Chosen Topic:
What is the most important ethical value in our lives?
'O' level student-inmate from institution A4
Consolation Prize
Values are what makes all of us whole. It defines us as an individual character. Having said so, there are many different values that are important to each of us. The purpose of having different important values is also seen in the goals that we have for our future and how we go through life day by day with people around us. Values are important for ourselves and for a better future. With no significant value that is important for a person, everything else will probably be in a mess. Having proper discipline in our values benefits us mentally and emotionally.
Determination is what drives you forward positively toward a goal that benefits you. It is the persistence in continuing to do something even when obstacles get in the way. For example, back in my secondary school days, I had to continuously revise my work because of my goal of going to Polytechnic. It was a tough road for me because I was a slow learner and I had my personal tuition teacher to frequently repeat a certain topic to make me understand. It was like walking on eggshells and I almost wanted to give up but it was the strength of my determination that pushed me forward. Eventually, my results were satisfying and I was proud of myself. It all comes back down to having determination and it shows how dedicated you are to what you want.
Being resilient is being able to withstand the negative thoughts that are pushing you to give up and the strength to not give up no matter how difficult the situation is. Going back in time, being just determined to score good grades is never enough to push me this far. It was the resilience in me that guided me along the way. There were those days when I felt I should change my plans and do something different, something easier. However, thinking back about all the efforts I took and the time that was sacrificed by my teacher to guide me, brought me back to reality. I cannot give up just because something is difficult and seems impossible. It took a lot of faith and energy in me to fight away the negative auras but I managed. I found a way to relax myself after everything revision and I did what was up to my limit in order to not feel as though I am pushing myself too much and it was all worth it. Having the willpower to not give up is not easy but it is also not impossible. Think about what drives you to wanting a specific goal and it will help you to not give up.
Sincerity is wanting something wholeheartedly. It is doing something or wanting something from the heart. It might not seem like an important quality but being sincere in pursuing a goal is what you need first. With no sincerity in wanting something, there will be nothing that will motivate you toward it and it will be pointless in doing something that you do not set your mind too. Being a teenager then, I was told by my mother to learn how to cook but I did not want to. Everything and anything that I tried cooking either ends up salty or tasteless. I did not have my heart in cooking at that point of time. No matter how many times I try cooking the same dish, it does not come out right. I might seem determined on the outlook but it was all out of pretense.
All in all, every single value that we instill in ourselves can be a fake to fit into society. It all comes down to sincerity. It is a strong feeling and it is the most important critical value in our lives that does not lie although it cannot be seen. In addition to what is being concluded that sincerity is the most important value in our lives, when having sincerity in striving toward a certain goal that is beneficial in our future, every other value will somehow eventually fall into place. As long as you have tried your best in doing what you aim for, that is the most important value that is best for us in our lives. This value creates the biggest dream that anyone could possibly have. Sincerity can never be pretentious because it shows in our actions. It benefits our future, our family and friends and ourselves as we grow.