US President Barack Obama gave one of the most powerful and sternest speeches in New York for the centenary of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People. In his speech, he hit hard on the roles of parents in raising their children to become the future leaders of the country.

He goes on to explain that not all black children should aspire to be like LeBron James or rappers like Lil Wayne. Children should also dream of becoming professionals like doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. His speech made such a profound impact on me, even if I’m not yet a parent myself. This message was driven home even more during Sunday service when Pastor Jason talked about having a multi-generation mindset. Pastor Jason even cited one example that I was very familiar with. I remember watching one of the news bits on one of the entertainment shows. There was a young girl there who was asked what was her dream in life. She said that she wanted to become a dancer in one of the noontime shows.

I have nothing against dancers, but when your main goal in life is to become a noontime show dancer, that’s a problem. President Obama’s speech and Pastor Jason’s message were directed towards parents. I’m making this post to talk to the youth of today.

Dare to Dream

What is your goal in life? I’m sure that someday you want to have a family and children of your own. But let’s work backwards a bit — what will you do so that you’ll become successful? I talk with a lot of people about their career and one of the most persistent and common problems I find is that people lack the confidence and self-esteem to aspire to greater heights. This is my first point — the youth of today should DARE TO DREAM. Don’t be satisfied with where you are now. Stay hungry. Burn with passion and be on fire as you set out to become the future leaders of the industry that you want to conquer. Yes, you’re allowed to be distracted every now and then but always keep your eyes on the prize. Determination, resilience, and grace are the tools that will empower you and make you a better person.

Don’t feel that just because you are young means that you’re not good enough. Everyone great started the same way you are. A kid that’s naive to the workings of the world. What separates the 5 percent elite from the 95 percent of the world is their willingness and drive to never give up on their dreams and goals.

Identify your goals. And I’m not just saying that you think of something overnight. If you can spend countless hours in gimmicks, movies, and other leisure activities, it won’t hurt if you spend hours or even days thinking about what you want to become. Strike a balance between fun and work. Plot a clear direction for your life and don’t let the environment around you bog you down. If you feel like you have so many problems in life… here’s a news flash: that won’t change. In fact, more problems will come your way as you grow older. The key here is how you will face and overcome your trials.

Work Towards that Dream

Now that you’ve identified your goals, the next big step is to work towards it. Plans are useless if they’re not executed. Here are some of the most common problems that I’ve identified from talking with people and from my own personal experience that can act as roadblocks to success:

• Lack of Knowledge. This can easily be remedied. Invest in books. Talk to your peers. Get a mentor. Education is key. If you don’t have the technical expertise, you won’t succeed. Don’t expect to become a lawyer if you haven’t read a single law book. If you want to become a marketer, make sure you’re always up-to-date in the latest trends.

• Lack of Confidence. I cannot stress this enough. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. Your destiny is IN YOUR HANDS. Yes, you can get boosts from your parents or your network, but ultimately your dreams will only be realized if you act on them. To all those who are already working, here’s a practical bit of advice. Don’t wait for promotions. Work and ask for it. Your bosses are not psychic. They cannot read your minds. Set a meeting with your boss and talk about where you want your career to go and ask advice from him/her on what you can improve.

• Too Much Confidence. Here’s another big mistake. Don’t ever feel like you’ve learned everything you have to learn about your work. Never underestimate your colleagues and overestimate your own capabilities. Education is a constant process and the moment you stop learning, you will plateau and maybe even slide down.

In Closing

Pissed at your congressman for voting for Con Ass? Annoyed at hearing all of the corruption happening in the government? Are you doubtful that your current boss can lead your department and you know you can do better? Stop making excuses and stop complaining. It’s time for action. Dare to dream and work towards that dream. At the end of the day the biggest hindrance that’s stopping you from reaching success is yourself. Know where you want to go and start walking towards it. There will be times that you will fall. Get up and walk again. Never look back.

To summarize my points:

1. Identify your dream. Find out what you want to become.
2. Set concrete goals. Select a realistic age on when you want to reach your dreams. Hold yourself accountable to yourself and to your friends.
3. Track and measure your progress. Keep your eye on the prize.
4. When in doubt, ask. Read books, learn from your peers, and talk with your mentors and elders.
5. Pray for guidance and for grace.

Thanks for reading and I hope that this post has inspired you to start believing in yourself so that you can begin your journey to the life that you want. :)

Tags: goals, youth

This entry was posted on Monday, July 20th, 2009 at 1:26 pm and is filed under Waukster. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.