I am watching my 19 year old struggle through the transition from childhood to adulthood.
It's so painful but it reminds me of my start with affiliate marketing, too.
I have two older children so this isn't the first time I've had
to go through this but the other two are 6 and 9 years older so it's been awhile.
Plus this kid's approach to the transition is much more nerve-wracking than the other two.
He ignores our advice, he's not doing well in school, he's spending too much time with his girlfriend, he's not saving enough money, and his actions are costing us a small fortune.
I woke up yesterday morning, checked my cell phone, and saw I'd missed a call from him.
I called him back and this is what he said:
Hey, Mom. Just wanted to let you know I'm in Atlanta. I forgot to tell you I was going out of town for a group trip.
That's 1800 miles from where we live. He had to have taken an airplane to get there that fast.
I know he did not "forget" to tell me anything.
He chose not to tell me because he knows his father and I would tell him that such a trip did not make sense right now.
This transition phase looks different for
each child but there's almost always a stretch of time that makes you go "what the heck are you thinking" and we are deep in that stretch at the moment.
It's like watching someone who is just learning to tread water.
There arms and legs are moving wildly and they're spending tons of energy but they look like they're drowning.
This
kid of mine is very smart, very active, has big plans, and he's ALL over the place (literally) but he's going nowhere fast.
He's FLAILING.
I've been thinking lately that beginning affiliate marketers go through the very same thing.
I know I did anyway.
I was
busting my butt trying to learn and make something work and I'm sure to my family it looked like I was flailing, too.
There was lots of energy going in but nothing coming out.
If you are at least paying attention when you're in that phase you should come out ahead.
You figure out who you are, what skills you have, what you like,
and what you don't like and you piece together a path that works for you.
Trial and error, information, and unfailing persistence are the best tools you can have when in this phase.
You read, you watch others, you study, you digest info, you try something yourself, you tweak what doesn't work until it does, and you just keep pushing until the doors open in front of you and the path is
made more clear.
Fortunately, I'm seeing those things in my son, too.
He may not be listening to our advice but he is seeking it from our parents, he's reading up on skills that he needs to have to move forward, and he's trying - he really is.
So, I'm very hopeful he'll come out on the other side here
soon.
In the meantime, though, I hope he has a good time in Atlanta because he's in for quite an uncomfortable conversation with his dad and I when he gets home. ;)
