Tip #59: Pave Your Own Path

What you already know is merely a good departure point.”
-Keorapetse Kgositsile

When beginning something new, we often look to others for guidance. But when looking at others, we can neglect to remember that what we’re looking at a finished product. For example, when beginning a new career, we may look to someone who is at the top of the field and model that person. But could we be setting ourselves up for disappointment by focusing on someone else’s outcome rather than focusing on our own process and personal goals? We often utilize rigid standards for tracking our progress in comparison to others. As a result, it’s easy to minimize our personal process in relation to an “ideal” process.

Role models are incredible sources of inspiration. Yet, one must realize that role models are just that – inspiration. We must pave our own paths, which means utilizing many resources and ingredients – not just one or two very similar ones.

Take Home Message:

Remind yourself that it’s okay to be a beginner. You don’t have to be an overnight success. Focus on deciding what is most important to you when creating a new path. Then choose quality resources to begin paving that path one step at a time.

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What people are saying

Perseverance puts a very human face on courage and strength. Carolyn and the young people she has worked with are an inspiration to us all.

— Gay Hendricks, New York Times bestselling author of The Big Leap and Conscious Living Read more


We persevere