Mr. Bryan, the counselor for upperclassmen, recently visited the Juniors’ English classes to give a presentation about the importance of setting goals and having a good attitude. When asked about why we should plan for the future, Mr. Bryan said, “…it creates opportunities to prioritize what’s important to you in the present in order to live a fulfilling life in the future.” He continues, “As high school students, it’s important to plan for the future because you’ll be ready for whatever is thrown your way once you step out in the real world.”

To help plan for the future, Mr. Bryan presented a simple acronym to help: WDEP, which stands for Wants, Doing, Evaluate, and Plan. The premise of this is to figure out what you want in life, examine what you are doing now to achieve it, evaluate your current progress, and plan what you need to change moving forward.

By planning and setting goals, you will most definitely benefit from it. “If what we want and our behaviors are aligned, then we are more likely to succeed,” Mr. Bryan explains, “If they aren’t aligned, what is our plan moving forward in order to make a change?” In other words, when you align your goals and your behaviors, it makes it much easier to reach those goals and achieve success in the future.

Mr. Bryan also gave some advice for any students who are unsure of themselves and their ability to reach their goals. He said thoughtfully, “Be yourself. You are unique. Don’t take it for granted. Set goals that are important to you. Your passion for your goals will dictate your motivation to achieve them.”