I am currently in college and find it difficult to stick to my goals. I make big plans only to find that I cannot fulfil any of them. Please help. I want to do well in life but I think I am lazy and cannot stick to my resolve.

Abhishek Bajaj

Guwahati

All of us have the capacity to dream big and we all want to reach for the stars. But as we journey in life, some goals prove elusive. Then, instead of raising our commitment to achieve these goals or set parallel goals, we adjust our aspiration and settle for something less. This constant compromise with our dreams leads us towards mediocrity. If you are really committed to your goals and want to make something of yourself then I am afraid there is no shortcut to hard work and persistence. Here are some suggestions to help you stick with your goals:

● Break the goal down into small, achievable units. Say, you have to study 10 chapters by the end of the year for a particular subject. Plan to complete only one chapter, or even half a chapter, every week. That way you won’t feel overwhelmed.

● Create a small to-do list and write down your targets for the day and week. Nothing gives one a greater sense of achievement than ticking off the items on the list.

● Write down your short-term goals (for the month) and display them prominently in your room. Very often we get caught up in long-term goals — car, house, fat salary and so on that may be our goal after 10 years. Instead, all of us need to focus systematically on our short-term goals. We will then automatically be able to achieve our long-term goals.

● Don’t be afraid of failure. Sometimes we set such large goals for ourselves that they cannot be achieved as planned. It is then easy to speak harshly to oneself and lower our own morale. But it is better to be kind and compassionate to ourselves. That can help us stay motivated and get right back on the path to success.

● Give yourself a small reward each time you are able to successfully achieve your goal. The reward does not need to be material, it must just be meaningful. It could be chat with a friend, reading a short story or a game of your choice.

We all mess up our priorities sometimes and need a constant nudge in the right direction. Just like you cannot run a marathon in a day, you cannot achieve all your goals in one day. You need to be disciplined, systematic and continuously motivate yourself to achieve the goals you aspire to.

Internship helps

I am in Class X. I want to join advertising but I am not good at drawing or design. What should I do?

Poulomi Das

Calcutta

The thing you should ask yourself is which aspect of advertising appeals to you: is it the creativity involved, the fun working environment or the glamour of it? Once you are able to figure that out, you can take a decision.

Advertising agencies employ people with a wide range of skills. The creative department mainly employs graphic designers and photographers and prefers design school graduates. If you are good with words, you can become a copywriter. There are also marketing professionals to provide expertise in brand development, marketing strategy or to market the agency itself. Market and consumer research is another aspect. If you are interested in people and know what drives them, you could earn megabucks by ideating strategies to create the perfect ad campaign.

Advertising agencies have a tradition of taking in interns. That is a great way to find out which aspect you’re best suited for.

Shivani Manchanda has master’s degrees in career counselling and child development. She has been counselling about opportunities in India and abroad since 1991. Mail your queries to telegraphyou@ gmail.com with Ask Shivani in the subject line