You Have the Power to Succeed

As a young person planning to realize success in the 21st Century, you may do so in ways your parents could never have conceived, but I encourage you to utilize some basic strategies that have withstood the test of time: education, vision and hard work.

Education: It has long been seen as an important building block of a successful life. In my family, my parents were clear about the importance of education. As my father, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr., puts it in our book, It's About The Money, "I believe strong minds break strong chains." My parents made sure their five children had strong minds, not just through education, but by instilling in us a genuine love of learning.

Vision: It is not limited to those who make major medical discoveries or technological advancements. Vision is looking at the world-or in the mirror-and seeing more; then believing that what you see can be achieved. When I first ran for Congress, I faced many critics. But I remained undaunted, and eventually was victorious, because I had a broader vision of myself, and the role I could play in the world. I also surrounded myself with people who shared my vision. I still do.

Hard work: You didn't get to college by doodling your way through high school. You worked! Sometimes it means making tough decisions (date or cram for the algebra test?), but you did it. You're still doing it, and the need to work hard will never completely disappear. However, you create your own standards for success. Don't let good grades or a certain amount of money become the only measures of your success. Did you do your best? Do you feel good about what you did achieve? Then consider those {questions and assumed positive} answers in your success equation, and keep working toward your goals.

I, naturally, hope your goals include public service. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Everybody can be great ... because anybody can serve." Undoubtedly, we find dignity and strength and purpose not in what we can do to others, but what we can do for others.

Whatever your vision for your future, never forget that you have the power to succeed.

 Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., U.S. House of Representatives, (D-IL)