Back to: Maharashtra Board Class 10th English Guide & Notes
Table of Contents
Introduction
The writer of the essay is anonymous. The author here talks about the importance of being smart in life. It doesn’t necessarily means being intelligent but being careful and practical.
Essay Summary
In this essay, the author talks about what sets the champions apart from everyone else. They aren’t made in gyms or constructed along the way. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them- a desire, a dream, a vision. Champions are nurtured over the years, pushing their inner desire to an attainable goal. Their will must be stronger than their skills. In order to be successful in life, our talent must be used to set a goal. Our talents must be polished and driven in order to attain that goal.
The author says that setting goal has two valuable assets. One is a sense of originality, and two is a stepping stone to illuminate the path. Pursuing our goals helps us understand our future. They are the steering wheels in our life, and by holding on to them we feel working towards a path rather than aimlessly drifting.
For some people, setting goals is easier while for others it’s difficult. Fear of failure may be avoided in the absence of any goals. One must be optimistic while deciding what one wants in life and can set the path accordingly.
The author then lays down the full meaning behind the acronym of the word, SMART. SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound. The author states that “specific” indicates identifying a special area of interest. By making the area of interest more specific, the more refined the achievement of one’s goal can be. It helps in creating a proper path towards the goal. The author states that “measurable” denotes to qualifying goals in order to track the process against goals.
This makes it easy to benchmark performance throughout the goal period, including areas to improve. For example, while playing football, one should know one’s exact position and role to perform well. The author further continues by saying that “achievable” implies setting goals that can be completed within the designated period of time. These act like the stepping stones in our career. We can hope to cross these achievable goals over time to exceed in life and work towards our main goal in the long run.
The next which the author states is “realistic”. This means creating goals that are within one’s current skill set or area of expertise. Understanding one’s area of expertise and setting proper goals is time consuming. One must have a clear picture in mind about what he or she wants to set as a goal. This must be realistic in its representation. And the final one is “time-bound.”
Here the author implies that for each goal, a time parameter must be implemented. This will reduce the weight and also increase focus and accountability. But without consistent time-bound action, it never becomes a reality. The process must carry on without an ounce of self doubt or hesitation or indifference but within a deadline.
The author says that in order to define our goals and create our paths, the visions, wishes, intentions and dreams are all valuable. They help us to carry on in our life. They bring us up when we feel down. The amount of energy we put in is returned to us in the form of results.
The author concludes the essay by saying that though success is like a walk in the dark, the right footing, precisely mastering the skills and getting to the next place, all depend on how we approach and tackle the problem. We should fight for our best and be careful of our footing for the next step.
Conclusion
The entire essay talks about how one should plan one’s goals and what should be taken into consideration while planning it out. Success is attainable if we follow one step at a time and believe in our talents and set to achieve the goals.
