"A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows public opinion."
-Chinese Proverb
We all have personal idols, individuals that we may even consider heroes. Sometimes, we may tend to listen too closely to their words. The respect we have developed for some people may blind our own opinions and make us believe whatever they say. I say this: Don't always adopt somebody else's opinion. Know that it is important to get out and experience things for yourself. Experiment and create your own knowledge; have your own opinions. But do not shut out others' feelings, for they can be useful guidelines while creating your own path.

"Keep true, never be ashamed of doing right; decide on what you think is right and stick to it."
-T.S. Eliot
We have all heard it before: Everybody is different. We all have our own strengths and weaknesses. Consequently, we will all have different points that we each need to learn when dealing with our individual imperfections. There are many different roads to improvement, so find which pieces of advice and routines aid you and stick with them. Disregard the irrelevant. Have confidence in your actions and beliefs, but remember to remain open minded towards others' personal paths. In short: Do what works for you.

"Dwelling on the negative simply contributes to its power."
-Shirley MacLaine
As odd as it may sound, we must be thankful for negativity. For without it, positivity could not be perceived. Know that one must sometimes tread in the foul waters of negativity. This is simply being aware of the wicked and must be done. But once the evil has been recognized, do not ponder upon it. Acknowledge it and move on. This is the difference between a negative and a positive being. Positive individuals may become aware of just as much negativity as a pessimistic person, but how they handle the negativity is what makes them optimistic.

"So, I learn from my mistakes. It's a very painful way to learn, but without pain, the old saying is, there's no gain. I found that to be true in my life. You miss a lot of opportunities by making mistakes, but that's part of it: knowing that you're not shut out forever, and that there's a goal you still can reach."
-Johnny Cash
If you are never wrong, you will never learn. It is normal to make mistakes, choose wrong decisions, and occasionally fail. After a difficult situation, evaluate what your actions were and the overall result from them. Remember the outcome and learn from it. This is progress in life.