What does it mean to release your full potential or the inner you? What does it mean to give it all you have or give it your best? I am frankly sick of this disparate industry that is the motivation market including short lived inspirational speeches, dodgy mystical gurus or dubious self help books like the Secret.

Those people who try to make it look like all you need to do is just change the way you think, or worship someone or wish for something and it will come to you are misleading you.

Sure, it is important to find new perspectives to your challenges, focus and define your goals and look for spiritual fulfilment if you are that way inclined. But there is more still that you need to do.

Before I get into that, I am going to be very blunt. I would first ask you to ask yourself why you would consider the motivational methods I mentioned earlier.

A lot of us are looking for understanding, affinity or love so we are attracted to big church gatherings or spiritual figures and the same reasons could attract us to motivational speeches. If you are considering it because you want to be around people then, to be honest, there are a lot of ways to meet people we have things in common with.

This includes religious gatherings, night clubs, local bars, pubs, restaurants and cafes and local college courses. However if you want to hang out and find the right person or you want to break out of your shell, it is all up to you not some great mystical leader. You are your own leader.

To be confident in being your own leader it takes patience, strength and time but it is a much more worthy pursuit and a lot more rewarding in the long run. This does not mean you cannot have role models or even mentors but you should not glorify them.

There are a few great expression that I have assembled that demonstrate this

- The longest journey starts with a single step, followed by many other steps

- There is no such thing a free lunch, dinner or breakfast

- Work harder and work smarter

- It’s what you know and who you know

Some of these may seem similar to famous proverbs that you would have heard before, except of course I have added my own bit of realism to them.

The fact is, you have to earn your place in society and no one, I’m afraid, owes you anything. You have to do the best with what you are given. But don’t get me wrong - I believe we all get a fair go; a level playing field.

For that reason I will always support social security, the dole, medicare and access to education regardless of wealth. We should all be allowed to reach our full capability in this life but the fact is that we have to do it ourselves.

Even if there is HECS so there are no monetary issues stopping you getting into higher education, you still have to study hard, buy the right text books, learn the course work, show focus and work well with your teachers and peers. You even have to learn which government office to apply for HECS for and ensure you know what your obligations and rights are.

You can’t just sit there and wish for an A or expect that the Marker will magically give you a pass that you don’t deserve just because you meant well or tried hard.

You also shouldn’t expect that attending some motivational speech by a speaker with usually very little to show in life except an ability to give good speeches is going to get you anywhere. You must have noticed by now that all they tell you is the stuff that you already know. Nothing new, nothing profound - just enforcement of the obvious. It’s all about saying the same key things in different ways so it finally clicks; the penny drops.

What I would like to do is make sure you don’t waste your time, money and energy pursuing others or trying to find an easy way around your challenges. Focus on your dreams, do right by others, be helpful, respect society, be honest to yourself and others, show resilience, work hard, be clever and you will succeed.