All I have really had to offer these past decades is relentless enthusiasm. It has taken me all the way. People who disparage enthusiasm are people who never really got anywhere because everyone could tell they wouldn’t really like it even if they did.
My son is an enthusiast and during those awful teen years when it's cool to be cynical, he was mocked for it at school. I remember giving him a pep talk along the lines of 'it's the loveliest quality, the world will try to squash it out of you, but it will make the good people want to be around you'
This is great to hear because my boy is about to start secondary school and I’ve been dreading his enthusiasm and joy being replaced by sulks and cynicism. So pleased your boy came through intact!
It's not easy through those teen years - at his school the biggest insult was 'keeno', which broke my heart - as if being keen and interested was embarrassing - but happily they do come through it, then they get to uni, where being enthusiastic is a plus, so it all works out! Good luck to yr boy
