside you all along but perhaps could not see. In the end, dreams make you STRONG because they first make you feel WEAK, SCARED and LOST.
But when you keep going, you realise that you have survived, and deep down you know that you refused to surrender to your fears and you lived to tell the tale – all because you didn’t give up on your dreams.
In the end, when you have chased your dreams and you have held on and survived, you’ll realise that the dreams were never the most important thing at all. The most important thing was who you became along the way, how much your dreams helped you to remember who you really are.
What you need to know about dreams
• Your dreams are the way to discover who you’re going to be.
• Your dreams have their origin in what you love to do.
• They are what bring you the most joy.
• Following your dream will test you again and again.
• The people you love may not understand it.
In school you probably won’t be taught about how to get to your dreams, so don’t expect someone else to set you on the path.
Having dreams isn’t like getting a driver’s license. There is no age you have to reach to be allowed to get into it.
• Your dreams might break your heart and make you feel like you could die trying to achieve them.
• You might want to die along the way BUT don’t give up.
Your dream will change shape again and again, so you must keep listening with your heart and your soul. They know the way.
And remember – the dream is just the vehicle; the thing that helps you to find out how strong you are. But if you get the dream and aren’t kind and decent to others, then you didn’t get it. Oh, and another thing: don’t make money your dream. That’s one sure way to get the dream but miss the magic. I know lots of millionaires who are miserable.
Choose dreams that come from what you love, from things that make you feel alive. Then you’ll get good at the thing you love and someone, somewhere, will want to pay you to do that thing you love. If you chase money as your primary dream, it’s like leaning your ladder against a wall and climbing to the top. When you reach the top of the ladder and look out on the view, you’ll realise it was leaning against the wrong wall all along.
The right wall for you is the one that makes you feel like you would climb the ladder for free. Your parents might not agree with this. Your guidance counsellor or teachers may not either.
But don’t worry about that. Most of them are half-dead, walking around like zombies already, and they’re not as wise as you (because no one told them this early in their life). I’m not saying money isn’t important – it is. But it’s not the most important thing in life, so choose a dream you love, not one that will make you rich.
Whatever you do, whatever dream you chase, do it with everything you’ve got and don’t give up when it gets hard!
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To read more of Teenager’s Book of Life, pick it up in your favourite bookshop, or request your bookseller to order it in! Teenager’s Book of Life is published by Little Island Books
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Teenager’s Book of Life
The ultimate guide to being a teenager – filled with real stories, honest advice and illustrated with inspiring quotes to help you navigate growing up with confidence.
Being a teenager has never been simple. In a world shaped by constant pressure, comparison and uncertainty, young people are facing challenges no generation has experienced before. And for parents, teachers and caregivers, knowing how to support them can feel just as overwhelming.
Filled with powerful real-life stories, practical wisdom and inspiring quotes to live by, this vibrantly-illustrated book speaks directly to young people in a voice they can trust. It encourages self-discovery, resilience and self-acceptance – without ever pretending life is easy.
Tony Griffin
Tony Griffin is an Irish author and mindset and performance coach to leading sports teams who has spent more than two decades helping young people and their families.
A former All-Star in the Irish game of hurling, he has dedicated his post-playing career to helping both established athletes and young people thrive and find their path. His autobiography Screaming at the Sky (Transworld, 2010) was nominated for both the William Hill Sports Book of the Year and An Post Irish Book Awards Sports Book of the Year. He lives in County Kildare with his partner and two sons.
