How I Achieve My Goals

For me, goals are defined as the ability to deal with what you have and to make good decisions that can give you success in life. In addition, goals are the ability to create successful things from a few available resources that you have. Still the main question is, “What do you want to be?” The true meaning of achieving goals deals with how to find successful ways to be what you want to be. 

In reality it starts with you and ends with you; this is the life circle, or the way I see it. It starts when you deeply seek the things that make you happy, proud of yourself, and glad of what you are; and it all ends with you. 

Life is not always a joyful place and nothing comes easily in life. The goals that you want to achieve could cost you years of yourself and your energy. Sometimes you could be alone and far from family and without friends.

It is not about the biggest hit that life gives to you and you fall and stand again. It is the ability to withstand hits every time you fight in life. For me, to make a difference in life, I need to survive and improve my work.

I am like billions of immigrants in the United States who needs to work and find a good job to pay for my life. But someone I respect taught me a good piece of wisdom when he told me, "Your day, when it is gone, it is gone. You can spend it doing good things or you can spend it on nothing" and that is what gives me the motivation to study hard to get good results. I finished the university in 1999. As a result, I got the respect of my family and friends, which gave me the chance to have a good job.

What I want to say is that the path which starts with a good education can give you the chance to reach all your goals; whereas, if I am just busy with any work and waste my time on it, I will be same person all my life. These goals I had reached before in my life in Iraq because I always asked myself about what I wanted to be and what I wanted to become. 

With my new life in the United States, I will be striving to achieve the same goals that have made me successful in the past, and I will start by studying and getting a certificate which can allow to me get a better job in the future and give me more respect and pride from my family and my friends. Everything during the hard time is temporary, like pain; it may last a day, month, or even year. But finally when we reach our goals, these pains will disappear. 

Now my hardest challenge is how to survive and control a new life in the United States. Maybe that is not easy but my ambition is to get a better job and life, and this will come through one of my best goals:"studying."

First Knight

First knight is a 1995 medieval film based on Arthurian legend, directed by Jerry Zucker. It stars Richard Gere as Lancelot, Julia Ormond as Guinevere, Sean Connery as King Arthur, and Ben Cross as Malagant. The theme of the film is passion because of the love Lancelot feels for Guinevere, his Courage in the battle and the way he approaches the villain. This passion leads to betrayal, as well as the rogue Lancelot's romance with Lady Guinevere of Leonesse. Lady Guinevere is to marry King Arthur of Camelot, and all while the land is threatened by the renegade knight Malagant.

The film draws on the riskiness, adventure, and especially the substantial age difference between Arthur and Guinevere. The film's opening text establishes that King Arthur of Camelot, victorious from his wars, has dedicated his reign to promoting justice and peace, and now wishes to marry. 

Then, the film opens with Lancelot, a vagabond and skilled swordsman, dueling in small villages for money. I believe that Lancelot was the protagonist of the movie because he saved Guinevere many times and killed Malagant. Lancelot attributes his skill to his lack of concern whether he lives or dies. While Guinevere, the ruler of Lyonesse, decides to marry Arthur partly out of admiration and security against Malagant, and who is shown raiding villages. While traveling, Lancelot chances by Guinevere's carriage on the way to Camelot, and destroy Malagant's plan to kidnap her. Once again, Lancelot comes to the rescue.

Lancelot upon their first meet falls in love with Guinevere. Later, Lancelot arrives in Camelot and successfully navigates an obstacle course on the prospect of a kiss from Guinevere. However, he kisses her hand out of politeness. He also wins an audience with her husband-to-be, Arthur. Impressed by Lancelot's courage and struck by his recklessness and freewheeling, Arthur shows him the Round Table which symbolizes a life of service and brotherhood, and warns Lancelot, “a man who fears nothing is a man who loves nothing." That night, Malagant's guards arrive at Camelot and kidnap Guinevere. She is tied up and carried off to Malagant's keep. Lancelot poses as a messenger to Malagant only to escape with Guinevere and return her to Camelot and Arthur.

Once again, Lancelot tries to win her heart, but is unsuccessful. In gratitude, Arthur offers Lancelot a higher calling in life as a Knight of the Round Table. While Guinevere struggles with her feelings for him. Lancelot accepts and takes Malagant's place at the Table, saying he has found something to care about. Lancelot is a likable character because he has many challenges and he was loyal in his love for Guinevere. 

Arthur and Guinevere are subsequently wedded. However, a messenger from Leonesse arrives, with news that Malagant has invaded the kingdom. Arthur leads his troops to Leonesse and successfully defeats Malagant's forces. 
Lancelot wins the respect of the other Knights with his prowess in battle though. But, Lancelot still feels guilty about his feelings for the queen and loyalty to Arthur, and in private he told her that he will leave. She cannot bear the thought of him leaving and asks him for a kiss, which turns into a passionate embrace just in time for the king to interrupt. The two are then charged with treason.

The open trial in the great square was abruptly stopped by Malagant, he intend to burn Camelot and kill Arthur if he does not swear fealty. Arthur gives the order to fight, and Malagant's men shoot him with crossbows. A battle between Malagant's men and Camelot's soldiers and citizens then ensues. The details in these scenes revealed true to life images. 

 Lancelot and Malagant face off, and disarmed Lancelot seizes Arthur's fallen sword and kills Malagant. Camelot wins the day, but Arthur dies of his wounds. On his deathbed he asks Lancelot to, “take care of her for me" – referring to Guinevere. The film closes with a funeral raft carrying Arthur's body floating out to sea, which is then set aflame. The ending of the movie causes some turmoil within me. Though I am happy for Lancelot and Guinevere, the death of King Arthur causes mixed feelings for me.

Pieces of Advice from my Father

It was spring of 1993, I still remember my father’s words when he entered my room and saw me studying till late before my first final exam in high school. Like any Kids who took advice, I was one of the luckiest. Of all advice we took in our lives, as a student I still remember some that makes me successful in my studies.

First, must be understood that the question represents half the answer, what that means is when you want to answer the question, you must read it good and read it again and again till you start to remember the question. Sometimes when reading too much especially in examining time, we lost the ability to focus and we felt that we forgot the answers, but when we repeat reading the question, we start to remember the answer. Repeat reading the questions is important also for the tricky questions that you don't know till you repeat it again.

Second, at exam time the night before it, we read too much beside the other homework, our focusing being lost, and it was my favorite advice from my father when he told me " don't be late with no sleeping at night when the next morning there is exam''. And that it is important to sleep for five or six hours to get rest for the body and to get back the focus.

Beside many pieces of advice that I took it in my life, these two which belong to the study, it made me graduate from my university with good grades, these two were the best which still stick in my mind for more than 22 years. Life in college and university is like normal life, like a family, and the teachers are the parents that can help you to be successful and give you the best advice. Also the students are a part of the family. It is important to choose the good students to be friends with, maybe these relationship will last forever and be part of your life. That is what my father taught me.