Sometimes you just need a good piece of advice to get going again or to get on the right track (meaning: the track to success ;)). That’s why, today, we highlight eight pieces of advice from successful people that will hopefully inspire you. Keep their wisdom in mind or implement their advice into your life and see what happens!

‘Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.’ - Aristotle, Ancient Greek philosopher and polymath

We’re starting with a bang: Aristotle’s wisdom. He says that you should not only learn from books but also learn from experience and about values highlighting the importance of education backed up with values such as rationality, compassion, empathy, etc. A person can be highly knowledgeable in many subjects, but can still be very short in character and integrity. That’s why, Aristotle advises you to educate yourself in various subjects through books and university, but also educate yourself on moral values and acting for the benefit of everyone.

‘Do one thing every day that scares you.’ - Eleanor Roosevelt, activist, diplomat, former First Lady of the U.S.A.

Going out of your comfort zone is always scary, but it’s the only way to grow and develop as a person. Eleanor’s advice is to confront your fears and break the boundaries that limit personal growth. By doing one thing that scares you every day, you train yourself to face challenges head-on. So, think to yourself, what is one (small) thing you can do today that’s outside of your comfort zone? It could be contributing to a discussion in class, or going to a café alone to study. Remember, it’s not about seeking danger, but rather seeking personal development! ;)

‘Believe you can and you’re halfway there.’ - Theodore Roosevelt, former President of the U.S.A.

We’ve all been there, not believing in ourselves by thinking we’ll not succeed in something when, truly, we are more than capable of, for example, acing that assignment or exam. Throw those doubts aside (which is easier said than done, I know) and start believing in yourself. You ARE capable. You DO have the skills to succeed. As Theodore put it nicely indeed, ‘believe you can and you’re halfway there’. Take that step and you’ll be unstoppable.

‘[Y]our performance will actually improve if you can commit to not only working hard, but also unplugging, recharging and renewing yourself.’ - Arianna Huffington, CEO and founder of Thrive Global and co-founder of The Huffington Post

In a LinkedIn post, Arianna talks about how getting by on less sleep and constant multitasking seem like the ingredients for success and that, for far too long, we’ve believed that ‘burning out is the necessary price for achieving success’. Things that couldn’t be farther from the truth. She wishes that she could go back and tell herself that unplugging and recharging is just as necessary and important as working hard. These things should go hand in hand. Only if we rest and recharge, do we have enough energy to work hard, and we’ll often work more efficiently after some time off. Therefore, take her advice and implement rest and sleep into your schedule. That way, you’ll reach the top without exhaustion and burnout!

‘Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.’ - Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister of England

Churchill’s piece of advice highlights that failing at something is not the end of the world, it’s not fatal. Failure is part of life and helps you to identify the areas in your life that need some improvement. It is the sheer determination to continue and to try again (after failure) that counts. Even when you’ve succeeded at something, there’s always something else that you can succeed in as well. You have to keep going, keep developing yourself, and gain skills through trial and error and after success. The sky’s the limit!

‘Rome was not built in a day. As you continue to struggle to make ends meet; somewhere, somehow, you will make it.’ - Folorunsho Alakija, richest woman in Africa, entrepreneur

Although this quote mainly focuses on money not studying, its essence is very relevant. Folorunsho says that you have to keep on grinding and keep on pushing, especially when times are tough, because, in the end, it will pay off and you will make it. For some reason, even when things are really tough, and it seems like there’s no way to turn things around, there’s always a way out or a choice you can make. Somehow, life will sort itself out and you will make it.

‘[H]ave the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.’ - Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc.

This might be the most important advice you can get from someone because trusting your inner voice and pursuing paths that align with your deepest desires will help you feel completely fulfilled in life. This does not only have to apply to university-related things, it also applies to your career choices, personal relationships, major life decisions and personal growth. Do the things that make your heart beat faster (in a good, positive way) and you’ll know great happiness.

‘Procrastination is the enemy of success and the guilt of not doing something always steals your energy.’ - Barbara Corcoran, American businesswoman and investor

Procrastination is a student’s second nature. We’ve all procrastinated at least once in our lives. And, yes, it is the enemy of success because you do not get anything accomplished if you keep procrastinating. Avoiding the thing you need to do often costs more energy than actually doing it because we feel guilty or anxious for not doing it, which leads to even more procrastination. So, the next time you have to do something such as writing an assignment, try to tackle it head-on. It will save you a lot of stress and anxiety.

Hopefully, these pieces of advice have helped and inspired you. Let us know if you resonate with these experiences and which piece of advice you found especially helpful in the comments below!