If you ask anybody on earth, they will tell you they have a goal they want to accomplish in life. Everyone has an idea of what they intend to become in the future. The only difference is that these goals vary from one person to another. For some, it is to become great in life and make a positive impact on the world, while for others, it is simply to live life without really caring about what happens.
The truth is that many people are simply living life by default, doing whatever comes their way. As the adage says, “where the head leads, the body follows.” Some of us had the opportunity to be born in places where life is easier, like many countries in the Western world, where systems and structures are already in place for people to thrive and succeed. Others, however, are born in countries where the systems do not really favour them.
For example, imagine someone in this part of the world who dreams of becoming the best in ice hockey. It would be very difficult because such opportunities hardly exist here in Nigeria. Unless the person travels abroad, such a dream may remain unachievable due to geographical limitations and the environment they were born into.
It is easy to say you want to become something, but can we really become what has never existed before? Almost every area of human endeavour is already occupied, and most people can only strive to become great within an existing field or break records already set in that field.
Our location and background have a way of influencing our lives and shaping what we are likely to become in the future. Most social vices and negative behaviours people are exposed to are often a result of the communities and societies they find themselves in. It is difficult to become what does not exist around you. Unless something already exists as an example or possibility, it becomes harder to pursue it.
Yet, we can still leverage opportunities because the world has almost become one global community. Today, people can become whatever they want regardless of barriers or location. One can travel, study abroad, or seek opportunities elsewhere to follow the path they truly desire.
Our future is in our own hands, and no one will build it for us if we do not do it ourselves. We have to stay active, work hard, and set achievable goals. It is good to dream big, but we must also understand that circumstances and many other conditions may arise and influence both our lives and the way we see the world.
