Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
It is useless to compare ourselves to others. Find out why here.
Talking Points:
- Being successful doesn’t mean you have to be better than everyone else at what you do. It simply means that you are making a good living, striving for excellence, and feeling that what you do is meaningful.
- It’s unrealistic to compare yourself to all the good you see in another person and not realize that they may have a lot of bad things going on in their lives as well. You cannot separate someone’s public side from their private side.
- Be as successful as you can be with the talent and ability you already possess. Comparing yourself to only the public side you see in others is just a waste of time. Work, instead, on being a better person.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Out of everyone in the world, who do you wish you could be? Why?
- What three different things would you take from three individual people you admire? Why?
- Why do people compare themselves to others?
- How would you define success? Would you consider yourself successful? Why or why not?
- Do you think other people are envious of your life? Why or why not?
- What steps can you take to make your life better?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
Know Your Identity
Find out where you can find your identity and how you can have empathy for others.
Talking Points:
- Ideals are the things we think are important and want to go for, but values are the things we actually commit to achieving.
- When we struggle with identity, it is because we don’t know our purpose in life or our value in this world.
- Empathy is the ability to care for others in their circumstances, and it is a trait sadly lacking in our media-crazy, mile-a-minute society.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- What’s the difference between ideals and values?
- What are your ideals? What do you really value in life? Why?
- When have you felt a lack of identity and meaning in life? How did you restore your sense of purpose?
- Do you think having faith in God is a crutch and means you are a weak person? Why or why not?
- Why do you think it is difficult for people in our society to feel empathy towards others? How is empathy a motivation for action?
- What group of people do you feel the most empathy toward? Why?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
This topic is adapted from the LecraeVEVO YouTube channel.
How to Have Forgiveness | Core Virtues #14
For our last core virtue we are talking about something that is often times very hard to give: forgiveness!
Talking Points:
- Forgiveness is “extending grace when it’s not expected.” Forgiveness is a gift that you give to someone whether they’ve asked for it or deserve it.
- Without forgiveness, people begin to form grudges and grudges become toxic and unhealthy both physically and mentally.
- Here are the four things you can give to help you be more forgiving:
- Respect.
- Acceptance.
- Love.
- Self Control.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Share a time you were forgiven when it was not deserved?
- Share a time you chose to forgive someone. Why did you choose to do that?
- Who do you think of when you hear the word “forgiveness”? Why?
- How have you seen grudges ruin someone’s life. How have grudges ruined you in the past?
- How can each of the four tips help you to learn to forgive?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
The 5 Love Languages for Students
Not only is it good to know your own love language, but knowing those of your family and friends is also important.
Talking Points:
- “Love languages” are the ways we feel loved and how we naturally express love.
- There are five main love languages: words of affirmation, acts of service, gift-giving, quality time, and physical touch.
- Knowing others’ love languages will help you care for them uniquely and direct your energy to serving them and caring for them in terms they will most appreciate.
- You can figure out other people’s love languages by observing them, listening to what bugs them, and paying close attention to what they ask for.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- What is your love language? If you don’t know, take this quiz.
- What do the people you are close to do that makes you feel loved the most? Explain.
- Think about the people in your life that you love. What are their love languages? How do you know?
- Which love language is easiest for you to use? Which is the hardest? Why?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
The Truth About Popularity
Whether you’re popular or not, research shows that what really matters is developing meaningful friendships in high school.
Talking Points:
- “Popularity” can be a weird thing in high school. Typically, the athletes, good-looking people, and outgoing overachievers are the “popular” kids in high school.
- While popular kids seem to have it all, they don’t. Their friendships are often shallow. Later in life, many of them struggle with depression.
- Popular or not, you should seek deep, authentic friendships with others that are based on mutual trust, care, and interest – not shallow social standing.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- What’s your view on “popularity” in high school? Why do you feel this way?
- Are your friends shallow or deep? Are you a shallow or deep friend? What does this look like practically?
- Do you agree that not having solid friendships now can affect you in a negative way later? Explain.
- Do you think popularity ends when high school ends? Why or why not?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
How to Take Ownership | Core Virtues #4
Blaming others when things go wrong is a knee-jerk reaction. Try this instead.
Talking Points:
- Ownership means taking responsibility for your part. It means holding yourself accountable for the things that you did (or didn’t do!) and not blaming anyone else.
- Not owning up to your actions and pointing fingers makes people lose respect for you.
- Try these steps next time you need to own up:
- Admit where you finger-point and take more ownership in those areas.
- Balance your perspective by seeing situations from multiple angles.
- Commit to stop making excuses in at least one area of your life.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- What does it mean to you to take ownership of something? Explain.
- Share an experience where you or someone you know failed to take responsibility for something. What was the outcome?
- What are some consequences that can come from not taking ownership in your life?
- What are some areas of your life where you can start taking ownership? Why do these areas stand out to you?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
How to Break Through Your Natural Ceiling of Achievement
You can break through your default ceiling of achievement, but only if you work purposefully toward new habits that don’t come naturally.
Talking Points:
- The “Entrepreneurial” Approach: this approach involves relying on what you’ve always relied on to achieve success. But true success requires adaptation.
- The “Purposeful” Approach: this approach involves stepping out of your comfort zone to do what is necessary to achieve success. To be purposeful, look at others who have succeeded in your field and apply their strategies to your work.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Why do you think it’s so hard for people to break through their natural ceiling of achievement?
- Which of these approaches do you find yourself taking more often? Why do you think that is?
- What habits will you change in order to break through your natural ceiling of achievement?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller
