Why it is important to set goals instead of dreaming - the transition of a child to and adult

Today's topic of conversation in FLY.FM was on the number of successful candidates in the recent SPM examination that got all As. There were over 9 thousand successful students compared to the rest that did not get straight As which numbered over 300 thousand.

First of all, congratulations to EVERYONE who worked hard to get the best that they could get.

The DJs on the morning crew focused on the rest of the SPM candidates, those that did not get all As. The idea which they wanted to share with their listeners is that - "IT IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD".

This fits in nicely on the subject that I wanted to discuss today which is goal setting. When we are young, our world is a world of imagination. This is how we spent hours playing with just a simple stick or ball. However, adult life is reality and we need to switch from the world of imagination to reality as we progress from a child to an adult.

Although UPSR, PMR and SPM are national exams that children take between the ages of 12 to 17 in this country, they must be adult in thinking and not assume childish expectations just because of their age.

I have seen many children traumatised for life because they dreamt of getting something that they cannot achieve. You cannot blame them. Responsibility lies with parents and educators. They must provide the necessary support and guidance to ensure a child will always be positive in life.

Setting goals and achieving them is a very strong confidence booster for children. Although not many people can see this but art classes, drama classes, the choir, public speaking and many more "non-exam-subject" activities in school all provide the necessary life experiences to make one focus on a particular goal. For example, the goal for public speaking is to be able to choose an interesting topic, talk about it in public with such confidence that you can sway the listeners to believe you. This is a goal that is achievable.

Once you join the rat race, your capability as a worker will be assessed in your ability to deliver something that has obvious benefits to the organisation that you work for. Everything you do will need to be documented and presented to your fellow workers for comments. If you have not transitioned from dreaming to setting goals, you will easily be identified by your colleagues as a weak member of the team.


Therefore, to those not getting the results as perfect you have dreamt, DO NOT worry. Life still goes on. With hard work, you can achieve anything.