Students' success guide

Desire and decision may place you on the road.  Action may get you started.  But it will take focus to keep you on course. A runner who loses focus, can easily lose the race. A boxer that loses focus, can easily lose the fight. A student that loses focus, can easily fail in life... Your best present, is the present. 

The summer vacation of 2004 is nearing end.  A new school year is about to be ushered in.  Students will be entering a new phase in their academic life. As is consistent with change, this new academic year — and beyond — would present its grand share of challenges for students; challenges that will, in many ways, militate against initiatives in the pursuit of purpose. It is instructive to note that while change is inevitable, growth is optional. The option to ascend the staircase to the pinnacle where achievers of excellence reside, is basically one way. The student who is determined to achieve growth with success, and avoid the abyss of failure, despite daunting prospects, must be armed with effective counteracting strategies.  Foremost among these will be appropriate preparation, which must consist of a few fundamentals, namely:

* Foundation:  Using the building analogy, we’ll observe that the foundation is the preparation for the actual building.  It is constructed first.  The building follows.  The building is only as good as its foundation.  Essentially, the foundation is also only as good as the materials from which it is made. The success-bound student is the one who sees school days as the period in his/her life, when the extremely critical exercise of foundation-building takes place.  The “building” of his/her future (career, family and destiny) will be only as good as the foundation, which is laid in these crucial school years. 

* Vision: The student must have a clear, or at least reasonably clear, sense of purpose and direction.  What do you desire to achieve?  Where do you desire to reach?  How do you plan to get there? He who fails to plan, plans to fail. And, as we often say, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there!”  At best, you may be an accident headed down the road to happen!  “Without a vision, the people will perish” (Pro. 29:18).  A visionless student is therefore, in essence, a dying student.   

* Decision: Vision or desire alone, however, won’t get the job done.  Decision must follow desire.  This world can be very cruel to people who are indecisive. The student who means business with destiny, must be absolutely firm on making quality decisions - and choices — in the pursuit of purpose. He/she must, even at that early stage in life’s journey, take positions of resolve and conviction that are consistent with aspiration. 

* Action: Decision, irrespective of how healthy the quality, can only yield real fruit, when translated into meaningful action.  “Decisive action” is the productive combination. Very literally, and practically, behaviour must conform to the rules of discipline, diligence and a sense of responsibility, as the desired goal is pursued.  Act decisively, also taking note that procrastination is not only a thief of time, but a thief of opportunity.  Remember, your best present, is the present. 

* Focus: This deals with consistency. The desire and decision may place you on the road.  The action may get you started.  But it will take focus to keep you on course. You must maintain your focus to fulfil your purpose.  Steadfast focus demands a passion for the purpose.  There must be a resolute commitment (note that “C” word!).  A runner who loses focus, can easily lose the race.  A boxer that loses focus, can easily lose the fight.  A student that loses focus, can easily fail in life. But take heed, the most deadly enemy to every item above is:

* Distraction:  This foe should be stripped of its mask and exposed.  I’ll do just that. 

The purpose of distraction (or detractors) is to cause you to lose focus and direction and thereby miss purpose and destiny.  Distraction, may come with the roar of a lion or the subtlety of a serpent.  Often, your greatest distraction is first an attraction.  The evil first becomes an attraction, then a distraction, and finally, your destruction. For the student, the list of ensnaring agents can range from video games to sex, hard drugs and crime.  In the line-up will also come peer pressure, music, television, pornography, gossip, uncontrolled hormones and sensual energies, dysfunctional families, psycho-social and economic difficulties, self-esteem challenges, a chaotic environment, emotional issues and stress. The first major step in safeguarding is identifying the likely cause of distraction.

The second critical step is identifying the solution.  The final step would be applying the solution, which will entail taking the appropriate action. This will include the resolve to keep focused, a positive attitude, optimism, the assistance of appropriate counsel and practical support systems. And, again remember students who are serious about success don’t “think with their genitals”.  They value the apophthegm  “If you go all the way, you don’t get very far”. Above all, of course, you’ll need the invaluable help and blessings of Almighty God, which come to the life that conforms to His Word (Deut 28:2).