Very few of us feel positive on Monday morning. Do you always say to yourself: “Good! I’m going to work today! ”? Usually what we say is, “Gosh, I have to go to work today…” However, when it comes to weekends, some of my very successful business friends always say: “Too bad! I have to take the weekend off from work.” Some of them are actually in their 40s, not really work-holic, but full of passion and energy for his work, fit and healthy in life.
It makes me thinks of my current students in winter program. I know how difficult it is for you to drag yourself out of sound sleep in the cold winter morning (It’s a struggle we all fight -- every day!), rush into the heavy traffic, and be fully dedicated to the intensive study for a continuously 20 days. It’s definitely not easy to make that decision -- sacrificing vacation for language study while your peers choose to slack off and play. And it’s even harder to carry on to the very end.
On the first day, every student is offered with the schedule, and many hard-working students even make their own study plans after class. But with time goes by, it won’t surprise me any more to see – some students are getting late for class…no longer finish homework…can’t live their own lists…
Well, I used to feel sorry and get really upset, but as a teacher for a class of adults only within 20 days, I sometimes do feel helpless. As a comfort, there are always many great students in each class who cherish every moment and work up to their goals step by step.
How many times have we felt -- I know what I should have done, but I didn’t do it! It’s a constant battle between what we know we should do and what we actually do. Our problem? We have a shortage of will power. In life, we all know that persistence is a gold rule. Yet, quitters are everywhere. In language study, we all know it’s unavoidable to undergo the period of suffering in order to see the twilight of success. Yet few of us still keep trying.
The most difficult part is always at the beginning. Just like getting up to catch the morning class, the most painful part is deciding to go. Once you get yourself out of bed, it’s easy. Once you make it to the class, it is always a pleasure. When 20-day training is completed, you will feel all the efforts worthwhile.
Fruitful life can be somewhat put into an easy way -- First dream it, then do it. 1 hour of planning will save 3 hours of wasted time and work. With a plan, time and work will be kept in control, moving ahead toward the right direction. But after planning your work, you have to work your plan. Self-discipline is what makes our dreams alive. A plan without work is a plan that won’t work. A dream without self-discipline will just remain a dream.
Nothing just happens by itself. Nobody can sleep his way to success. We have to do the work to make it happen. While we’re sleeping, our talents and abilities sleep with us. Moreover, we just sleep through our best opportunities. If you really want to achieve something, you have to wake up and work up the ladder to where you want to be. Then after you’ve reached certain level, work will turn from a necessary evil to what you truly enjoy. It’s the same with language study.
On the other hand, passion brings prosperity. Donald Trump always says on his business TV show: do what you love, and the money will follow. It explains that if you’re passionate about what you do, you will be happy and successful at what you do. Passion is to love and believe something no matter how hard it is to get there. It’s like a powerful river that will make its way through whatever obstacle it might encounter.
Therefore, if you approach your study with a positive attitude and a growing passion, being grateful that we even have that experience of spending 20 days with a group of people with the same pursuit, and then you’ll start to appreciate and enjoy it more. As I have always taken pride in my job and kept doing it better.
My students, 20 days will be very soon over. At that time, all of your devotions and efforts will be paid off. Knowledge isn’t a problem ‘coz we know what we should do. It’s will power that we need to live up to our potential and live the way we know we should. Don’t quit too easily, when the right opportunity and sweet success is coming your way.