"Have you ever had someone tell you that you can become anything if you set your mind to it? That a little hard work and faith can get you where you want to be? That anything is possible?
Well I'm here to tell you...that isn't true."
Silence reigned in the auditorium as the confused audience listened to Sunburst. As one of the more recent additions to the influential spectrum of ponies in equestria, many magic students were thrilled to come and hear him speak. After all: he was a graduate from Celestia's school for gifted unicorns, childhood friends with Twilight Sparkles' personal portage, and the Crystaler of the newest member of the royal family. Surely this highly successful and extremely influential stallion would have some tips on how to succeed in Equestria. Right?
"Life isn't that easy, that simple. Some things can be out of reach. Even if it is all you've ever wanted and you've done everything to get it, you can still fail. You might not be physically capable of what you want to do, or you might not have enough resources or skill. If resources and skill are the problem, congrats. That means you may still get it if you keep trying. If it's a physical limitation though? Try a different goal."
Silence.
"No, I'm not kidding.
Things in life can be out of reach at times. Sometimes you can't be a great engineer because your body wasn't built for the manual labor. Some people want to become great mathematicians or doctors but have problems with memorization and focus. Or some people want to be famous wizards yet don't have enough magic to do it."
The audience was becoming restless. How dare this stallion tell them what they can or can't do. He achieved his dreams, didn't he? Then why did he think they couldn't achieve theirs? They could do anything, just like him! Who did he think he was; how would he know any of this?
"How do I know this? Because I am one of those people." The restless grumbling was silenced. "I am a great teacher of magic, an interpreter and facilitator of the art. Personally though? I cannot execute my craft. I have little magic to use. I can name any spell, help find a magical solution to any problem. I cannot use that solution myself though."
He was blushing at this point. It was obvious he wasn't proud of what he was saying, but he knew it needed to be said.
"Not every goal is possible, not even for the hardest worker. That doesn't mean don't try; it just means be realistic when trying. Let's say you want to go into engineering but you can't do the work. Focus on design and leave the execution to those more suited. It doesn't mean give up on your dream, just refocus it. Life is full of doors and walls; you just need to know what walls to pass and what doors to take. Passing those walls won't be easy, nor will be choosing a door. Giving up a part of a dream isn't fun, nor is settling for something different from your goal. At the same time, learning when to let go and try something else can be a reward in itself. You are more than one trait, so what's so wrong with having more then one dream? If one falls through, pursue one more probable. It's not just compromising, it's expanding. There are a million paths in life, and sometimes the first one you pick isn't always yours. Keep trying, you can and will find something that makes you truly happy. Don't let one failure hold you back from trying again. You will fail at some point, maybe at many points. Remember to get back up and look though. Why did you fail? Can you fix it? If not, is there something else you can do? Explore your options. You may not be able to do anything, but you can do something. Find your place; find your happiness."
The silence remained. Still blushing, he held his head high and walked backstage. They may not like what they heard, but they needed to hear it. Even if they don't understand now, it will help later. He wished somepony had told him that years ago. Maybe he wouldn't have spent so much time dwelling on life's inequities if they had. Life goes on; even if not the way you planned it. They may be angry now, but someday they would get that too.
As he was leaving though, he heard subtle clapping. It wasn't loud or boisterous, but it didn't sound forced.
Maybe some ponies understood what he said after all.
"Um, hello. My name is Starlight Glimmer, and I am a reformed villian." The mare on the stage was fidgety, obviously not comfortable with where she was at. Neither was the audience at the moment though. They had come for a lecture from the Princess of Friendship's new pupil, and this was the opening?
"Look, no one is perfect; we all make mistakes. Some of us more than others. The funny part though? Mistakes can be a good thing. You learn from mistakes. They teach you things that pure success and progress can never teach you. They show you both the best and worst parts of your own personality. Particularly when your mistakes create wide scale havoc."
Taking a deep breath, she continued.
"My mistake? I took one moment of pain from my childhood and let it fester into a destructive need. I misdirected my anger not at the event itself, not at me or the friend that hurt me, but at cutie marks. I spent the next few years of my life building a...a cult without cutie marks. It took more than just a slap upside the head and a mutiny to show me where I went wrong. After all: the bigger the mistake the harder it is to admit you were wrong. You shouldn't fear mistakes though. Seeing when you've messed up and learning when to stop can help you grow faster than anything else.
I'm not saying you should intentionally make mistakes; if you know something is wrong or will go wrong, avoid it. Do your best to be the best you that you can be! Still, don't fear the mistakes you have already made. Don't ignore them, and don't fear making more of them. They are a part of life, and if you truly learn from them you will be forgiven for them. The mistakes of the past help shape our future, they help us grow and improve. It may be hard to face, but don't ignore you past. It will help you grow stronger, smarter; just as it has helped me."
She ran from the stage. She wasn't as ashamed of her past anymore, but that doesn't mean it was easy to admit in front of a crowd. The crowd was cheering, she could hear it as she ran. It made it a bit better, but she wasn't going to stop. She may not be running from her mistakes anymore, but that didn't mean she had to look the world in the eye when admitting them. They better have learned something from this, because it wasn't easy-and if she has her way, she won't be doing it again anytime soon. She hated public speaking.