There are too many people in this world who are constantly being told or telling others that they can’t do something. That they don’t have the ability, the resources, or the talent to achieve what they want to achieve. But honestly, who cares?

You know what triumphs ability, resources, and talent? Hard work.

Because hard work is all that matters. If you work hard enough and don’t give up, (key: don’t give up) then you’ll see how much you’re capable of achieving. Don’t let your lack of resources stop you when the only resources you need are yourself and the right mentality. Talent is only as good as the person who has it makes it be, and even then it’s mostly achieved by practice anyway. If you want to go somewhere in your life that feels worthwhile, then you'll have to go after it.

Ace those exams, do your homework, achieve a clean “work hard, play hard” balance. Don’t let distractions get in your way. It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks of you. What matters is who you want to be and how you’re going to become that person, and it doesn’t matter where you’re starting from.

Be honest, brave, kind, and do things right.

Don’t cheat yourself or others to get what you want.

Changing your life starts with changing your mentality. If you want to lose weight, start thinking healthier and make choices that reflect that, even when it’s hard. If you want to get a raise, start thinking like someone who deserves a raise and has your actions reflect that. If you want to be a good family member or friend, same rules apply.

Failure is the only failure if you don’t pick yourself back up, learn from it, and try harder.

I was recently having a conversation with my dad about this very subject. Failure isn't necessarily required, but sometimes it's inevitable and for good reason. As author Mark Manson once wrote in his book, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F****, the example of Oprah Winfrey is a great one in reference to failure. When she was fired from her first news anchor job, people later claimed after her success that the station she worked for must've felt as if they had made a huge mistake.

But Mark Manson questions that sentiment. Why should they? Manson explains that she wasn't "Oprah" yet and that she had to get fired from that news anchor job so that she would become the phenomenon she is today. She would never have reached such success if she had just given up, though.

In other words: You got this.