Many young people find it too difficult to overcome the obstacles preventing them from achieving success. They see these obstacles as roadblocks, rather than opportunities to learn and gain valuable experience. Consider again the lessons in Ben Carson’s best-selling motivational book Think Big, and write down ways in which you can begin to incorporate them today:

Talent: Our Creator has endowed all of us not just with the ability to sing, dance or throw a ball, but with intellectual talent. Start getting in touch with that part of you that is intellectual and develop that, and think of careers that will allow you to use that.

Honesty: If you lead a clean and honest life, you don’t put skeletons in the closet. If you put skeletons in the closet, they definitely will come back just when you don’t want to see them and ruin your life.

Insight: It comes from people who have already gone where you’re trying to go. Learn from their triumphs and their mistakes.

Nice: If you’re nice to people, then once they get over the suspicion of why you’re being nice, they will be nice to you.

Knowledge: It makes you into a more valuable person. The more knowledge you have, the more people need you. It’s an interesting phenomenon, but when people need you, they pay you, so you’ll be okay in life.

Books: They are the mechanism for obtaining knowledge, as opposed to television.

In-Depth Learning: Learn for the sake of knowledge and understanding, rather than for the sake of impressing people or taking a test.

God: Never get too big for Him.

Can you become an “overcomer” like Dr. Ben Carson?