2008 National Young Leaders Day
Today feels like the pivotal moment in my life. Not quite an epiphany, but very very close! I feel so lucky Ms Young had managed to organise for all of us to attend, and I regret not every school student will have the opportunity to experience NATIONAL YOUNG LEADERS DAY! Today was THE moment, it inspired me to no end and I wish I could go again! Listening to the speeches made by such charismatic people, their own life story was the biggest shock. They would�ve been nobody, yet they took the initiative, worked hard, and saw their dream come true.

It�s like I�ve been waiting my whole life for this moment. For people to tell me that I CAN DO IT. No matter how many people in the world are smarter, more talented or better than me, it should not deter me from being the best I can. I truly believe now that I should stop hiding and �carpe diem.� That the only evidence of life is growth, that for the brain to grow you have to LIVE, the stories of commitment, passion, initiative, dreaming; today was (for want of a better word to avoid the clich�) INSPIRING.

Each person who spoke had been so confident, charismatic, GREAT. But they had to start from something. Their very own presence spoke of their passion for what they do, what they believe in, and the wisdom that embodies them. I feel the respect they have sought to have, and I can truly see what being a leader means. Today opened my eyes to the definition of a leader, and what it took to be one. You are not born a leader, but you can become one. Leadership is influence, not a position. The position may grant you influence, but it is the influence that gives you your position.

Leadership takes a lot of self discipline. You must be motivated and passionate, and patience and hard work is the key. I think leaders demand such respect and reverence because of how hard they worked to get to their position. They have made their dream resonate in the very hearts of other people, and their passion sweeps you away. The stuff leaders are made of is true steel and iron.

I believe each speaker had a certain gift they had to share. The pearls of wisdom they have imparted cannot be easily obtained and bought. They had fought hard for what they have now, and that is what makes us respect them.

Who knew that cartoons and movies had so many leadership messages? The question really at the end of the day though is: What is your choice? What is your dream? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO? Only by deciding what your goal is can you take your first step. And by reassessing your goal and determining if it what you really want, is the way to never-ending passion. As Catriona Rauntree said, make your passion your profession. If that�s what you would do for free, then it is what you want to do. Peter Fitzsimons; the indication of whether you really are in the right job or not is the clock. If you glance at the clock, and you are measuring each minute of your job and regard it as agony, then you are miserable in your job indeed. However, if you glance at the clock and the second time you glance at it, and you realise exactly how much time has passed without you knowing it, then it is clear how much you enjoy your job!

Each speaker had a separate theme, and a separate motive for speaking today. However, I found that some areas spoken had overlapped into others. Ideals of passion, motivation, determination, dreams; perhaps they are the stuff of true leadership. Dreams are easy to come by, but what you make of them is entirely up to you.

In the end, the main motto of the day was �Persistence is victory.�
Keep at what you are doing,
Keep your dream in place,
And you will succeed beyond your dreams!

2008-11-07
8:46 p.m.
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