Peaking Out Too Early

Have you recently searched for the girl you were once in love with during your teens? Remember, she was the same girl that would scoff at the very sight of your attention. Or how about the group of peers who wouldn’t dare let you sit next to them at lunch? The same people who teased you for any reason only to come back with an apology and a request to do their homework. Yes, we all can recall these troublesome figures.

We bet they do not hold the same influence over you that they once held. Chances are they have actually fell off the face of the planet, fallen into a downward spiral of weight gain, declined in attractiveness,  or experienced a series of ill advised and shameful career options. Now, we know that this will not be the normal case for every individual from grades 6-12, but take a closer look at the situation. Thus, we have collected together some uncanny resemblances in the types of lifestyles and levels of affluence that our role models gained.

Growing up during our adolescence phase was not an easy thing for many of us. While we awkwardly navigated through our teen years, two types of people dominated the scene: those who you attempted to emulate and us. We were labeled the outcasts, the awkward ones with the headgear, and the “overly-intellectual-for-our-age” teenagers who all found it difficult to see the joy in the mundane activities of our peers.

Do you remember the people we used to copycat in attire, speech, and gait? The so called “in-crowd” of the age who dictated what music, language, and lifestyles were socially acceptable. Any attempt to step outside of those set social boundaries would have been social suicide. Individuality continues to be a hard trait to express while growing up, and sometimes the mold of a person’s exterior far exceeds their actually depth.

Now, let’s fast forward to present day. How many of these former “movers and shakers” individuals are creating any real net worth? Slim to none, correct?

No one is born Elite. Sure, some people are born into wealth and can have endless opportunities, but that is far from the all encompassing individual we should aspire to be. Intellect, compassion, work ethic and resilience make the real Elite individual, and each of us have a chance to obtain these qualities through our life experiences.

Public examples in today’s world of entertainment, sports and business reinforce our remarks. For musicians and artists, their developmental and emotional experiences enables them to create powerful work. Individuals such as Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs were far from those who dictated the social circle trends, but their careers still skyrocketed.

The ability to hold on to your individuality and integrity throughout life will nurture an individual into someone who can think for themselves under any circumstance. Thank god we weren’t cool in high school, because it could have ended before it even started.

Elite.