By Samantha McKenzie

It’s great to have someone to look up to. There are many people I hold in high esteem because of their success.

There’s my mother who came to America and worked her way up from being a housekeeper to an office manager at a school. There’s also my sister who used every opportunity afforded her to become a successful marketer in the magazine industry. Then there’s others, like Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Winnie Mandela, and the late Dr. Debra Saunders-White, chancellor of North Carolina Central University. They top my list as women who rolled up their sleeves, followed their passions, pushed through the countless obstacles just to make a difference in the lives of others.

I marvel at learning about other people and how they became who they are. I look forward to hearing about their struggles and ingenuity or how they worked feverishly to get to their goal. In a world saturated with entertainment and unlimited Wi-Fi, it’s hard not to be influenced by others.

But what about our own success? How much time are we putting into making our own dreams come true?

It’s wonderful to admire others, but we should be using their examples to help build our own success, to keep your finger on your own pulse.

Take the time to find your direction. Instead of talking about it, design a plan and stick to it. If you fail at something, figure out where you went wrong and try it again.

It’s nothing you haven’t heard before.

Find your focus. Surround yourself with people of like minds.

Invest your energy. Dedicate at least one hour a day to your goals.

Plan your future. Map it out. Search for help.

Be the main character in your own success story. You can do it.