The pursuit of one’s goals and dreams are journeys that oftentimes take a lifetime to accomplish. There are those who reach the end of their lives not accomplishing what they wanted to do because they were either too intimidated by the prospect of even embarking on such a quest or they did not have the right opportunities in life. I have been working for a number of years and during that time I have had plenty of time to see my career develop as my life passed by. Yet, there comes a certain point in one’s life when one must make a firm decision, a commitment to something much more than one’s own personal goals.
Oftentimes, this means sacrificing one for the other. There are those, however, who are lucky enough to have their own personal goals and that pursuit for higher objectives converge. This is why I have chosen to continue in the pursuit of my higher education at this university. Probably one of the main reasons why I am keen on pursuing my career as a paramedic is because of my lifelong passion for helping out people. I vividly remember the first time I entered a Pharmacy. Mr. Smith, an old man who managed the Pharmacy at the corner of where I grew up as a child, had brought me to where he worked.
He told me that it was like a candy store except that it was for grownups and that it also made people happy. The moment he opened those doors and ushered me into the Pharmacy I was dumbfounded. Never had I seen so many colorful bottles and pills in orange plastic cylinders that looked no bigger than a tic-tac. If Mr. Smith hadn’t told me that they were not candy I swear I could have eaten them all. The most amazing thing about that experience however was not how wonderful the store seemed to me back then as a child but the fact that every person who walked into that Pharmacy that day seemed to know Mr.
Smith by name while Mr. Smith knew them by heart. He knew their families, their ailments, their refills and prescriptions. He could even tell you from the handwriting alone which doctor had written out the prescription. This was a man of character and man who lived his life to help others. It was never a glamorous job yet that day, Mr. Smith was a star. It was this passion that Mr. Smith had for helping people and giving them the medicines that they needed that first got me thinking about pursuing a career where I could help people.
As such, I realize that I have come to a point in life that many people have not. I have made a firm decision to recommit myself to pursuing my dreams. While there are those who believe that with an ounce of luck and a ton of persistence anything can be accomplished, I believe that there is no reason to expend so much energy and rely on luck. I believe in taking hold of my destiny and carving out a future for myself based on the decisions that I make in life. Life is simply too short and too precious to be left to luck alone.
This is why I have chosen to apply at this University to receive the education and training I need in order to become a paramedic. I have always wanted to help change the world. As a child, I believed that if everyone did their own little part in taking that extra step to help others, the world would be a much better place for everyone. The stark reality of it all hit me not long after that but it did not lessen my resolve. I figured that if so many people I knew did not want to do their part in changing the world then I would probably have to do their share.
This is where my motivation to pursue this career as a paramedic comes from; the drive to go the extra mile just to make a difference in this world. There are few jobs and professions that are as rewarding as this profession. While other jobs may get more publicity, the role that paramedics play in the health care industry is highly valued and appreciated. My motivation has to do with the fact that this profession is one of the ways by which I am able to do something that I really want to do in my life and that is to care and help other people.
I realize however that pursuing a childhood dream or reliving out a wonderful childhood experience does not exactly show why I believe that this is the best course for me to take at this point in my life. This anecdote however has a purpose because it is this passion which has kept me going in life and is helping me not only live out my own goal but to make the best out of a bad situation. The current economic crisis has resulted in my losing my former job at Macy’s where I worked previously for five years as a store detective.
It was a dead end job but it gave me a certain thrill in life. The adrenaline that I got from apprehending shoplifters justified the long hours and I realized that in order for me to find a career that not only provides me with the same excitement but also allows me to carry out my dream of helping people I needed the proper education and training to become a paramedic. My personality, in my humble opinion, is best suited for this kind of endeavor because of my ability to multi-task. During my past work experiences, I have often come across as witty and amiable.
Yet, I am no push over when it comes to working in a corporate or business environment. I firmly believe that I can succeed in anything that I want to as long as I work hard at it. I get things done. The job gets done faster and more efficiently as and when the objectives are clear, the strategies acceptable, and the resources are available. Of course, in the real world, these do not always happen. To the extent that they happen and to the extent that I can make them happen, I go after them and manage to get the job done.
Admittedly, during my undergraduate studies, I was faced with a lot of personal and family setbacks which impacted negatively on my performance. However, I was able to put those problems behind me and completed my undergraduate degree with a very respectable grade point average. If anything, I feel that the narration of these experiences serves to substantiate my claim that I do realize what I need to do in life and what I aim to make of my career. Unlike most people, I genuinely believe that I have been fortunate to get these experiences and I know that I should make the most of this unique opportunity.
It is said that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. I am one of those individuals who firmly believe in my dreams and am not afraid to work hard to attain them. I know that I have a long road to travel but I am neither daunted nor intimidated by this because I know that I can succeed. I am also confident in the fact that with the experiences that I can gain from this university there is so much more that I can accomplish in life and I look forward to the day that this dream becomes a reality.