Perhaps like me, you have received a lot of advice from many different people you have crossed paths with, whether that’s parents, family, friends or mentors. It can be tempting to ignore what they have to say, but my advice to you about theirs is this: consider everything.
Keep in mind that people do not have to offer you advice from their experience or tell you what you could work on or be better at. Their words could be a gift. I know that in every aspect of my life, there is always room for growth and improvement. In fact, improving myself daily has become the most important thing to me. My goal in life is to find my purpose—to do what I was sent here to do and also contribute to the world.
There’s not one particular piece of advice I have received that I consider the greatest. I believe that all advice is good advice; it just depends on how you incorporate it into your daily practices and goals. But if I had to pick, it would probably be two quotes that I live by. They are “God is greater than our greatest problem” and “To whom much is given, much is required.”
I believe and live by these quotes because, to me, they show that anything is possible and that nothing works in life unless I do. I attribute my success and determination to these quotes. There have been many times in my life, especially in my journey through college, when I thought I was making the wrong decision or not on the right path. There have also been times when my plans or expectations did not turn out as I hoped, and I had the mindset of “it’s always something.”
However, as I got older, I started to look at my circumstances or opportunities in a more positive light. I realized that missed opportunities, rejections or even minor inconveniences were helping me along my journey. These issues I used to view as downfalls or setbacks taking me further away from my goals were actually helping me grow and learn.
Moving forward, I now try to stay focused on the aspects I can control in my life. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and as long as I stay true to who I am and work for everything that I want in life, I will be prosperous. I also trust that God cannot steer me wrong, and that keeps me faithful and hopeful for my journey. My advice to you: consider adopting a similar approach.
Jayla Hale is from Chicago, Illinois, and a senior at Illinois State University, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mass media management, promotions and sales.
