Why is it that when we see students, businesspeople, and athletes, we feel the urge to show them a particularly high level of respect? As human beings, we make snap judgements based on little more than a 3-second glance and a split-second subconscious process. Just like Malcolm Gladwell writes in his book, Blink, “There can be as much value in the blink of an eye as in months of rational analysis.”
Because this is an educational piece, we are going to focus on one of the three types of people I have mentioned above – students, of course. Why do students (especially as a group of people who are usually of a younger age) draw such respect and admiration from others? It’s because they are doing that which many of us allow to wilt within our own lives – they are aspiring for more.
Bearing witness to others who are actively pursuing their goals and looking to get the most out of life leaves one feeling inspired and filled with the desire to be more.
This is the near-ultimate beauty of an aspirational mindset – it not only leaves you self-inspired, but also filled with focus and ambition. Within the blink of an eye, those around you pick up on this magnetic energy and begin to emulate it too, with the ultimate beauty being the change that takes place in you.
The creation of great aspirations
Your dreams, desires, hopes, and ambitions aimed at achieving a lifetime goal define the word ‘aspiration’. Anything that you believe will make you better – even if in the process of getting there – is an aspiration.
Whether your aspirational visions are specific, broad, or especially if you’re lost in the dreamless dark, here are some tips for you to try out for the development of your life’s most hopeful outcomes:
- Engage with Experts – poor mental health makes everything else fall by the wayside, including any aspirations we may have. Try and talk to someone; a medical professional can help give you the treatment you need to reach for the stars.
- Quit with the Comparisons – your aspirations are a deeply personal pursuit and should not be influenced by others. Do what leaves you feeling satisfied and fulfilled and forget about what everyone else is trying to achieve.
- Question Yourself – what gets your heart racing? Pick your brain and ask yourself, “What do I want to achieve and why?”, and follow this question with, “How can I go about doing it?”
- Patience, Not Pressure – it’s great to be motivated and working towards realising your dreams, but your aspirations don’t have to (and likely won’t) materialise immediately. By simply striving to develop yourself, you will be better positioned to achieve your ultimate goals.
- Pick Your Purpose – that which gives your life meaning is a means to an end for your aspiration-achieving ambitions.