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The Teenage Guide to Success: The TICK TOCK Formula for Life, Relationships and Careers

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In The Teenage Guide to Success, Cole Fidelman lays out the proven TICK TOCK formula for teens to take control of their lives and create the future they want. This book is the life raft teenagers need to navigate challenges and unlock their full potential.

Based on wisdom from highly accomplished leaders, the TICK TOCK principles guide teens to tame social media, inspire resilience, choose mentors, overcome adversity, find purpose, fuel passion, cultivate relationships and expand knowledge.

With engaging stories, practical tips and expert advice, The Teenage Guide to Success hands teenagers the tools to strengthen self-esteem, achieve their goals, and reject society’s narrow definition of success.

For any teen facing anxiety, loneliness or lack of motivation, this book provides the crucial roadmap to self-actualization. The future starts now with the TICK TOCK formula lighting the path. Every teenager needs this essential guidebook to create a life of meaning, purpose and empowerment on their own terms.

136 pages, Paperback

Published November 3, 2023

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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Profile Image for Robin Ginther-Venneri.
1,039 reviews81 followers
December 10, 2023
In this insightful book, successful adults graciously share their invaluable guidance to assist readers in navigating challenges. The book offers practical tips, including the "TICK TOCK" formula, which serves as a roadmap for teenagers to achieve success across different domains of life. Rather than being discouraged, the author portrays failure as a natural aspect of personal growth. Drawing on a wealth of interviews and personal experiences, the teenage author provides actionable advice for skill development. Including diverse voices from various fields is a powerful source of inspiration, encouraging teenagers to define success on their own terms.

It was my pleasure to receive a free copy of this book, but that does not in any way affect my opinions in this review.
Profile Image for S. Jeyran  Main.
1,647 reviews131 followers
July 29, 2024
“The Teenage Guide to Success” by Colton Fidelman is a refreshing and insightful nonfiction guide aimed at navigating teenagers through the tumultuous journey of adolescence with practical, actionable advice. Fidelman, in his nonfiction debut, strategically employs the acronym “TICK TOCK” to outline the core principles he believes are essential for teenage success. This clever mnemonic device serves as the backbone of the book, encompassing themes such as taming social media, inspiring hard work, choosing a mentor, and more, making the advice memorable and engaging for its intended audience. Fidelman’s approach to tackling the pervasive influence of social media, particularly TikTok, sets a constructive tone from the outset. Instead of outright demonization, he advocates for a balanced, mindful engagement with these platforms, illustrating the first “T” in “TICK TOCK” with “Taming Social Media.” This pragmatic stance resonates throughout the book, as Fidelman offers a blend of personal anecdotes, anonymized case studies, and quotations from public figures to illustrate his points. The inclusion of a quote from Patti Stanger about the importance of perseverance and prioritizing less appealing tasks provides a touch of celebrity wisdom that adds an appealing layer of credibility to his arguments.

What distinguishes Fidelman’s guide from others is his palpable commitment to treating teenage concerns with the gravity they deserve. By comparing life to “riding a dragon,” he acknowledges the complexity and challenge of navigating one’s teenage years while also imbuing the journey with a sense of adventure and empowerment. His conversational and sincere tone, akin to a “trusted older brother,” makes the advice approachable and digestible. Fidelman doesn’t shy away from discussing the hard truths about work, relationships, and self-development. Still, his optimistic and encouraging voice assures readers that they are not alone in their struggles.

The book’s structure, divided according to the “TICK TOCK” principles, allows readers to easily navigate through the topics that most interest or pertain to them. This feature, combined with the real-life stories of teenagers like “Joe,” who grapple with the balance between work and social life, ensures that the guidance offered is grounded in reality and relatable to Fidelman’s audience.

“The Teenage Guide to Success” is more than just a manual for navigating adolescence; it is a mentorship in book form. Fidelman succeeds in delivering a wise, pragmatic, and empathetic resource for teenagers seeking direction and clarity in their lives. However, its appeal is not limited to the younger audience alone; parents, educators, and even older readers can gain insights into the challenges faced by today’s youth and practical wisdom that transcends age. In an era where genuine, caring guidance can seem scarce, Colton Fidelman’s book stands out as a beacon of support and encouragement for teenagers aiming to master the art of living well.
Profile Image for The Rising Tilde.
18 reviews1 follower
January 26, 2024
The Teenage Guide to Success is a self-help book by Colton Fidelman. The book is a compilation of advice from multiple successful people of diverse professions. The chapters are topics into which the interviewees’ advice has been consolidated. The book discusses various matters that relate to teenagers and their self-improvement.

The book was challenging to read in a myriad of ways. Firstly, the writing is casual and similar to texting. Additionally, the paragraphs are small and switch between topics quickly, making it hard to focus while reading. Secondly, the lack of commas separating clauses and phrases made me read a few sentences more than once for clarity. Thirdly, a trigger warning should’ve been mentioned as the book mentions sensitive topics such as suicide, depression, sexual abuse, self-harm, and more.

Regarding the content itself, the advice from the interviewees has been grouped into chapters based on relevant topics for teenagers. The author has also provided actions that teenagers can implement to begin self-improvement.

However, there are credibility issues with the content. Firstly, professionals such as therapists or psychologists have not validated this content. This is especially required when the author writes about sensitive topics. Secondly, the author provides guidance on career, life, and relationships but has limited personal experience at this young age. It seems illogical for a teenager to give advice or actions on how another teenager can improve their life and relationships and work towards a successful career. Some advice given is not ideal for a teenager.

While publishing a book at a young age is commendable, the opportunity to converse with successful people could’ve been used better. This book would have been more effective as a collection of interview transcripts. The author could’ve interviewed successful people on the same topics mentioned in the book, and the chapters could’ve been snippets of the interview transcripts per the topic.

While Colton’s book is a feat at his age, the book could have benefitted from a professional editor in multiple ways.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Bethany.
Author 22 books98 followers
February 15, 2024
Colton Fidelman has come up with the "TICK TOCK" method to help steer teens down a more successful path in life no matter what they're going through. Referencing statistics and pop culture, Colton keeps things relevant to teenagers so it not only holds their interests, but it also helps them grasp and retain it. The TICK TOCK method is an acronym that is broken down into eight steps: Taming Social Media, Inspiring Hard work, Choosing a Mentor, Knowing Your Struggles, Treasure Beyond Money, Owning Your Passion, Cultivating Relationships, and Knowledge Expansion. The author expands on each of these subjects and gives teens the tools they need to make smarter decisions.

When Colton Fidelman was going through a hard time at hime, he changed his mindset and the TICK TOCK method was born. His story is a relatable one that shows teens they're not alone in their struggles. Instead of taking on a negative outlook, this guide reshapes how we see the world. Life isn't easy but it's what you make of it that's most important.

THE TEENAGE GUIDE TO SUCCESS is a guidebook for teenagers to start building a meaningful and happy life at a young age. I love how the author addresses social media because it has such an impact on teenagers today, and it isn't always in a positive light. I also like how he encourages teenagers to find a mentor because changing your life for the better is easier when you have someone to not only support you, but to hold you accountable. Humans are social creatures and having someone else's reassurance can go a long way.


Final Verdict: Overall, Colton Fidelman's TICK TOCK method is perfect for teenagers who want to live in a positive mindset with a good outlook on the future. With how bleak things can seem, this book helps mold thinking patterns into positive ones while being mindful of the choices you make. I would recommend this to teens aged sixteen and older who are ready for a change for the better and for those who need the reassurance that life doesn't have to be a negative one.
3 reviews
January 27, 2024
The book "Teenage Guide to Success" is a practical, well thought and a well written book to steer, navigate and guide teenagers in a world full of many distractions and lots of things to do.

The author talks about the phases of life for every teenager and gives tips on how to navigate each phase. The "tick tick" model developed by the author, covers every blade of grass in the life of teenagers and young adults . He goes the extra mile to validate this model through his conversations with successful persons and also the use of life lessons, which are practical.

This model of his resonates with the sound of the clock "tick tock", could this be that Colton Fidelman has deduced what the clock says on every tick of the clock?
It is a good read and it's worthwhile . It is a book for teenagers written by a teenager, meaning everything written is practical and achievable.
1 review
February 9, 2024
This book captivates you with its down-to-earth style and establishes a connection with teenage readers, addressing common challenges they face in their lives. These challenges include social pressures like making friends and school stress. The writer puts together practical advice on each chapter, providing a way for teens to navigate the complexions of adolescence. Real life stories and examples add enrichment to the content and making it more accessible to young readers. In the end, the writer summarizes key themes reinforcing the importance of resilience, self-discovery, and growth mindset. The conclusion leaves readers with a sense of empowerment, encouraging them to apply lessons learned in their own lives and embark on their unique journey towards success. This book stands out for its valuable content which keeps the reader glued to the chapters.
737 reviews7 followers
November 24, 2025
The Teenage Guide to Success is an empowering, highly accessible blueprint for teens who want to take control of their future rather than be swept along by it. Colton Fidelman distills insights from accomplished leaders into the memorable TICK TOCK formula a practical framework that helps young people build resilience, find purpose, manage social pressures, choose strong mentors, and develop healthy relationships. With relatable stories, actionable advice, and a refreshingly modern understanding of the challenges teens face today, this guide offers both emotional support and strategic tools. It’s an inspiring, confidence building resource that speaks directly to the anxieties and aspirations of the next generation.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews

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