By Kathy Olevsky
There are people in everyone’s lives who dole out advice to anyone who will listen. Some of these people are mentors and should be respected. There are others who are doing more harm than good.
When considering the advice of others, examine the source. If your friend or family member is a go-getter and has the moral make up of someone you should admire, then perhaps their advice is valuable. If on the other hand, someone is telling you to slow down or give up, be sure to check to see if they are someone who has chased a dream, soared over obstacles and achieved goals in spite of adversity. If this does not describe your advisor, take the advice with humility and also a grain of skepticism.
There are times when someone thinks they are saving you the heart ache they have been through. While this might be an action coming from the heart, it might also be coming from a place you have not been and will not go. If your goals are based in research and hard work, then your dreams are what will carry you through to achieving those goals. There will always be people who lead the field and you might just be that person. If we didn’t have people like that, there would never be progress.
Don’t be afraid to be the one person who goes down a path that others have not tried, or have avoided. You might be the one who teaches us all a great lesson. Don’t let someone steal your dreams because they are afraid to take the steps. You should always listen to those who have gone before you and might have significant knowledge in a field you are just starting. Just remember to temper their advice with a little bit of your own inspiration.
The great part about setting and achieving goals is that you are in control of your own destiny. Remember that you are capable of research and decision making. It may be the best to surround yourself with people who work hard, compliment often and achieve goals.