Saying no isn't easy, but it's a required skill if you wish to have any degree of focus in your life. If you say yes too often, you'll likely fall into the common trap of saying yes to the good while simultaneously saying no to the best.
When you live for a strong purpose, then hard work isn't an option. It's a necessity.
The most intelligent thing you can possibly do with your life is to grow.
Your environment will eat your goals and plans for breakfast.
People in their early 20s are invariably weird.
Hard work pays off. When someone tells you otherwise, beware the sales pitch for something "fast and easy" that's about to come next. The greater your capacity for hard work, the more rewards fall within your grasp. The deeper you can dig, the more treasure you can potentially find.