How Teens Win: The Student's Guide to Accomplishing Big Goals

by Jon Acuff, L.E. Acuff, McRae Acuff

Do you have your life figured out yet? If not, congratulations--you're a normal teenager.

That said, whether we know it or not, our lives leave clues about what matters to us. If we ignore those signals too long, we can end up missing opportunities and wasting time and energy drifting along or, worse yet, setting our course for the wrong destination.

That's why every student should get to know who they are so they can start exploring the life they want. How Teens Win is a map to the very best treasure you'll ever discover--yourself. Your potential. Your possibility. Your future.

We know the journey of self-discovery and adulting can be annoying sometimes. In this book we'll share a fun, simple process for better understanding your potential so you can start to formulate goals and plans that matter to you.

Who will you become? How will you win? We're about to find out.

Genres: Nonfiction, Parenting, Audiobook

233 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2024

About the author

Jon Acuff is the New York Times Bestselling author of eight books, including Soundtracks, Your New Playlist, and the Wall Street Journal #1 bestseller Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done.

When he’s not writing or recording his popular podcast, All It Takes Is a Goal, Acuff can be found on a stage, as one of INC's Top 100 Leadership Speakers. He's spoken to hundreds of thousands of people at conferences, colleges and companies around the world including FedEx, Nissan, Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, Chick-fil-A, Nokia and Comedy Central.

For over 20 years he's also helped some of the biggest brands tell their story, including The Home Depot, Bose, Staples, and the Dave Ramsey Team.

Jon lives outside of Nashville, TN with his wife Jenny and two teenage daughters.

Reviews

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great for teens and their parents!
I listened to this audiobook because I have two important pre-teen girls in my life hurtling towards high school at an alarming rate. What this book does is empower the reader to think about what makes them happy, what interests them, and then to use these clues (in the form of lists) to help figure out what could light them up as adults. In this way, the students stay true to the things that matter to them (not what everyone else is doing), and helps them choose a path that will give them an adulthood that “fits.”
Astoundingly, the book is mostly written and narrated by two teens (albeit the daughters of the best-selling author Jon Acuff). They speak to the pressures of being a teen and how this list-making and reflecting process has worked for them. They help translate and categorize things like “I love Taylor Swift concerts” into deeper insights about personality and needs.
While I had a pretty straightforward career trajectory, I can’t help but think I might have made different choices had I gone through the book’s exercises when I was 15.
I believe the things we put on our lists would change over the years, but the analysis would lead to similar conclusions. I think this is a very relatable and useful book for teens, and for parents to go through together with younger teens and even pre-teens. It’s on my list to buy for holiday gift-giving this year. Not only that, but I’ve already obtained a copy of Acuff’s book for adults on the same topic (and which was the basis of this version for teens).
My thanks to the authors, publisher, producer, and #NetGalley for access to the audiobook for review purposes.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A YA nonfiction book every teen should read.
🥇
A dad and his two daughters (both teenagers) write about how to map out your life for YOU. How to get to know yourself, your interests and what works best for you to be successful. Goal-setting & planning tips can be found here, as well as inspiring stories from all three authors.
🥇
This was such a well-written title and the audiobook from @librofm was read by the authors, which added such a personal touch to it. I found myself wishing I had this book when I was in school. Our kids need books like these in uncertain times.

[Tara Cignarella · Rating 3 out of 5]

How Teens Win by Jon Acuff and his children.
Audio Version
Information: B-
Helpfulness: C+
Audio: B
Best Aspect: May be very helpful to some teens and parents.
Worst Aspect: Most of the teens who will listen to this already have a natural predisposition to succeed.
Recommend: If it’s for you.

[Giancarlo Lemmi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Every one that has a teen in their life should read it with them!!

[Jennie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, I realize this is wrote for a teen to read, but I do like to pre-read books before I recommend them to my children and others. There were a couple things I could see helpful from the book and interesting for a teen to read, but overall after reading other books about goals I would probably recommend some others first. I am sure it would be entertaining to read as a teen, as it is wrote mostly by his daughter's so there is lots of things that might be relatable, but also some that wouldn't be, at least for my children. I hope there would be some Scripture wisdom too, but there was none of that.

I do like that he encourages teen to use time wisely and that you can do awesome stuff now and don't have to wait to be an adult.

I would allow mine to read this, along with a couple other goal setting types of books to get some ideas from and for the relatability part.

[Tina T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an encouraging and relatable guide that speaks to teens in a way that feels supportive rather than overwhelming. I really appreciated its upbeat tone and practical approach, which breaks big ideas like purpose, potential, and goal setting into manageable and motivating steps. The authors do a great job of normalizing uncertainty while gently helping readers notice their strengths, interests, and the “clues” their lives are already giving them. It’s an empowering read that feels both realistic and hopeful, offering reassurance that growth doesn’t require having everything figured out just the willingness to take thoughtful, intentional steps forward.

[Sheila Dailie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great way for teens--or anyone--to begin thinking about their goals. Goals should be of different difficulty so one can track progress. The reader is also encouraged to not compare their life to others, but have in mind what they want to accomplish or achieve. If I want to play in the band, I'll have different small goals from the person who wants to work on a race track pit crew.

[Joy Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Encouraging Advice from teens for teens. Every bit as good as ALL IT TAKES IS A GOAL, SOUNDTRACKS and YOUR NEW PLAYLIST. Jon and his daughters make kids who don’t have it all figured out feel normal. Good advice on goal setting and winning in life.

[Andrea Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this one with my son. Actually I listened to the audio book. It was good and I really liked the content. I feel like he needs the steps to be a little more clear that they go through in the book. Perhaps we should get the workbook to go along with it.

[Paula Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book would’ve benefited me a lot, had I not read “all it takes is a goal” first. the information was repeated and a but boring at times for that reason, so I had to skip ahead. but overall if you’re a teen and have to read “All it takes is a goal” first.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great tips and I loved the audio with the girls voices. Will recommend to my students and colleagues.

[Dean Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner from the Acuff Clan! Can’t wait to read it with my son!

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an encouraging and inspiring book! It should be required reading for every high schooler!! LE and McRae are true leaders and are already making a tremendous impact !

[Alison L · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because I gave it to my teens to read. If they read it, I think it will really help them! I think the authors did a great job writing in a way that will appeal to teens.

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good, recommend to teens who like to plan *me* and pretty much any teen.

[Eric Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for adults too

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect book for my teen coaching clients! And my own teens as well!

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Jon Acuff, but I was disappointed with this book. It’s basically the exact same book as All it Takes is a Goal, but retold by Jon’s daughters.

[Michael Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

How Teens Win by Jon, L.E., and McRae Acuff is a motivational book co-written by a motivational speaker and two of his college-age daughters. Like the title suggests, the book is about how to figure everything out and win at life. That looks different for each person, and the two college-student authors walk through several processes of how to figure out what is right for you as a teenager. Life, they say, is giving you all sorts of clues about what is right for you. Make a list of all the good things, and you can see a ladder of sorts that is ready to take you to the next level. Ever wonder why adults are grumpy? Maybe it’s because they put their ladder against the wrong wall – in other words, they’re stuck in the wrong job or relationship. Not only does this book show you how to avoid that, there are methods for shorter and middle goals, plus tips on keeping a scorecard so you can know that you are winning – even when you might not think that you are. If you’re ready to take a win in the game of life, check out How Teens Win.