Reaching for the Sky

I want to be rich. I want to be successful. I want to be respected. I want to be the best. Oftentimes, we make our desires clear, but what next? How do we make these desires a reality? Are we just going to keep these dreams as dreams? No. We are going to work for it and make them a reality...At least that's what we tell ourselves.

Saying and doing are two completely different concepts. Indeed, one can influence the either, but this only occurs with action. Act on these goals. Create a plan and execute. Face failure and remain persistent. And then, saying leads to doing, which in turn will lead to the desired accomplishment. It may be stressful and it may take away from your time, but it being worthwhile is something for you to decide. If you really think a goal is worth fighting for then by all means do as you please. It is okay to stumble along the way and its definitely okay to give up altogether. It means a lot to actually do something about a dream and attempt to achieve it rather than leave it aside.

Much about ourselves and other organisms are unknown, and these secrets fascinate me. I’ve always been in awe when facing the human body; an elegant, yet intricate array of systems working towards two common goals: Keeping the heart beating and brain thinking. It amazes me how every aspect of our body has a niche that must be fulfilled to generate the whole.

My main goal is to become a doctor. I desire financial stability, respect, and the ability to help others. I desire to dedicate my whole life to my passion and think that it is worth decades to be able to obtain satisfaction with my occupation and lifestyle. I love learning, but more so I desire a mastery in the field that I love.

I am aiming to be a neurosurgeon, as to me this is the highest professional in the world, in terms of both work and knowledge. When I reach this goal, I will be guiding others in an operating room meticulously moving around instruments in the operating room that is reserved for Dr. Shah. The realism in this goal appears as I've dedicated a great portion of my life to studying neuroscience by taking classes, researching, and getting involved with behavioral work. I want to reach this goal because I have a genuine interest. This interest gives me reason to pursue neuroscience, and I think it is unreasonable to do anything else and let myself go to waste. There is still 2 years of being an undergraduate, 4 years in medical school, 1 year of surgery internship, and 4 years of residency until I become that surgeon. Sticking to the plan is simple as I will continue doing what I love: Learning

The action plan for my undergraduate year is as follows:

• Learning coursework related to neuroscience

• Researching in a neuroscience focused laboratory

• Interning in a neuroscience wing of a hospital

• Volunteering in a behavioral issue-focused setting

• Shadowing a neurosurgeon

• Participating in neuroscience oriented organizations

• Employment in Healthcare

I have reached the first four goals, but I will continue finding ways to accomplish the last three. As of now, I will continue connecting with different people and cold emailing to find a neurosurgeon willing to be shadowed. In terms of finding clubs that share the same goals, I must wait until the next year to apply.

A personal goal that I have recently been inclined to achieve has to do with personal wellness. Only 2% of the world can bench 225 lbs, and I can say with complete certainty that I am not one of them :(

Benching has always seemed like such a majestic act. Being able to push so much weight over your body appears to be godly to me. I began my lifting journey last July. Working 5 days a week over the summer, I came closer and closer to this goal until school came in the way. Being at UCLA, I was forced to withdraw from the gym and focus on my studies. I still attempted to maintain this balance but was forced to give it up, as prioritizing became a key I could never figure out. My last marker was 190 lbs one rep max, and this has remained my personal record for months now.

When I reach this goal, I will see the weight go down to my pecs and go right back over my face. I will see my spotter clip the bar as two plates were seamlessly benched. I am only 35 lbs far from this goal and I have seen my progression. I am aware of my abilities as well as my hindrances. I want to achieve this goal to prove to myself that there is something I can always work towards. The gym is one aspect of my life in which I cannot fail when putting in the time. Progress, although slow, is evident and so it will always be that safe spot I can rely on. Although this has been put on hold, I have learned to shorten my workouts this week, and hope to continue hard this summer. I am hoping to come back to UCLA saying that this goal has been accomplished next school year.

My action plan is as follows:

• During the school year

1. 5x5 benching (85% of max)

2. 3x10 incline

3. Cable pulls (high, middle, low settings) 3x10 each

4. 3x10 rope push aways and tricep pushdown superset

5. Back-biceps

6. Shoulder-forearms

7. Legs

8. Protein shake after each workout

9. Bplate~At least 5 meals/week

Sticking to this plan is not a problem as I have many to support me along this journey. The timeline may be unclear, but I know that it will be achieved soon.

My third goal is communication. I feel as though college has made me lose touch with those very close to me. There are days when my friends and family do not hear from me, or hear very little from me. I went from talking to my parents for hours and hanging out with friends every available moment to scavenging for time to communicate with them. This is something that is very important, meaning something I must work towards.

I want to communicate with my mother, father, and brother everyday, and talk to my friends at least 4 times a week. Upon achieving this goal, I will find myself actually knowing what my loved ones are up to rather than wondering. This is completely attainable and rather seems more like an easier goal of mine, yet something I still struggle with. It is relevant because I strongly dislike the disconnection I feel with everyone around me especially since I have came to UCLA. I believe that there is no set time for these goals, and acting now will allow me to feel the contentment I so desperately desire.

My action plan is as follows:

• Call mom as I walk to my 8 am classes every day

• Call dad coming back from classes

• Call brother around 4 pm

• Call friends at night, while doing mindless homework

• Weekends will vary

I will stick to this plan because I know that my communication with others will benefit me and them, as we keep in contact rather than leave each others' lives.

These 3 goals are very important to me and I feel like I have made great progress toward them. Although I've faced some obstacles I will continue working past them. Hopefully, one day I will achieve these goals and be able to make some more!