One moment in time does not define a life

Some may get the score they want, others won't.

Either way, it will not be the defining moment of their life, and definitely won't limit their ambitions - if they don't let it.

For students who are going onto further study, there is, for some reason, a high importance put on the final score at school. Some university courses require a high ATAR, but quite a few don't.

For those that don't quite achieve the grade they want, there are often other ways to gain entry into the desired course. It may take a bit longer, and the route may not be as first intended.

In some ways it may turn out better, as that young person will build up resilience. If they are really passionate about a particular course, they will find a way to get there.

There is a lot of pressure on young people to make the most of that one period in their lives. Some of it is real, some of it is perceived.

The reality is a few years down the track, no one is going to ask them what exam score they received.

They will be more interested in how that person is performing with the task at-hand.

Although I have tertiary qualifications, to be honest, no one I deal with is particularly interested in them.

They are only interested in how I can assist their business at the time.

Some of the most successful business owners I know left school the day they turned 15, as you could back in the day.

The same goes for the occasional calamity that happens in farming, this shouldn't define you either.

It hurts at the time, but the situation is also a learning opportunity.

Learning from mistakes is a sure path to personal and professional growth. Making mistakes is part of life.

I am sure we have all been in situations where we know there is a really high chance something will go wrong, but for some reason we still do it, and the inevitable happens.

Some mistakes you make pass without notice, others are there for all to see.

In farming it's things like, missed strips in the crops or the occasional spraying stuff up and the like.

It is easy to tell someone else not to dwell on something, and that it's not really important. It's a different matter entirely if it's you.

We have some sort of ego and pride, and it sometimes can be a bit difficult to pick yourself up and dust yourself off, and get on with it.

It's all about how you think and respond to whatever is going on at the time. Some people end up embracing the error, some try and pretend it never happened and move on. We all do this differently.

It's important to realise we are all human and every one of us has made mistakes. It is highly likely that in time no one will care about your mistakes, besides yourself.

Most people worry too much about what other people think about them.

In reality, they are probably not thinking about you at all. It's all about perception.