LEARNER'S TIP 1: I WILL MAKE THINGS HAPPEN IN 2014

WELCOME to 2014, a new year for all of us.

I hope you all have enjoyed your holidays and are ready to take on this New Year.

Some of us are already on track, many others still do not know what they will do.

Recently, a young person (from another country) in a social network said something like this: “Goodbye 2013. I hope 2014 brings me better things.”

That is what many people may be wishing for themselves. It sounds okay and common but in my view it is not good.

Why do I say that?

The answer is found in the headline of this item – “I will make things happen in 2014”, not wait for things to happen.

 

Let me explain in the form of something that most of you may know about – growing a plant.

Let’s take it that you want to plant corn. What are you going to do?

Will you go to the corn field with a handful of corn seeds, throw them indiscriminately into the field, then go sit under a tree and hope the seeds germinate and grow up into healthy plants which will bear more seeds?

You know nothing will happen if you do that. And - you will not have corn.

And that is the way most people think. They “wish and hope” that the year will bring them good things, good friends, good returns, good chances – but then nothing happens.

But then there are those who plan and go out into the field. While clearing the field and tilling the soil (which is hard work), they make sure the seeds are kept in good order.

They toil daily to make sure that the soil is in the best possible shape before the seeds are planted.

After they plant the seeds, they may have to wake up early in the mornings to water the seeds or seedlings and weed around the patches where they are.

At other times, they may remain in their fields until very late to attend to other tasks.

It is those people who attend to their crops, planning and toiling who will see a good harvest.

Those who sit and wish under a tree will not accomplish anything.

So, what are you going to do this year?

I urge you to not only set goals but make the appropriate plans as well and prepare to put in the necessary effort to make things happen.

Some people prefer to use the saying, it is time “to take the bull by its horns”, which means to do something that is somewhat difficult (as in growing corn) in a determined and confident way.

Achievers in different fields do not leave their wishes to chance – they, with determination, do something about it and are prepared to sweat to make things happen.

For some of you who have been for too long lining up one goal after another without making any progress, it is about time you learn to be a bit more daring this year to get some of those goals achieved.

In the next few items, I will dwell on goals in specific areas - academic, work and business.

Next week: Goals as a student or learner