Believe in Yourself

Believe while others are doubting.

Plan while others are playing.

Study while others are sleeping.

Decide while others are delaying.

Prepare while others are daydreaming.

Begin while others are procrastinating.

Work while others are wishing.

Save while others are wasting.

Listen while others are talking.

Smile while others are frowning.

Commend while others are criticizing.

Persist while others are quitting.

-William Arthur Ward

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Today, the State Journal and Governor Manchin honored me as a West Virginia Student of Excellence. During Governor Manchin’s keynote, he read the quote above. This quote is so very powerful, because it summarizes the ingredients of success. You have the potential to do anything you wish. What keeps me going is not what I have accomplished in the past, but what I plan to do in the future. To me, it is important to always work to surpass my accomplishments and strive to become a better person.

My history teacher once said to her class, “You might think that you are all that and a bag of chips, but someone is always going to come with a truckload.”