Nelson Mandela who became president of South Africa made this memorable quote.
Your age doesn't define your maturity, your grades don't define your intelligence, and rumors don't define who you are.
Each part of his quote has a meaning toward how one should live his or her life. For instance age does not define my maturity makes me think about all the things I was afraid of doing when young and now too old to try. The fact is we only got one life to live, don't waste it thinking we can grow into what we want to become, but just do what is necessary to become what we want to be. Another way to think is while young I thought I should never try to start a business when in fact the sooner I started one the more time I had to better myself and increase my opportunities to succeed. Age should not define what we can and can not do.
When it comes to school grades it should not become a standard of what we are. Just because I can recite what the teacher expects or perform what teacher considers an A+ does not mean I am intelligent. The grades I earn in school do not define me. It provides evidence of what I am capable of if I study in the curriculum and that is it.
Finally don't let rumors define me. It is like hearing people say bad things about me behind my back. I should not let those comments define who I am but live life the way I want. Rumors are just rumors unless I give in and accept them as truths.