The Power of Personal Goals

The life of a student-athlete entails much sacrifice and plenty of restless days. Whether frantically finishing homework following an all-day competition or dreading to begin a project as injuries are tended to, such a lifestyle is not suitable for the fainthearted. In realizing the amounts of work that is demanded of the student-athlete, one can indubitably feel overwhelmed. However, levels of preoccupation and tension lessen considerably when organization guides the daily course of action. Implementing a set of long-range goals, in any realm from academics to athletics, is essential to attaining success. In setting educational goals to be reached, I strove diligently to achieve those high standards and, eventually, realized them.

As a young, elementary school kid, I wanted to grow up to be any one of three things: fireman, doctor, or professional athlete. If the day was unbearably warm, as it usually was during the non-winter months in the Los Angeles Basin, I thought being a heroic firefighter would be a great occupation. If recess involved a cut from a fall onto the blacktop or a scrape from a viciously thrown dodgeball, the image of helping others physically surfaced into my mind. During the football season, boyhood dreams of playing in the National Football League were envisioned. Yet, as I matured, I realized that vacillating between playful whims would inevitably result in boredom. I began to understand that my decisions needed more substantial reasons and purposes. I had to formulate concrete ideas that had an objective to be reached in the long run.

As I reached the junior high years, there were circumstances that I had yet to experience. I was accustomed to having my basic needs met by parents, i.e. food, clothi...

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... test and tedious assignment by reminding myself what the cause was. When the clamor of the alarm woke me to the new day, my motivation to trudge out of bed was the opportunity to work toward my goal. Knowing that the reward was head, the drive to obtain it did not allow for obstacles to halt my journey.

During the process of receiving an education, the daily routine of attending class can be a deterrent to keep one from becoming successful. There will inevitably be times of stress, and the desire to quit will arise. Unless the aim is deemed worthy enough, the necessary sacrifices will not be made. Therefore, one needs a substantial end to be sought so that the difficulties will be met and surmounted. Set an objective to seek and seek it without reservation. I was able to realize my dream of being educated at State University by placing it as the loftiest goal.