Self-help is the best help

For high school students who are waiting to enter college, it's a moment to think hard, really hard about their future. They will be soon entering a very important phase of their lives, which will decisively shape their future. Many will say talk to your parents, teachers, friends, counselors, etc. But there's another way out. You can even be your own counselor.

Now that you have put away your Class X books, and got over the exam fever - hopefully successfully - get ready for another bout of viral attack: After SSLC, what?

Where do you begin? What do you do? How do you know what's good - and what isn't - for you? Whom should you listen to - your parents, your friends, teachers, or your own gut feeling? Have you assessed yourself at all? Are has someone you know and trust, assessed you at all? If not, why should you not do them to do it and tell you where you stand? Last but not the least, how do you go about answering all these questions in the first place?

Go to a career counselor, some will say. Not a bad idea. But it's not the only way. Let us be frank - not everyone is comfortable with these professional counselor-types, right?

For starters, here's how you can be your own counselor. Ask yourself: What do I want to become in life? Haven't given it a thought? Start now. And don't bother whatever it is, anyway. The important thing is to be true to yourself. Keep the lying for others! Why did we say don't bother about it? Because we don't always become what we want to be. We may get better than what we think we are! Example: One of the most respected cardiologists in India, Dr K.G. Das, wanted to be a compounder in life! Look what he ended up as! The important thing is, we need to have an IDEA about what we want to be in life.

What are you GOOD at?: All of us are good at something or the other. Until we look within and give it a great deal of thought, we will not know our own plus points. We may be good at many things - good in Maths (!), sports, arts, photography, computers, or whatever. Find out which is the one you are best at. And try and align it with your next step after SSLC.

Talk to the experts: So now you have an IDEA about what you aspire to be in life - a telecom engineer or an executive, for example. You know what you are best at - understanding how a cellphone should be operated, how it works, what you can do with it, etc. Fine. Now, talk to your uncle or family friend or neighbour or relative, who is in the telecom industry and ask his advice as to how to go about fulfilling your ambition in life. What are the specific courses that are available, how you have to enroll yourself, how much it costs, what are the future prospects for you in the beginning of your career and the possibilities of career growth in the future?

Involve your family: You may think this is obvious, but in practice, many of us really don't do it! Most of the time, we do what our family members tell us to do. Which means you don't confide to them about your IDEA, your STRENGTH, and your AMBITION, as you see it. Do it! Don't keep them in the dark about this. Do it, even if they happen to have an idea about all this about you. Sharing your innermost feelings with your family members, is better than doing it with your friends! You know why? Because, they - your parents, brothers/sisters - have a greater stake in your well being than your friends. Friends are for fun and enlightened relationships, and to be preserved. But family has a greater influence on your life!

Do your own thing: Yes, learn to believe in your talents, your goal, your destiny. It may happen that your family and friends are in conflict with what you want to do. Don't worry. Behave maturely. Be bold enough to tell them that this is what you want to do, promise them that you will give it your 100%. Once you deliver on your promise, they will definitely turn around to support you.

Enough Class! Read this again, as homework, put it in practice, and see how your life gets transformed….