This is your life

You don’t need permission to make it better.

You don’t need to wait for the perfect opportunity.

You can begin with what you have.

Right where you are.

Today.

And perhaps that’s one of the most important things a person can understand.

You have far more influence over the direction of your life than you might think, providing you approach each day with clarity, intention and courage.

You could make a decision today that changes the course of your life for years to come.

And when something doesn’t work, you can try something else.

That’s the wonderful thing about life.

There is rarely just one road.

One opportunity.

One way to succeed.

The job you didn’t get may lead you toward work you enjoy far more.

The idea that failed may teach you how to build something better.

The change you never wanted may introduce you to a life you would never otherwise have discovered.

You cannot know what possibilities are waiting just beyond your current understanding.

Which brings us to today’s lesson.

Take responsibility for making your life a good one.

Not for everything that happens to you.

You cannot control that.

But for the things you choose to do with what happens next.

Be curious.

Be resourceful.

Look for solutions.

Ask questions.

Learn from people who know more than you.

And when something matters, give it your best effort.

Don’t spend years complaining about a situation you have the power to improve.

Don’t let one disappointment persuade you that there are no more opportunities.

And don’t allow somebody else’s opinion of what’s possible to become the limit of your ambition.

Make plans.

Take chances.

Build friendships.

Find work you care about.

Look after your health.

Give people reasons to be glad they know you.

And make room for enjoyment along the way.

Because the purpose of all this effort isn’t simply to become successful.

It’s to build a life you genuinely enjoy being alive for.

A life filled with people you love.

Things you’re proud of.

Experiences worth remembering.

And the quiet satisfaction of knowing you made good use of the time you were given.

One day, you’ll look back across the years and see how much of your life was shaped by a handful of decisions.

The moment you decided to begin.

The moment you refused to give up.

The moment you stopped waiting for somebody else to make things better.

Remember that nobody gets to live your life for you.

Nobody can take your chances.

Discover your abilities.

Make your contributions.

Or experience the extraordinary things that may still be waiting for you.

You have been given one life.

Take ownership of it.

And make something of it that you are glad you got to experience.