First and foremost, you need to know that you can get wherever you want, be whatever you want to be. Second, do not accept limitations that other people place on you—and get rid of limitations you put on yourself! Learn to follow your intuition and define your aspirations. Do you want to go for another degree? Do you feel ready to return to study after fifteen years in an office? If so, congratulations! Now, imagine and describe your future in the brightest of colors. Be enthusiastic, be ambitious; aim high, and write it all down—it will happen in your mind, first, but you need to see it to make your plan.

Are you still waiting for the perfect teacher, the perfect institution, or the perfect book? Are you still waiting for life to fit perfectly into your current circumstances? Don’t waste your time! Take things into your own hands. You have just been appointed CEO of your own study project. From now on, don’t blame other people for your underachievements, missed opportunities, and frustrations. Instead, define what you can be, determine what you can do. . . and DO IT!

Be on the lookout for someone you can share your study project with. Look for someone who truly believes in your project and—and, this is crucial—in you. Look for someone who has already accomplished what you have set out to do. When you find the right fit, reflect about your project with your guide and allow your guide to help you walk over the rocky roads that lie ahead. Empower your guide to remind you along the way that the destination is worth the work.