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          Beginning with an end in mind

“Goal Setting”
 

In life, we all have something dreams of a better life... of a life where things are exactly how we want them. I believe that the knowledge about goal setting is a big help on succeeding. The difference between living a fulfilling life and just living an average life is the quality of the goals you set for yourself.

I have a dream of how my life would look life if it were perfect in every respect. It’s a lifestyle who everyone is striving for; a big house in a private subdivision, a job where I enjoy and with a very good remuneration and of course a happy family. 

In my childhood up to my high school days, I really wanted to be a doctor, a dermatologist to be exact. I don’t know why, maybe because that’s what my parents want me to be, they told me so many good things that will happen to me if I become a doctor. So, I set my goals of being one. I started by planning of taking up nursing as my pre med in college. I applied for it as my first choice and medical technology as my second at University of Santo Tomas when I was in forth year. I chose this school because I know they are the best in the field of medicine, that’s also why it’s not easy to pass. But fortunately, I got a slot for medical technology. I took it after graduating in high school and then continued setting my goal of being a doctor. At first, my interest for my course is vast, I study every night and got good grades, but as the time passed by it decreases, I felt that I’m not really happy having a medical course. Actually, I don’t understand why I like to be a doctor but I dislike Science or any subject which needs memorization. There’s a point in time where I reflect about my goals in life, I questioned myself if that dream was really mine or my parents’. Second semester came and I didn’t felt the thrill. I still tried to love my course; almost all of my subjects are tough especially Organic Chemistry and Botany but I still tried to comprehend. But reaching the middle of the semester, I finally decided to talk to my parents about my shifting and I’m so glad that they understand. I chose Media Arts to be my next course; I learned it from my cousin who’s studying in College of Saint Benilde. A lot of my friends told me that it suits my character more because they find me artistic and I agree. I appreciate art, I even love art. Finally, I found the real me, the real life that I want to be. 

I went back to zero and started my new life here in De LaSalle Canlubang. No, not literally zero because some of my subjects in UST are credited. I meant my goal, I started a new setting. Now that I am here, one of my biggest goal is to be in the Dean’s list. I want to pay my parents back for understanding the shifting that I did even if a big amount of money that they worked for become useless and because of disappointing them about their dream of me being a doctor. And because I want to have a good records for me to have an impressive career so that I will have a great income and I will be able to support my family so that my parents doesn’t need to work in abroad anymore and we’ll be together again. Next thing is, I want to discover and share my skills and talents which when I was in UST, I wasn’t able to do. I am proud to say that I already auditioned for two organizations now and I passed, I am now a dance troupe and a badminton varsity and still passing on my academics. First term ends and second term is approaching and I’m continuously setting my goals for me to have a good future. I’m happy with all the decisions that I made and I now believe that I have a destination in my life now. I know where I am going and I can focus on the end result and get back on track if any obstacles get in the way because my goal is on set.

When we begin with an end in mind, what usually enters our thoughts? What can we possibly do to activate our inner ignitions that will hopefully lead us to our society’s standard of success? What are the factors that can influence our motives and if so, what are some of the influences we need in order to obtain our goals and ambitions? How can we push our body to its fullest potential and obtain success?

What does success mean to you? Do you define success by what you have or do you think of it in a much deeper form and see success as by how many achievements you surpassed? In today’s society, we see success as by how much money you earn, where you live, what you do for a living and by how many luxury items you own like cars, jewelry and clothing. We rarely see success for what it really means; and that’s happiness. Sure, when we have money we can buy what makes us feel joyous, but that feeling won’t last forever. The feeling of purchasing things somehow makes us forget about some of our problems and therefore shield ourselves from reality; even if the happiness would last for that moment only.

How do we reach our goals? Must we plan for it? We must plan for the proper outcome of our goals so that things would come out more successively. But how must one reach out to such goals? Well that depends on what goals you plan to achieve. You must first do well in school and acquire such requirements that will enable you to pursue or get into a good college. Planning goals are rather easy, but it’s the fulfilling part that’s the most difficult. People tend to talk about what they want to achieve and change, but it takes a while for them to start acting upon them. Big achievements usually start from small beginnings. When we start planning for our goals we must look at it at different perspectives; the beginning and the end. How will we achieve it and how we see ourselves when it is achieved. We should always look at it in different ways and see all possible ways that we can achieve.

Our dreams are usually influenced by social factors. Friends would pursue the same dreams together or how that dream can help the family in the future. Usually dreams are pushed by parents who only want to see their children excel. Even if some of our dreams are shoved into our faces, we still see that even when we are getting hurt, it is right. But even if those dreams sound right and it’s as if your parents have everything planned out for you, you still should fulfill YOUR dream. Because you should stand up for what you believe is right and even if those dreams were achieved; Who’s dream was it? Was it yours or your parents? You should go for whatever it is you are passionate for because you don’t have to explain why you love doing whatever it is you enjoy doing. Only God can understand even if it sounds so complicated.

Our goals were set for a purpose, we would have to try to achieve it before we perish or else we wouldn’t have lived our lives. My dream is rather complicated because I have many. Graduating is not one of my dreams, but it is an achievement. I will graduate for the sake of my parents. It’s the least I can give them; my thank-you. I can imagine life without a college diploma; I believe that I can manage a harsh world without one. It’s just me and my wild brain of mine. I believe that no matter what the outcome of my life is, I would end up successful. And by that I mean money. As I said earlier, money is not important, but what I want is enough to buy what I need. I don’t need excessive amounts of cash to be happy. If that plan doesn’t work out, I would always have my family to fall back on. I’ll be happy with them no matter what. I also aspire to be a well-renowned fashion designer or something. I dream to be famous, it doesn’t matter how, but I believe it’ll happen too. I can use my skill for acting or singing, either way. How do I plan on achieving these? Well, with some luck I hope to be discovered at a mall or something. What a dream. Despite the complications of today’s society, I believe that my dreams will be pursued because of my perseverance and because of my dedication. This is my passion; I’ll do whatever it takes to achieve them.

“Beginning With an End in Mind”

--meeting friends

When I left for Singapore, I didn’t really like it because I know that I had to adjust to a totally new environment. I mean although I’ve been there for vacation I still didn’t like it because spending a vacation and living there is totally different. And knowing that I had to leave my friends behind, was really not an exciting thing for me, because these friends that I left in the Philippines has been with me since 3^rd grade and I just can’t leave them like that, well maybe I can but I was just not ready.

I wasn’t ready for anything really, because I just finished grade school and now I have to move to a new country away from my friends and start in a new school, meeting totally different people. I know that I should have been excited. But I didn’t feel like it.

On my first day in school all I wanted was to be able to find the people that I can hang out with, because I just can’t go on without friends I mean who can. But then I really didn’t talk much unless I’m being asked. You see, I just wanted to observe my classmates to know who are the people that I should hang out with and those that I should stay away from.

And well I didn’t really like most of them especially the girls. Because there was this one girl who was too bossy and well the others were just plain stupid to actually follow her.

But me, well I didn’t want to follow her around; I mean I have my own mind so why should I follow her, right? For a month I only hang out with the higher batch, though some of my classmates would approach me I still didn’t like hanging out with them. Then a new term came, and by this time I finally found the people that I wanted to hang out with, and so I approached them. Now I have these people from my class that I can call friends. Though by the end of the year some of them had to leave, it was still alright for me because knowing that I am no longer a new girl in school, I was more confident meeting new people and welcoming them in school. And now I am just glad that I was able to meet these people I call friends, because they have taught me so much and have showed me so many things. They’ve been with me through problems and have never left me.

And imagine if I didn’t go to Singapore, then I would have missed so many things in my life. Things that have helped me become who I am right now.