IT is wonderful and surreal to visit SALCC and spend some time celebrating this occasion with all of you. Congratulations to all the graduating students. You have spent two or more years at this institution and it can be a bitter-sweet moment to depart. You should treasure the connections you have made during your time at SALCC. I would like to thank all the parents for the support they have provided to their children to reach thus far. Parental support is paramount to any child’s success.
I will use my time and yours to make eleven suggestions or observations about the world based on my understanding of life. This is a pivotal point of your life and you all have major decisions to make in the near future. I hope that these eleven observations prove to be helpful.
1) Number 1, Life is unpredictable and non-linear. For some of you here life has been fairly linear, for example many of you here did very well at Common Entrance and then got assigned to St. Joseph’s Convent or St. Mary’s College. Then you moved to your CSEC examinations. Again if you did well at CSEC, you would get accepted to SALCC. You followed a clearly defined path and reaped the rewards. This linear path has ended for many of you. You may not be able to afford to go to university immediately, so how long do you work before going to university? You may decide that you would like to begin a family in the near future and that is your priority. Again there are a multitude of paths and there is no one correct path. There may be times when external factors may either result in a roadblock or an opportunity, it is for you to decide how to react to these situations.
2) Number 2, Set realistic achievable goals and continually validate them. Ensure that goals you set are based on your abilities and do not limit your aspirations. This will help you learn where your boundaries are. Do not limit your goals to only what you see in St. Lucia or think that you have already reached the pinnacle of success because you achieved the highest mark in your class. You will be faced with greater challenges as you pursue higher education or your career. I certainly faced that challenge when I moved from the St. Lucia education system to MIT for my undergraduate education.
You need to determine what is realistic in your situation and remain steadfast in the set plan. It is okay to change your plans over time but ensure that you have a valid reason for doing so. It is wiser to achieve a balance that works for you and is sustainable for your entire life.
3) Number 3, Career paths. We have graduands from a variety of programmes and at times society tries to downgrade certain career paths. Do not let social and school stigma define you and result in your lowering your expectations. Ask questions about yourself. Who are you? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What are you truly capable of? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What do you see yourself doing to contribute to the advancement of St. Lucia and the World?
In terms of career choices, do not get too fixated on any one particular career path too early.
4) Number 4, Now I will talk about failure. Failure is an important part of life. Nobody likes to fail but failure is an essential part of learning. I know that this might be somewhat controversial but we all need to fail sometimes. If we have not failed at anything; then either we are the most brilliant person who have ever lived or we are setting our expectations too low. While it is sometimes very difficult to deal with the failure at that time, you should try to learn from the failure and how to ensure that the next time you succeed. Do not choose not to do something because you think you might fail and you are scared of failing. Remember if you do not play the game you will not be able to win.
5) Number 5, Let us move on to your friends. My advice when choosing friends is to find people you can relate to and surround yourself with people who will continually challenge you. These people will help ensure that you endeavour to do your best and also would elevate your thinking. Good friends will challenge you to think harder and in entirely different ways. Furthermore, your friends and family also provide a support network for your inevitable failures.
6) Number 6. You are the leaders of tomorrow. You need to challenge the status quo and what goes on currently. You need to always ask questions. I would also like to encourage our leaders and persons in authority to avoid simply disregarding alternative innovative ideas. We need to create an environment where innovation is encouraged and new ideas are not dismissed simply because they are unconventional.
7) Number 7, Each of you needs to be your own best advocate and look for opportunities everywhere. This can also help St. Lucia address the rising unemployment rate. We need to be job creators and not simply depend on the government to provide us with a job.
We need to continually look outside the box for opportunities. Do not restrict yourself to only St. Lucia, the world is your entire market.
8) Number 8, Find something that you are really passionate about. This gives you a strong sense of purpose and it is a major part of happiness. To do that, you need to be honest with yourself, observant and make the best out of any situation. Do not define success as solely money, power and prestige. Instead we should also add our emotional well-being, minimizing stress and the ability to give back as part of the success metric.
9) Number 9, Work Smart. Focus on productivity and obtaining results. We must individually look at our own productivity. While there is a relationship between hard work and results, it is not always directly proportional, by that I mean increasing work or hours spent on a task does not always result in improvements. Each person needs to find the right balance for their life to maximize productivity.
10) Number 10, plan for emergencies and life’s unexpected disappointments such as death or conflict with loved ones. Make sure you have the reserve emotionally and financially to deal with these situations. Unfortunately life can be harsh and unfair at times, but be prepared. Try not to let it detract you from achieving your goals.
11) And finally, number 11, Give back to society and areas you are interested in. Remember your background and try to make it easier for others by providing advice. Success is using your gifts to improve the world. You can each try to do something for your community, your former schools, clubs or church.
Congratulations, graduates. Go out there and make positive difference to St. Lucia and the world as a whole.
By Javed Samuel