Achieving Your Dreams

Everyone you meet in life often has a dream. Whether it is learning an instrument, going to college, or working their dream job. However, often people don’t put the necessary steps forward to achieve these dreams, at the first sign of resistance or hardship often people just freeze up like a deer in headlights.

One of the biggest dreams I’ve ever had, since I was about 5 years old, was to own a 79 Camaro just like my father did. Often in the summer one of the biggest things to look forward to was going for a drive in the “green machine” it was the coolest car ever! Everything about it, the dark green paint, the cool hood scoop on the front, how loud it was when we sped out of the driveway. I’d often like to sit in the driver’s seat and pretend I was a super cool driver, even though my little legs couldn’t even think about touching the pedals yet. But I always knew I wanted a cool car just like it; I often told my dad when I was little how “When I grow up I want a car just like yours”. However, to buy a car guess what? You need money. If I remember correctly, a 5-year-old me’s piggy bank probably had 50 dollars in it at the time. The best I could do with 50 dollars is buy a couple of Matchbox cars. So when I was 14 I had a goal. I NEED MONEY! So when I had the opportunity to work, my grandfather offered to let me work for him doing air conditioning and heating over the summer. I thought it would be a good opportunity to earn some spending money. So I had worked a few jobs with him over the span of a few years. But unfortunately, when you suddenly have your own money at a young age you often feel the need to spend it… The money I earned wasn’t Camaro money, it was video game money, room decoration money, guitar money, fast food money, everything but my Camaro. But through my work I learned a skill, a skill that could make me more money. So during my freshman year of high school I created a new goal. I decided I would take LRTC plumbing, but only for the heating part of it to try and be just as knowledgeable as my grandfather. In order to continue helping him with work and make more money. It was foolproof! So when it was my sophomore year I worked hard to keep my grades up and applied to LRTC. I successfully got in! Then my Junior year rolled around and I was finally able to take my plumbing class. Through learning plumbing, I learned plumbing was a useful skill but also something I enjoyed. Then my plumbing teacher told me a big company was accepting applications to be able to work over the summer. I was nervous and didn’t want to at first. But I decided to give it a shot despite my inner protest. That summer I only had one goal: GET A CAMARO! So I worked, right as school got out until school started this year. I didn’t miss a day, I didn’t complain, I didn’t stop.  I saved my money, I worked hard, I was a well oiled machine completing my tasks and projects at work day in and day out. Up until finally at the end of summer I had enough money to buy a Camaro. YEAH, That’s right I own a Camaro now. I’m just as cool as little me, wished I would be. However, now I have a new goal. I need to learn how to drive a manual car…

Throughout life everyone in this room is going to have goals, dreams, aspirations. But of all things I hope you all took away from this speech. If you persevere and work hard to achieve what you wish for yourself, you will succeed! Take it from me, I never thought I’d be standing here today talking about how I managed to buy my own car. Yet I worked so hard and didn’t give up even through the concrete chipping, and I can proudly say that I achieved one of my dreams. I’m going to have more dreams, I’m also going to achieve those dreams. Cause I believe if you work hard enough all your dreams will become reality.

Featured Image; “File:Camero 79 z28.jpg” by Danieljackson at English Wikipedia is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.