Q: Could you briefly describe your book?
A: A Winner By Any Standard: 52 Character Challenges for Teens is a unique life manual that promotes the ideals of personal character, emotional intelligence, and social action. It consists of 52 challenges, or chapters, such as “Week 2: Making Your Own Choices” and “Week 49: Following Your Dreams.” Each is essentially a heart-to-heart talk that provides inspiration as well as insight.

Q: What exactly is a winner by any standard?
A: The definition I use is “...any young person who wants to grow to his or her potential as an individual. Winners have goals and dreams and don’t back down from a challenge. Winners also maintain perspective on what’s important in life…on ideals like standing for something, enjoying each day, building meaningful relationships, and making a positive impact on the world. To be clear, being “a winner by any standard” does not mean you have to try to be perfect. It simply means you’re working to become a better person—even in small ways. As an old saying explains: There’s no nobility in being superior to others; true nobility is in being superior to your previous self...”

Q: What prompted you to write this book?
A: I’m a former teacher, and many parents have told me that my influence continues to impact their children’s lives. After a while I began to think that by writing a book I could reach more kids than just those who ended up in my classroom. The messages can provide any young person with what I refer to as “the other five senses”: a sense of self, a sense of purpose/direction, a sense of control, a sense of worth, and a sense of efficacy. Without these five senses, the development of sound psychological health and personal fulfillment isn’t possible.

My objective is to empower youth, to make effective living among the next generation more the rule than the exception.

Q: What are your qualifications for writing such a book?
A: My 15 years of daily interaction with students provided me clear insight into how young people of today are being influenced, what they lack, and what they respond positively to. I’ve received federal training in the areas of esteem building and drug & alcohol intervention. On a state level, I’ve become a mentor and have continued my education in such areas as student leadership, stress management, character ed., conflict resolution, childhood depression, bullying, diversity, violence prevention, and how young people grieve.

On a personal level, I’ve studied upwards of 120 self-help/inspirational books, and I guess the teacher within compels me to share anything new and valuable that I learn.

Q: How did you generate the topics for your 52 chapters?
A: First, I researched which habits and traits were integral to the emotional intelligence, character ed., and citizenship movements. I then reflected on which had helped me personally, and those certain students who stand out in class, to attain to our potential and create richness in life—things like open-mindedness, resiliency, a willingness to take risks, and service to others. On the other hand, I also considered those qualities that preclude others and me from attaining success and happiness—things like negative thinking, mismanaging stress and emotions, physical inactivity, and being overly judgmental.

Q: What kind of teens are the audience for your book?
A: All types of teens from all walks of life. Through my book, I’m attempting to be a positive authority figure and role model for all those young people out there who don’t have one; at the same time, I’m affirming the positive path many teens have already chosen and reinforcing the messages that good parents routinely convey.

Q: How big a seller do you feel your book can be?
A: Well, every book sold translates to another young person I’m helping...so my goals are high. And I don’t believe it’s unrealistic for me to think big; A Winner By Any Standard is one of the few books available that possesses universal appeal. It really does. While it’s providing the next generation with a deeper sense of purpose, and a greater awareness that they—along with the world itself—are works in progress, it also promotes the types of traits any parent would want his or her child to develop, including optimism, self-confidence, self-discipline, gratitude, compassion, a strong work ethic, a sense of wonder, humility, and honesty. 

Plus, because my book, while helping to create better kids and a better society, speaks specifically to so many worthwhile causes—e.g., violence prevention, leadership training, involvement with sports and the arts, media savviness, environmental awareness, saying no, patriotism, school achievement, physical fitness, and nutrition—a wide variety of organizations will be inclined to support it.

Q: Is this the kind of book that teens will want to buy for themselves?
A: Absolutely. No one should ever underestimate a young person’s intrinsic desire to learn, grow and evolve. So any book that conveys advantageous life knowledge in a meaningful, relevant way will be embraced by many. Not by coincidence, my book does hit on what young people of today live: school, sports, music, image, emotions, television, friends, heroes, dreams, etc. 

Besides, in these complex times, a majority of our nation’s 30 million teens are silently craving support, guidance, and a sense of control. It’s empowering for a young person to read of the benefits associated with a certain activity he’s already involved himself in, or a certain habit she’s already worked to develop. And it’s empowering to learn to do what’s within one’s circle of influence when it comes to the world’s biggest problems.

I also believe the book will be an appealing title for parents, grandparents, teachers, and other mentors to give to the young people in their lives.

Q: So you do believe that your messages will be embraced by even those young people who don’t know or have you as a teacher?
A: Sure. Authors of most every genre will tell you they must build rapport with their readers. In my case, the process will actually be expedited by the fact so many other Mr. G’s, Mr. K’s and Mrs. B’s have already worked to establish it. Teen readers will associate my messages, at least initially, with those of the favorite teachers and role models in their own lives.

Q: How does A Winner by Any Standard stand out from the competition?
A: The funny thing is, when I first began writing this book, there were few if any competing titles. Today, however, there does exist a significant body of self-help literature for adolescents. My book stands out from them in several ways. First, it’s the only one written by a young male teacher/role model—somebody who works on the front lines and thus enjoys unique insight into young people of today. Next, it combines down-to-earth quotes, non-patronizing discourse, and real-world challenges in an effective one-per-week format. And lastly, while there are books now available to teens on a variety of individual topics, A Winner By Any Standard is the only one that includes all of them. It is a comprehensive collection that serves to develop the whole individual (...emotional, cognitive, intrapersonal, behavioral, moral, physical, academic, and social aptitude). 

Q: To what do you attribute this increase in self-help for teen selections?
A: Well, it’s finally sinking in—for the expert and layperson alike—that young people need more than a traditional education; they need social and emotional skills and an underlying sense of purpose, too. This awakening has really become the driving force behind all the character ed. and youth service programs popping up across the nation—and books like mine.

And let’s face it, in today’s society there are a whole lot of parents out there who don’t have the time—and a few who just aren’t taking the time—that’s required to impart sound ideals and social-emotional aptitude. Therefore, the void has to be filled by others who care. It’s a major responsibility, one I took very seriously.

Q: What do you think of the potential for the self-help for teen genre?
A: Considering the present state of the world, I’m convinced it’s only a matter of time before the market for such books explodes. In fact, I plan on advocating not only for my title, but for the entire genre. The ones available are so empowering, and present the exact type of information adults wish they’d heard growing up. 

Many parents are already buying them because they see it as an effective and inexpensive way to provide their children with an advantage in life. And what parent doesn’t want to provide that? So many are struggling with divorce and single-parenting, and the stresses of balancing work and family. Meanwhile, their children are growing up in a commercially driven mass-culture that’s spawning more juvenile crime, school violence, eating disorders, alcohol and tobacco use, depression, teen pregnancies, lying, cheating, bullying, etc. 

Clearly, parents of today are in need of—and would embrace—the outside support of trained professionals who care. Clearly, young people of today are in need of—and would embrace—books that serve as a guiding hand and grounding force. And clearly, the world—including the publishing world—is in need of more products that can counteract cultural degradation.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to say?
A: The bottom line is I want to let every young person out there know, you do possess the power to shape yourself, your future life and the world itself; don’t let anyone ever tell you differently. There’s no more critical a message to convey.

Find out about community appearances by Rob Garofalo.