I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions. Stephen Covey
Wow, how much do I LOVE LOVE LOVE this quote! So many people don’t get this concept at all, they believe that because their parents are poor, or on welfare, or dropped out of school that they are destined to do the exact same thing. It’s the exact opposite. That was their parents, it is NOT them. They can choose to stay in school, graduate, and go on to college. This will allow them to get a better paying job so they do’t need to receive assistance, and improve their quality of life. It may not be easy, but it can be done. They are not destined to live their parent’s lives. They simply need to decide to make a different choice. They are NOT a victim of their circumstances.
When I talk with my students about this, they are so quick to say that they’re not going to graduate, and they can’t go to college because their parents didn’t, and they can’t either. I am quick to tell them of course they can. If they apply themselves in high school, they can and will graduate. They can work and go to school, they can apply for financial aid…they can do it. But they have to decide to do it! It’s the same for everybody else. You do not have to be held back by your circumstances. You simply have to decide to have a different life.
