“Where will I be in 10 years?”

powered by AIESEC Sydney - bringing leadership development to youth since 1948

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This is a question you as a student at a globally competitive university will probably ask yourself from time to time. Some of us find ourselves worrying about whether what we are doing will emotionally profit in the future.

That is okay.

Success is not built overnight on firm and reliable earth. It is built on soft and unstable ground that takes years of maintenance and additional support. To be successful means you must patiently improve and bring value to all your life’s aspects, as well as create value in others around you. Your road to success will be long and tiring, but improving these skills below will help make the journey a bit more easily enjoyable.

1) Self-awareness:
Knowing what you are capable of will give you an idea of who, what, where and when to efficiently place your precious time and effort. Knowing what you are not capable of will help you improve where needed. Using a twenty dollar bill to hammer a nail is not worth the effort if you can buy a hammer across the street. Efficiency is key.

2) Cultural awareness:
After university, the comfort of a spoon-fed community consisting of similar minded people will not easily exist. Sure, you can put forth the effort to find them, but that is not realistic for those of us with a limited amount of time. Instead, get to know different people. Be open, share stories, share hobbies, work together and most of all connect. Understanding and interacting with people from different lifestyles makes your journey to success vibrant with life and energy.

3) Effective communication.
What you say can either make you or break you. Your communication skills can affect the outcomes of major decisions. Misunderstanding can occur, and can leave both parties confused and irritated. Work on your communication skills by carefully wording what you say to be concise, comprehensible and diplomatic.

Keep these in mind. Success is not a paved road. It is rugged, even at its best, yet rewarding.
Your future is a never ending journey filled with challenges that should not be pushed away, but embraced with hope.

You’ve got this.

For more information about AIESEC Sydney, please visit us online.

Justin Pepito
Current student at the University of Sydney Business School