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Ever heard of the phrase ‘修身齐家治国平天下’? This is a Chinese saying that was emphasised by Lawrence Wong, Minister of Education, at his recent speech at NUS’s 115th Anniversary just early December last year.
If this Chinese saying sounds foreign to you, please allow me to break it down for you. In the words of Minister Wong, extracted from his speech at NUS, the saying translates to ‘improve upon yourself first, through education, you manage your household, govern the state and you bring justice and virtue to the world.’
Hence, it is of critical importance that we cultivate our youths right now to become better versions of themselves, as they are the one who will determine how the future looks like.
The Youth of Today is the Future of Tomorrow.
Personal leadership refers to the ability to lead oneself. Youths need to develop a sense of personal leadership first in order to manage their households and their nation. To develop personal leadership, youths should display these 3 aspects:
1. To be self-disciplined.
To be disciplined is the first step to success. Self-discipline determines one's ability to achieve their goals based on their behaviours. With self-discipline, one has their mind fixed on their goals and will set out to achieve them relentlessly.
So how can self-discipline be developed?
Youths need to learn how to manage their self, their emotions and their time.
To manage themselves is to catch the way that they self talk. Youths should focus on speaking to themselves nicely to build up confidence.
To manage their emotions is to ensure that they do not say or act recklessly, resulting in behaviours that would offend others or leave a bad impression.
To manage time is to know their priorities well and set time apart to complete it. You know what they all say: Failure to plan is to plan to fail.
For more practical handles on developing self-discipline in your youths, please do not hesitate to contact us through our email, we will guide you along!
2. To be well-informed and civilised.
In our increasingly well-connected world, it is no longer enough when one merely focuses on the internal, domestic affairs. Youths must be knowledgeable of global affairs and issues surrounding the world, to adapt quickly to rising trends and changes. Youths must also be respectable and polite.
3. To be able to show care and empathy for their community.
Empathy refers to the ability to understand from another person's perspective and is arguably, one of the most important characteristics one should possess. With empathy, there would be a greater strive towards equity and equality, lesser violence and overall, a safer and more inclusive world for everyone to be in.
Conclusion
At Youth Inspired Consulting, we believe that every youth can become a leader in their ways. The words of Minister Lawrence Wong strongly aligns with our company's mission and values: Inspired Youths. Inspiring Youths. At Youth Inspired Consulting, we believe in inspiring youths to become better versions of themselves, making them feel inspired, and can subsequently influence and inspire others around them too. We believe strongly in the potential of our youths. What about you? Contact us at melvin.chia@inspiringyouths.asia or visit us at www.inspiringyouths.asia to find out more about what we can do for you.
