Thursday, March 28, 2024

JEFF BROOMES: Youth must dream big

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THERE WAS A TIME when one could make 20 products, 19 of which would be acceptable and one that was not. 

The one was simply discarded and the 19 would define the business as successful. 

Those days are long gone. 

The notion of the quantity of products produced is now superseded by the real standard of the quality of products and the accompanying service. This is now the challenge to contemporary society within which the dreams of our youth are to be fashioned.

A restaurant may make totally nutritious and tasty meals but the worker’s manner or the presentation is unappealing. These latter concerns will take precedence over the product and can easily lead to the closure of that place of business.

We must challenge students that as they chart their dreams to chase after, they must emphasise quality and service excellence as paramount. This must not be sometimes but all the time, or the competition will bypass them in this ever shrinking global village. 

Mistakes count and will continue to be marked quite harshly. As Henry David Thoreau says, “In the long run we hit what we aim at, so aim high.” Our youth must be encouraged to be purposeful, consistent and undeterred.

As they set their goals and work towards acquiring the requisite skills and qualifications, they must stand on a foundation of character and selflessness. They must approach every challenge with dignity, understanding that no one has a prescriptive right to be successful. 

Youth must see a failure as just a battle in a larger and longer war. They may lose some but must focus on winning most. Lose or win with dignity, and their sphere of influence grows larger. They should never project the sense of entitlement, but be humble and magnanimous.

One of the most potentially damning factors in anyone’s life is his or her emotions. They can propel with enthusiasm or they can condemn with disrespect. Being the leader does not make you superior to anyone else. It simply says that you have been entrusted with responsibility based on respect and trust. 

This is maintained through honest collaboration, dedication and genuine care for others. This makes attainment of one’s dreams so much easier and gains the support of many who will ultimately share in the celebration.

Two values from which youth should never deviate are integrity and accountability.

Uphold your integrity by being able to look yourself in the mirror each day and see an honest face of pride, satisfaction and care looking back at you.

It is important to carry out the mandate with honest effort and decent actions. You will then be able to present yourself and your work to be judged and assessed by all and sundry. This is true accountability that will promote quality and genuine excellence.

Youth need to dream and dream big, then expand their every creative juice in pursuit of attainment. 

They must be encouraged to appreciate the professional workers’ code, “Quality of work is directly related to the quality of a person’s character.” 

The better they are, the better our country becomes.

Go forward, find, conquer and reshape. Our future is in your hands.

Jeff Broomes is an experienced educator, principal and community organizer who also served as vice president of the BCA and director of the WICB. Email: unclejeff2@hotmail.com

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