Hey everyone how is it going? Back for another posting from your favorite Grad student. Things are still well will with me, I just need more sleep, but who doesn't? I was speaking with someone the other day, and they asked me what I thought I was. This is a bit of a loaded question, but I firmly and with conviction stated that I was a winner.
In my short but complicated time here on this planet, I have come to know a few things that allow me to comfortably say that I am a winner. It all really starts with attitude, but there are other things to consider when transforming into a winner. Attitude is imperative. Johnny Depp once said, "The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem." I wholeheartedly agree with him. Nobody's life was perfect for a myriad of reasons, but that does not mean we cannot make the most of it. If life gives you lemons and you don't want them then just give them to someone who does and work for some limes. Focus on the positives and let time or life or whatever correct the negatives. Generally there is always a way as a person to focus on something in a situation. We decide what to focus on. Focus on the positive and keep your goals in mind.
In order to be a winner I have found that proper goal setting is imperative. Lots of people can say they want to be a doctor or a lawyer, but how many people can tell you exactly how they are going to get there? I am going to guess very few if any. As people I feel like we are lazy thinkers. Of course we all strive to be intellectually advanced and prosperous, but there is no reason we cannot make a system that we exist in that allows us to feel good about our choices whether we choose them or not. Let's take for example creating a video game. The goal here is to create a video game. This alone stops most people, but people in the industry already know that in order to make a game each section has to be broken up. Art, Design, and Programming all need to be completed (not necessarily in that order) in order to achieve the goal of a video game. This same thing applies with say, buying a car. We know we want a car and we know we have a job, but we are still not sure how to save money or something. Instead break goals down into smaller more easily achievable goals.
Set goals to be realistic, short term, and easily accountable. We want to buy a car. I am going to save 150 dollars per check for 6 months. This lets me know that every payday all I have to do is set aside that money and I have achieved something. I may not have achieved a car yet, but I am certainly closer than I was 2 weeks ago. As humans we crave that feeling of achievement. To know that everything we have been doing is not for nothing. When we set goals that are impossible to meet or at least even measure it can be very discouraging. All we have to do is break up our goal into smaller easier achievements and then we get that proverbial pat on the back, and yeah, you do not have a car yet, but you have 1/6th of that car and that is measurable, short term, and realistic.
Finally, to be a winner, the most important thing has to be included. Self image. In this life there will be several people who will tear you down or at least try to. These people make us feel bad about ourselves and our abilities and can sometimes even be our friends or family. The important thing here is that we do truly only have one life to live and it isn't near as long as we might like. The difference is that winners do not care about what other people say. They are winning on their own terms in their own way. Respecting and loving yourself and knowing yourself to be the winner that you are is key. If you believe that you are dumb, well you might just be. However, if someone calls you dumb and you know yourself to be smart, they kind of look silly now don't they? Just like attitude, staying positive is a sure fire way to victory. I think therefore I am, I believe therefore I can. Can't never could, and Won't never will. Attitude, setting smart goals and staying positive with a good self image are what I have done in order to call myself a winner. What about you?
