Do you stick with the goals that you set for yourself?
New Years is fast approaching and that means it’s time to reflect on the past and set new goals for the coming year. With this in mind, I’ve been thinking about the importance of being committed. It’s easier said than done, but I believe commitment is an essential skill to learn early on as it’ll help you to overcome the many obstacles that will come your way later on.
Why do people lose motivation?
From my experience, people lose motivation because we’ve grown accustomed to instant gratification – we want to feel good right now, not in a few days. Setting a long-term goal means that it may be a long time before you can actually taste the fruits of your labor. We often start off strong, but that fiery passion slowly dies out as we realize that not each is going to be sunshine and rainbows. It’s when we have those days when we want to quit that commitment really comes into play.
Here’s a story:
I picked up my flute for the first time in Grade 7. I didn’t come from a family of musicians, so needless to say, I was really bad in the beginning. I don’t know how my parents managed to stay sane after hearing the shrill shriek of a flute day after day. I’m grateful they did though, because this journey has taught me the importance of discipline.
I remember feeling frustrated because I couldn’t seem to play any notes. I would blow with all my might, spit flying everywhere, and no sound would come out. It was only after my music teacher explained that I need more focused air, not more air, that I was able to play my first notes. When that happened, something clicked inside me – I can actually do this, I realized. Although I didn’t practice everyday, I began to notice my progress. As I progressed, I fell in love with music more and more.
However, this would soon come to a screeching halt. Deciding that it would be a good idea, I entered the Talent Competition at my Chinese school. During performance day, my nerves got the better of me and I ended up fumbling through the piece. Wrong notes, too fast, shaky hands; all these problems started to pile on top of each other one by one. After I finished, I could barely hear the scattered applause because all I could think about was how embarrassed I felt.
It took a long time before I could look back and assess the situation calmly. It became clear to me that if I gave up now, I would have wasted all the hard work I had already invested. The only way to improve was to keep getting up after each fall. I’ve come far from where I started, but by no means am I done my journey. There’s always room for improvement. I’ve realized that the more you invest, the more you gain. Don’t quit just because of one bad day, because it’ll be worth it in the end.
Just today, I had to do a solo performance for the teacher as our final assignment this semester. My selected piece, Serenade by Roman Hoffstetter, is oddly appropriate now that I look back on it. ‘Serenade’ originating from the Italian word sereno, meaning serene or calm, perfectly encapsulated my mood. Though I still had a few jitters, all my anxiety disappeared as I got into the music and could just enjoy myself. It was a stark difference when compared to my embarrassing mishap years ago and it’s a testament to the importance of staying committed.
How is commitment relevant in your life?
The lessons that I’ve learned are not just applicable to music, but to all aspects of life. Professionally, employers will often look for people who have been committed to long-term projects rather than one-time events here and there. It demonstrates to them that you are reliable and able to persevere through thick and thin.
In personal life, being committed is key to maintaining strong relationships. If after one fight with your friend, you never talk again, then that’s not commitment. Similarly, you should be there to celebrate your friends’ achievements, and not disappear when the going gets tough. That’s the promise that you have to fulfill once you say: “I’m there for you whenever you need it”.
Life is full of commitment. Sometimes there’ll be sweat and tears, but that’s a fact of life. You won’t have everything handed to you on a silver platter, you have to work for it. Even if you take a small step each day in some direction, you’re going somewhere. It all starts with commitment though. Not just telling yourself you want to reach this goal, but actually following through on it to get there.
Do you stick with the goals that you set for yourself?
Maybe, maybe not. What I know for sure is that it’s never too late to start.
DFTBA! (Don’t Forget To Be Awesome!)
