“Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you. Never excuse yourself.”

By: Henry Ward Beecher

This quote is quite simple and self-explanatory. My interpretation of this student success statement is that you should own up to your mistakes. You should always try to be more than what everybody thinks of you. An example would be if someone thinks you can’t reach the top of a climbing wall, then you should aim to reach the top. Never let anything  pass you by. If you do, then never blame anyone else for your mistakes. Hence the last sentence of the quote. Beecher states that you should never excuse yourself. This means that you should own up to your wrong doings. If you think you made a mistake by not climbing the wall then that is solely your mistake. You are the only one responsible. The top half of the quote goes on to say that you should see yourself breaking those reeds that people tie upon you. You should aim to accomplish not only what people think you should but what people think you can. If you happen to experience failure it is your fault and your fault only. By accepting the fact that it is only you who could stop you from accomplishing your goal you will be better off. You will not only seem but actually be more mature and most likely more successful as well.