Success Skills for High School, College, and Career (Christian Edition), Revised (eBook)

Introduction 1

Success Skills Defined 2

The Importance of Success Skills 4

Developing Success Skills 5

Getting the Most Out of This Book 7

References 8

The Successful Christian Life 10

Receive Salvation 11

Live According to God's Plan 13

Obey Him 15

Stay Faithful 17

Part I: Readiness 22

Chapter 1: Know Yourself 25

Use Your Strengths 26

Manage Your Weaknesses 27

Work Hard and Work Smart 30

Challenge Yourself 33

Reflect on Your Experiences 38

Recognize Your Stressors and Motivators 40

Chapter 2: The Importance of a Positive Attitude 45

Maintain a Positive Attitude 46

The Benefits of a Positive Attitude 49

The Limiting Effects of a Bad Attitude 52

Your Inner Circle 54

Chapter 3: Balance Your Life and Keep Learning 57

A Balancing Act 57

Live and Learn 61

Chapter 4: Maintain the Proper Context 65

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize 67

Down But Not Out 69

Part II: Relationships 72

Chapter 5: Communicate Effectively 75

Professional Communication 76

Focus on Your Audience 78

Communicate Your Expectations 83

Managing Difficult Conversations and Conflict 86

References 91

Chapter 6: Be Professional 92

Professional Communication Revisited 93

Never Sacrifice Your Integrity 95

Commitment Is Essential 96

Dress for Success 100

Work Effectively with Others 101

Chapter 7: Develop Synergy 105

Synergistic Teams 106

Diversity Revisited 107

Keep Responsibility Where It Belongs 109

Chapter 8: Embrace Mentoring 114

Selecting a Mentor 116

Maximize Your Mentoring Opportunity 118

Part III: Results 121

Chapter 9: Know Where You Are Going 123

The Target 123

Make Success Personal 125

Setting and Achieving Goals 127

Parable of the Garage Sale 134

Chapter 10: Prioritize 138

Determine Your Priorities 140

Focus on Your Priorities 143

Planning and Completing Projects 145

Chapter 11: Think Critically and Solve Problems 149

Critical Thinking 149

Define the Problem 155

A Six-Step Approach to Problem-Solving 158

Parable of the Pole Position 160

Chapter 12: Be Accountable 164

Accountability Counts 164

Quality Matters 166

Handling Mistakes 169

Part IV: Academic Success Skills 173

Chapter 13: Academic Success Best Practices 176

Note-Taking 176

Reading for Understanding 181

Preparing For and Taking Tests 181

Conquering Procrastination 186

Staying on Track 188

References 190

Chapter 14: Academic Success Resources 191

People 191

Places 194

Things 198

References 203

Summary and Implementation 204

Learning Outcomes Revisited 205

A Final Word of Encouragement 207