People often say "the sky is the limit to what you can do." I disagree. Why limit yourself to the sky? Why limit yourself at all? It's not enough to think outside the box. You have to be willing to step outside the box.

I believe one reason many people never achieve their dreams is because they limit themselves. They live life restricted to what they see and know. They never get out of the box. Instead of blazing a trail of their own, they simply follow the path that others have left. While it's important to seek the advice of those more experienced and mature, you should always remember that your dreams are your own. No one else is going to have the same passion for your dream that you will. As a result, no one can make your dream a reality but you.

I knew at an early age I wanted to become a lawyer. I didn't know any lawyers, personally. There certainly were not any lawyers in my family. Yet, I knew I was destined to stand in a courtroom and plead my case. In my high school memory book, I wrote my professional goal was to either become a criminal defense attorney or a criminal psychologist. After graduating from college, I went to law school with plans of becoming a female Johnnie Cochran. While in law school, I interned at the public defender's office. Soon after, I discovered practicing criminal law wasn't for me and decided to practice juvenile dependency law, instead.

Eventually, I gave up the practice of law and decided to try my hand at teaching. With a Juris Doctorate degree, the obvious choice would be to teach at the college level. However, I opted for the ultimate challenge and decided to teach high school. I never imagined I would be teaching high school. Even more surprising was the fact that I enjoyed it! After several years of molding bright minds, I needed a change. Reflecting on my life-long dream of becoming a criminal psychologist, I decided to become an FBI Agent. Although I had very little interest in working as an agent, it was a stepping stone to my ultimate dream job, a criminal profiler.

For months, I endured what can only be described as physical torture. During my preparation to enter into the FBI Academy, I ran four miles a day, six days a week. I was doing 100 pushups and 200 sit-ups each day. By the time I was accepted into the FBI Academy, I was mentally and physically exhausted from the preparation. Even still, I went to the Academy with the full intent to realize my dream of becoming a criminal profiler. It didn't take me long to realize what I had once considered my ultimate dream job wasn't what I thought it would be. Shortly after entering the Academy, I left, knowing it was never meant for me to become a criminal profiler.

When I became an attorney, I heard a lot of negative jokes about my profession. People constantly challenged me about the integrity of lawyers. When I left law to begin teaching, people questioned my sanity. They could not understand why a lawyer would want to become a high school teacher. When I decided to join the FBI, no one could understand why. They didn't know that it was all a part of my journey.

When you consider all that life has to offer, don't limit yourself to what others think, what others believe, or what others would do. If you find that others don't quite understand you, it's okay. Most people who have achieved great things were often misunderstood. Follow your passion. You never know where it will take you. Remember, you have unlimited talent, unlimited potential, and unlimited opportunities. Live life unlimited!

Asiah Wolfolk-Manning, J.D.
Youth Motivational Speaker
http://www.asiahunlimited.com