Hope is not a plan

The title of this entry, “hope is not a plan”, is the quote that got me thinking about all that I am going to write in this entry. It came from a book written by a famous TV journalist, in reference to the post Katrina “management disaster” that took place in the United States. The Fifa World Cup recently took place and it was every country’s dream to not only be a part of it, but also to maybe even win it. But dreams are not visions. They are mere wishes based on wants. Singapore had its own campaign a few years back, GOAL 2010. It was a vision, a goal to make it to the 2010 World Cup. It was brave and at the same time, not outrageous. We had a plan –I am a Singapore citizen now- but sadly, pressure got the better of the local football association and the so very promising campaign was scraped. It was never about really making it to the World Cup but who is to explain that to society. Back in Junior College, my General Paper tutor gave me one advice on writing essays. Her exact words were, “ Plan your essay till it hurts”. Yes it was crazy, but she could not have been more right. Your essay is as good as your plan and your life as good as your visions. Only when it hurt did I know I had thought it through sufficiently and I knew what I wanted, and what I did not want. Another time when I was on holiday in Malaysia, I met a hotel manager and saw a picture of a beautiful lobby in his office. The hotel’s lobby was nothing like it and although the hotel owners were facing bankruptcy and a whole lot of other legal issues, this man was confident about seeing his vision through, to make his lobby like the one in the picture. He said to me, “I see this picture everyday and I know why I am here.” And that is what I have, a plan and a vision, to study medicine; get a girlfriend within the next 5 years and to ride a bike. I have got rejections (for medicine!!), endless lessons to pass and time and money both running out. But what we have to do is ask the right questions about our future, and then we see our present in a very different light. Ultimately, you will not be denied your destiny because what lies behind you and what lies in front of you matters little when compared to what lies within you.


“Hope is not a plan”