A dream becomes a goal when action is taken towards its achievement (Bo Bennett)

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Recently, one of my senior students told me she's intending to be a teacher. That's something that always excites me. There is no finer career in my humble opinion. I love being a teacher.

She asked for some advice and I said - don't let anyone, or anything put you off achieving your goal. Even when things get tough - that's when you get tested, but stay on target, don't listen to the doubters.

At the end of the day, you are the only one that is limiting your ability to dream, or to actually execute on your dreams. Don’t let yourself get in the way of that (Falon Fatemi)

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The trouble is that my students who need to keep that quote in mind are in the throes of teenage rebellion and mixed up confusion, and so - far too young and immature to take that on board.

That's a vast generalisation but the truth is in there for a lot of them.

Getting in their own way is what they are all about.

The secret to success lies in the determination to attain the goal. The key to success lies in completely understanding the necessary conditions (Hsing Yun)

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It's become something of a January tradition of mine to use Venerable Master Hsing Yun's wise words to kick off a new year (his goal setting advice in that post is well worth revisiting each year).

So, here's a thought for 2021:

Those who have succeeded in different professions in politics, economics, education, military and so forth have all manifested their dreams through perseverance and practise (Venerable Master Hsing Yun).

What are your dreams for 2021? What will you do to bring them about? 

When you see the shadows falling, when you hear that cold wind calling - hold on tight to your dream (ELO)

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Within striving for a quality education system, there's a battle between learning/growing as a person and assessment ratings; it is clearly an ongoing struggle within the English system that involves GCSE and A Levels.

It's deeply entrenched and made tougher to approach with its concentration on examinations at the end of each year.

Among other things, politicians love to measure and quantify things.

Final exams make the failure so much bigger. Incremental failures along the way with internal assessments are valuable. They allow the failures (and successes) to accrue more organically.

My students have recently received their results. I implored them to remember the feeling they had when they got them, whether it was elation at one end of the continuum, or profound disappointment at the other.

Let that feeling drive you.

And above all else - hold on tight to your dreams.