Holding back tears, former national news anchor Jane Clayson Johnson told students to stay true to themselves as she did when she abandoned a prominent career to become a mom - a decision that earned her criticism from her colleagues.

"Along your path, my friends, there will always be people with their own agendas who will be there to tell you what you should think, how you should feel, what you ought to do," Johnson said. "Do not listen. Trust your instincts, keep perspective and set your moral compass now."

Johnson spoke to an audience of students, faculty and friends Thursday about her long career as a journalist working for KSL, ABC and CBS, and about her decision to leave that life of prestige and praise to become a wife and a mother.

"My life is very different than it was before, and I wouldn't have it any other way," Johnson said.

She gave several pieces of advice on what she wished she had known before she went out into the real world, advising students to get a mentor, work hard and be persistent and remain true to themselves.

Johnson said she learned this advice the hard way, struggling to represent her Latter-day Saint faith under the wide eye of public scrutiny.

"Who I was and what I believed was a source of fascination for some people, and so what I said and how I reacted was very much in the forefront of my mind," Johnson said. "Sometimes it's really hard to stand up for what you know is right and for what you believe."

These struggles didn't stop Johnson from being successful, however, as evidenced by her interviews with numerous politicians and celebrities, as well as her coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial, the Martha Stewart scandal and September 11th.

Despite these achievements, she knew she didn't have what she really wanted.

"I was grateful for the extraordinary experiences I was having," Johnson said. "But I also felt that one of my deepest longings had not been met: to be a wife and a mother."

When she finally married and decided to fulfill that goal, she met with great criticism from her friends and colleagues who thought she was throwing away her life because she was abandoning her career. Johnson said she knew she was doing the right thing, however, and encouraged young women to feel confident in making that same decision.

"To the beautiful young women here today, may I say to you, there are seasons in life," Johnson said. "Don't ever let someone deny you the blessing and the joy of one season because they believe you should be in or stay in another season. And never be afraid to aspire to be a mother."

Johnson's book, "I Am A Mother," which she signed in the BYU Bookstore on Thursday, March 29, 2007, after her address, explains more about her career and her decision to become a mother.

Copyright Brigham Young University 29 Mar 2007