Getting discouraged from studying or reaching one’s goals is a common thing. But you need to know a couple of ways that can help you get back on track in no time. One of the tried and tested methods here lies in getting inspiration from the success stories of other people and the wise words they have to share with the rest of the world. Here are some thoughts that might motivate you to study and reach for the stars, no matter how difficult it seems.
“To know how much there is to know is the beginning of learning to live.” – Dorothy West
This one is a quote from the book The Richer, The Poorer by one of the most famous black authors, Dorothy West. The meaning of it is similar to Plato’s “I know that I know nothing.” It means that the more you learn, the more you will get to understand that there are so many things about the world you don’t know that you will never get to the bottom of it. It is a positive thing though. Knowledge is freedom. It shows you how you should live and why you should live that way. Knowledge opens new horizons and makes it evident that there are a lot of things to this world people don’t yet understand and might never understand, for that matter.
“Challenges are what make life interesting. Overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” – Joshua J. Marine
Joshua Marine is not a famous person at all, but one doesn’t need to be famous to have some valuable insights to share with the world. This quote highlights the fact that challenges are not there just to try you or make things hard. They are also there to bring some diversity and excitement in life. Think about it. Without certain challenges, you might have missed out on having the best experiences of your life or meeting the most amazing people in the world. Challenges shouldn’t be regarded as a negative thing only. Instead, consider them as opportunities to change something in your life or at least to have some fun while you try to figure your way out of the mess life has presented to you.
“If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem so wonderful at all.” – Michelangelo
Often people get jealous of someone else’s success and think that they had it easy, had everything served to them on a silver platter. More often than not, you only get to see the tip of the iceberg, the accolades and recognition people receive for their achievements. Hard work, on the other hand, remains behind the scenes. Not many people get to see the real picture of what true success takes to achieve. Whenever you set some goals, bear in mind that you will have to work for them much more than you initially anticipate, much like Michelangelo, an Italian sculptor and painter, had to work for his art that made it to history books.
“The secret to success is to do the common things uncommonly well.” – John D. Rockefeller
The modern world is bursting with competition. You need to be better than your competitors, fellow students, or colleagues if you want to get better life opportunities or achievements in life. The only way or secret to success is about investing 100% of your effort into the things you choose to focus on, making sure you do everything to the best of your abilities or even better. What’s more, standing out is not only about hard work, it is also about creativity: you need to know how to be both smart and creative, different from the rest of the crowd you are competing against. John D. Rockefeller was one of the richest people in America, a philanthropist and a business magnate who never stopped working hard, even when he had enough money to buy an island and live there Robinson Crusoe style for the rest of his days.
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe
At some point, you will be thinking about the meaning of privilege and the way it impacts life. No doubt, everyone has a different start in their life. And some have it much easier than others. However, no matter what background you come from or what it is you have at your disposal to reach success at your studies, do whatever you can to make it work. Your life is not going to change for the better unless you make it. The chances are low that you are going to win a lottery and become a millionaire overnight, so you should probably go with option number two and get your success like a conqueror.