“Risk! Risk anything! Care no more for the opinion of others, for those voices. Do the hardest thing on earth for you. Act for yourself. Face the truth.” Katherine Mansfield
When you pursue your life’s dreams, you may find that your friends and family don’t always support your efforts. This realization can be quite frustrating.
When I started attending college on a very part-time basis while working full-time, family members would ask, “Do you know how OLD you’ll be when you get your degree?” My response was always the same, “Exactly the same age as I’ll be without one.” Eight years later, I received my Associates Degree. In another four years, I achieved my Bachelor’s Degree and two years after that, my MBA. As the first person in my family to receive a college degree, these three events were some of my proudest moments.
It thrills me to share that pursuing my college education had an impact on my siblings. One sister who dropped out of high school in her senior year, not only received her GED, she persisted long enough and worked hard enough to earn her Master’s degree in social work at the age of 45. My other sister received her Master’s degree in nursing at the age of 38, and my brother is a successful surgeon, graduating from medical school in his late 30’s.
Risk anything for yourself. You have no idea how you will not only transform your life; you will positively impact those around you as well. Go for it!
PS – Other people’s opinion of you is none of your business.