Obstacles in Achieving Dreams

Everyone has dreams and desires. I myself, used to desire my life to run smoothly and flawlessly; without problems, without worries. When I was in my early adolescence, I have always dreamed for a perfect teenage life with excellent results throughout the studies, amazing relationships with a huge circle of friends, and also all the expensive brands of clothes and goods. Nonetheless, growing up had really showed me that life is not at all about perfections and flawlessness. Joseph Epstein had mentioned in his essay, The Virtues of Ambition, “What life does with our dreams and expectations cannot, of course, be predicted,” (31). Life has always been about strings of barriers and obstacles for me to face, and I would never know what will come before me. I realized that as I go through these phases, it actually rewards me with true values of living.
As students, we must have always dreamed to get good grades in our studies and be the best student among others. However, as we delve deeper into school life, getting good grades is never as easy as it sounds. When I was a high school student, it had been very difficult for me in dealing with stress and time management, which eventually affected my studies. Having to cope with too many subjects in a time constraining environment was definitely challenging, especially when I was in a boarding school. Sometimes I did think that life would be easier; that we would not be dwelled with stress if ambitions and success do not exist, as what Joseph Epstein quoted in his essay, “Anxiety would be extinct. Time would stretch on and on, with ambition long departed from the human heart,” (33). Besides that, competitions as well almost never ceased among the students. My moments had been depressing, as I had to compete for the top rank with many brighter students than me. Nevertheless, after years of experience, I realized that it was not about achieving great success. Without anxiety, life would not be as interesting as it is now.