What’s your aim in life? Until recently, I have had no aims. No short–term goals and no long–term goals. I didn’t know what I wanted to do in my life at all. Is getting a good degree all there is to me? And playing football at the same time? Really, what do I want to do?

I realized that it is important to keep a list of aims; they could be very simple, say, cleaning your room everyday. I believe in doing so you are in effect disciplining yourself. Achieving that aim will also give you self–satisfaction; clearly, it is a never–ending cycle. Success is rewarded with success. The more you do it, the more satisfied you become, the more motivated you are.

In the completely opposite sense, this never–ending cycle can be applied to the bad, too. Consider my second year. What have I done? What have I achieved? I did not really deliver as the ex–editor for the Hong Kong Society, nor did I take the effort to arrange sporting events, just like I promised in the Annual General Meeting last year. I could not find motivation to do almost anything, and it became so extreme that measures are to be taken. But first, I want to understand why this happened to me.

When I was small I—and most of you, too—would be praised when we achieved something. It was an automatic response from my parents or anyone else; people sang praises if I did well, and people often stayed quiet otherwise. Luckily, it was the former that occurred the most for me. I can see now why my motivation has completely evaporated into thin air. My parents just don’t care anymore. By trying to give me more freedom at university, I was able to do whatever I pleased. I did not have to impress anyone, anymore. Is that really good for me?

I realized that, from time to time, I still try to impress. I do so in several ways. It might have come off as complete arrogance. That’s how I seek satisfaction and identity. I am Kenneth Kam and I know it when I receive praise. So, what I am saying is, I have associated myself with these traits and facets. I like to receive praise; I am arrogant; I am loud and obnoxious; I seek attention; etc. If this is the case, can I associate bad things to my identity too? Is lazy me? Is a lack of motivation and direction me, too?

So that’s why I am writing this post. Do you guys become motivated easily? Is it controllable? I figured I wasn’t going to get praised no matter what I do. The most obvious thing to do now is to keep a list of my aims. Each aim will give me focus and motivation.