Career Plan After some serious, and not-so-serious, formal, and informal, types of soul searching, I have a much stronger sense of who I am and where I am going. Over the past ten weeks, I have encountered, interacted with, applied, and leveraged a number of core principles that will help me succeed and continually reinforce what I have learned. For example, Terrace Martin never uses the word "failure." Will I be able to stop using the word failure in my life? All it takes is mental discipline, and the courage to say no to negative thought patterns that create failure in the first place. There is no such thing as failure, because just the act of pursuing our dreams each day is a sign of personal success. Likewise, pursuing our dreams each day means taking personal responsibility for our lives and our reality. We do not need to blame others for our misfortunes, or wait for a stroke of luck that will "someday" magically transform our lives. Winning the lottery is not a valid career goal. Now that I know this, it bothers me to hear people say, "When I win the lottery, I will…" I will never say that again. Instead, I will say, "Right now, I can do anything I set my mind to. Working hard and applying myself means doing what I love." I have learned that genuine luck is not like a stroke of lightening. Genuine luck means seizing the opportunities that come our way.

Whatever path my life takes, I will remain grateful for the lessons I have learned...

The balance sheet has allowed me to think more clearly and logically about my strengths and weaknesses. It has also helped me to envision a career that suits me, rather than a career that other people believe suits me. I have gone through my life trying to live up to other people's expectations for me. Sometimes those expectations are high, but sometimes they are lower than I would like. Setting my own goals and dreams causes me to recalibrate my internal barometer. I listen to my inner voice and instincts, to help me craft a fulfilling career path. Even if that career path remains flexible throughout my life, I will be able to dedicate myself to perfecting knowledge and helping others.
Some of the techniques I have learned to be successful include being willing to stand out in the crowd. It is important to remember that mega events like "We Are The World" started with a grandiose idea. Some people probably thought these types of events were impossible. Yet the producers pushed their idea through and eventually it happened that they got noticed, because they stood out. This is why optimism and enthusiasm remain the most important tools in our arsenal. To be optimistic means to never accept failure in our lives. It means seeing the bright side of each situation, which is something all successful people must do. It reminds me of how stellar athletes are always the ones who do not get overwhelmed when they are behind in a race…