I think a really good book to read about achieving your dreams is "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. It is about a boy who tries to find his destiny and it explains a lot about the journey of following your dreams. It’s a really simple story but it's awesome, and I think every teenager should read it.

Ebony,17,NSW

Adults tell us that the one thing they regret when they’re older is the time they wasted when they were younger. We are fortunate enough to know their mistakes while we’re young. What can you do right now to make sure you don’t miss out on life?

Kloe,15,QLD

I think people limit their dreams. They think - oh that won't earn me any money. Or that is too hard to get into. Or that job takes skills that are too hard for me. If you think like that you will absolutely and positively fail. If you believe… you will find a way.

Derek R,14,NSW

It’s good that everyone wants to follow a different dream. If everyone wanted to be an actor or a rock star there would be no one who watched movies or listened to concerts. It’s good that some people want to be priests and some people want to be bankers. It makes everything work together.

Darin R,17,NSW

Success comes from doing your own thing, and being willing to think outside the box. Think of Albert Einstein or Shakespeare, did any of their success come by copying someone else? Do your own thing, and don’t be afraid of the critics. I promise it’s worth the risk.

David,16,VIC

The worst mistake you can make is being too afraid to make one. Go out on a limb, and give a crazy idea a shot. So what if your friends think you’re a little crazy? If they’re true friends, they’ll jump right back when they see your cool new project.

Ricky,14,WA

We have a careers counsellor at school to help students find the right job and career. They don’t start till Year 9 and I think they should work with kids all the way from Year 7. It should be just as important as maths and English, because this is about the rest of your life.

Derek R,14,NSW

The English writer Oscar Wilde once said “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken!” and life proves to us that this is the truth. Every time I’ve tried to do what someone else has, I’ve fallen flat on my face. We can only be truly the best at the things we were born to do.

Jessiie G,18,QLD

When I was a little kid I wanted to be an archaeologist like Indiana Jones and everyone used to laugh and say, it wasn’t really like that and I wouldn’t ever really get to find artifacts. I wish people wouldn’t laugh at little kids. They should just tell them to dream whatever they want.

Ebony,17,NSW

One of my dreams is to travel across the whole of America. From Canada, through all the United States, down through Mexico and all through South America. The continent has so much history and so many things to see. I want to see New York as much as I want to see Machu Picchu.

Darin R,17,NSW