Life of a Copyright owner and copyright expert Nikki Marshall was asked to compile a list of five things she wishes she knew at 21 recently and we thought it would be a great idea to share them here as well. Whether or not you’re 21 years old, these are gems that everyone can benefit from when trying to juggle the various aspects of life.

Check out her talking points below!

1) “How are you supposed to know everything?” - Most of my life I was obsessed with knowing EVERYTHING. One day after pre-school, my father quizzed me on the proper route to our home. I confidently pointed and shouted “this way” at all the right turns. He then posed a question that rocked me to my core, “which way, left or right”? In that moment I fell to pieces and declared, “I don’t know my left from my right!” I was devastated and vowed never to NOT know again.

As an entrepreneur I’ve learned it’s ok to say, “I don’t know. Give me a moment and I will figure it out and get back to you”. I find that people appreciate the candor and honesty. It also saves me the internal melodrama of not being perfect and all-knowing. That time is better suited to searching for the answer and providing the information in the most concise and accurate way possible.

2) “There are going to be days when you’re sitting at your laptop stressed out and crying while replying to emails or working on a project. You are human and life can be overwhelming at times. Take the time you need but as best as you can, keep your eyes on the prize.” - Last July I lost my mother to cancer. Her battle was nearly two years long. During this time I served as her caretaker, health care advocate and grieving daughter. I also held the role of entrepreneur. My company had been founded only one year prior to her diagnosis.

On many days, there were more emotions than I could manage. Rather than attempting to bottle them up, put on a brave face or even run to hide under my covers, I chose to find a middle ground. I cried while I sent emails with clients, read white papers on music and media rights in the digital age and perused twitter for industry updates. But something strange happened; I felt better. I was allowing myself the space to process the pain while also moving forward with the dreams my mother wholeheartedly supported. Each day I did something related to work. It was the hardest thing to keep up but it served me well in so many ways.

After her passing, my workload increased exponentially. I also found that a great deal of the research and relationship maintenance I did during that time became useful to me in building my business. I am eternally grateful to my mother for always telling me I could do, and be, whatever I chose. Having those words of encouragement, even as we sat in the chemo room, has meant a world of difference during the most trying time of my life.

3) “Take care of yourself and your body. When you’re healthy and you’re feeling great physically, mentally, and spiritually, you have greater potential for maximum productivity.” - My mother’s battle with cancer was a rude awakening. For the first time in many years I really became aware of how little time and energy I had invested in my own wellness. I began a clean eating regimen, enrolled in lunch time classes at a local yoga studio and started to see a therapist. It has been 13 months since my lifestyle change and I have no interest in looking back. I have never felt more alert, confident and prepared for anything in my adult life.

4) “Your 20s are all about exploring and finding out who you are. Work hard but don’t
forget to have fun!” - I remember being so obsessed with the question, “what I will do for the rest of my life” in my early 20s? I felt I needed to have everything figured out. Along the way I met awesome men and women who told me to relax, experience life, work hard and it would all fall into place. I thought they were crazy! How was I supposed to relax without my 10 year plan firmly in place?!

Luckily, as life unfolded I found the best experiences were the ones I least expected. The most enriching moments of my life seemed to be fated and were almost always not a part of the plan I envisioned. I took notice of this and realized: they are right! I spent my 20s working hard, having fun, making mistakes and learning all about myself. Knowing myself and understanding, without prejudice, the things that motivate me has been priceless. This knowledge helped me shape a career where I feel fulfilled as a tastemaker and educator in the creative community.

5) “Mistakes are inevitable. Own up to them and come up with solutions to solve them as quickly as possible.” - As I’ve mentioned, 21 year old Nikki was obsessed with knowing EVERYTHING. This stemmed from my need to be right 100% of the time. In my mind there was no room for error. I’m sure you can imagine the anxiety and nervousness this thinking created. While working for an Atlanta based music publisher I made a mistake on a royalty statement. Thankfully, my administrator and I caught it before the CFO signed the check. I went into his office with the corrected statement, a new check and a full explanation. A part of me expected to be at minimum scolded but for some reason I prepared for the worst: termination. What happened next was a complete shock, he thanked me and continued with his work. I realized in that moment my fear of making a mistake was really a fear of not being good enough. The truth is, I was qualified for that position and the only person I needed to prove that to was myself. Mistakes happen, they need not be fateful.