Go for your goal and never give up!
First, make a list of your goals. Write them down and prioritize them. If your list is longer than you expected, donīt get discouraged. Work on each subject one at a time. Itīs like hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, from Mexico to Canada, 2,485 miles long. Do it one step at a time. Youīll eventually get there.
For some, it may take a few years, and others a few months, but it will be worth all the effort and work you put into it. You must have faith in yourself. Faith and hope are the secrets of success. They go hand in hand. If you lose hope, then you lose your goals.
Itīs all up to you to make a difference in the world, whether itīs large or small. Perhaps your contribution wonīt be as dramatic as some, but still, your contribution to society is important. Itīs up to us how hard we work for our dream. I believe each of us has something to contribute and hopefully uplift others. We can do this by educating and improving ourselves.
I once had a dream. I wanted to graduate from college. At the age of 48, it was one of the most difficult challenges I had ever come upon. On the first day of school, I had butterflies in my stomach, I was feeling nausea from the stress, and I was wondering if I had made the right decision in my life. Was I crazy to take upon myself this feat at my age?
After getting through the first month, I realized it wasnīt so bad after all. I just took one day at a time, knowing that I had committed myself to this task of getting a degree. After four long years and many wonderful experiences, I received my Bachelor of Arts degree and the Outstanding Non-Traditional Student Award for the College of Performing Arts in 2002. All six of my children were at my graduation and watched me walk to get my diploma. I had tears in my eyes, and so did they. I had accomplished something that I thought I was too old to do.
After that, I decided to accomplish another dream. I submitted a novel to several publishers. I had written a historical fiction love story, "Melinda and the Wild West." When a publisher accepted my work, I was thrilled, filled with euphoria, floating on cloud nine. All of this happened because I believed in myself, because I worked hard, because I had a dream. I knew that if I didnīt believe in myself, then no one else would.
The advice I give to everyone is this: Go for your goal and never give up!
Written by Linda Weaver Clarke, author of the historical/fiction/romance series: "A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho." To learn more, visit www.lindaweaverclarke.com.
