When I was a boy there were no smart phones, and our television only got one channel clearly. Still, I was never bored. The fields, hills, and woodlands around my home were the perfect playground. I can remember once hiking to a nearby lake. At the backside of it I was amazed to find an old dirt road that I had never seen before. It was full of muddy tracks and deep woods bordered it on both sides, but exploring it still seemed like a fine adventure.

I walked on and on for hours. I was sure my guardian angel was whispering in my ear “Turn around and head back home”, but I was stubborn, so I walked on. There was still neither a car nor a house in sight. I noticed that the sun was starting to go down and I grew scared. I didn’t want to end up trapped on this road,   and I was worried that it would be dark before I could make my way back to the lake again.

I continued to walk on with something growing inside of me. My heart was pounding and my legs were aching. I was almost in tears when I turned one last curve and saw something in the distance.   It was a house that I recognized. I jumped up and down and laughed out loud.   It was still over a mile away,   but my legs felt like feathers and I hurried back to my house in no time. I walked in with a big smile on my face just in time for dinner.

I remembered this recently when I saw a sign that said “All roads lead home”. It is true. In life,   all roads,   no matter how they twist and turn,   can lead us home again. What is important,   though,   is how we travel them.   Are we going to go forth in fear or are we going to go forth in faith? Are we going to make this life a terrible trip or are we going to make this life a joyful journey? The choice is ours.

It's been said that life   turns on   small things. Sometimes it's hard to see how small choices can change your life. But when put together over time, the little things can make the biggest difference.

The theme of Success for Teens is “Little Things Matter.” The book helps teens identify small, positive choices they can make in their lives to help them reach their goals. Lots of teens don't realize how the little choices in their lives can have lasting effects. Often they are focused on the bigger events, such as a major exam, the big game or competition, or choosing a college. The little things, however, can go unnoticed unless your teen understands how important they can be.

The little things that lead to success are mostly easy to do. Help your teen identify a few areas in everyday life where he or she can make small, positive choices. It might be as simple as getting up on time, prioritizing (按重要性排列) their schoolwork, putting in an extra 10 minutes of practice or using some spare time to help someone else.

Nineteen­year­old Kyle Freas used to be on his school baseball team and would play every day after school. When the season was over, he had an empty three hours a day, so he started spending one third of such extra time daily, looking for ways to help other kids. Over the last few years, his project has raised thousands of dollars to help abused, homeless and sick children. Kyle spent just a little time each day doing something that ended up benefiting a lot of kids. The important thing to understand is that Kyle made the small and positive decisions necessary for success.

Make sure your child understands that even though the results of the positive choices may not be seen right away, they are building on each other and taking him or her on a path that will lead to success.

Bill Bowerman was a track coach. He wanted to help athletes run faster. So he had learnt how to make running shoes. He had also started a shoe company with a friend. It was 1971.Running shoes at the time were heavy. They had spikes(鞋钉)on the sole(鞋底). The spikes tore up the track and slowed down runners.

To make a lighter shoe, Bill tried the skins of fish. To make a better sole, he wanted to replace the spikes. Bill dug through his wife Barbara's jewelry box. He hoped to find a piece of jewelry with an interesting pattern. He would then copy the pattern onto the new soles. Nothing worked. Bill was defeated.

Then, one Sunday morning, Barbara made Bill waffles(华夫饼)for breakfast. Bill watched her cook.

He studied the criss-cross pattern on a waffle iron.

Inspiration struck. The pattern on the waffle iron was just what Bill was looking for. The squares were flatter and wider than sharp spikes. The pattern would help the shoes hold any surface without tearing into it.

When Barbara left the house, Bill ran to his lab. He took the liquid chemicals that, when mixed, would harden into the sole of a shoe. He poured the mixture into the waffle iron---and the Waffle Trainer was born.

Bill’s company put the Waffle Trainer on market in 1974.It was a huge hit. Maybe you’ve heard of that company---it’s called Nike. And today it’s worth around $100 billion.

It was the waffle iron that had changed the course of Bill’s life---and helped turn Nike into a well-known name. Today, the waffle iron is kept at Nike headquarters. It serves as a reminder that if we keep trying, we can find a solution to even the most difficult problems. And those solutions can come from unlikely places, even the breakfast table.