And behold, the month of January is passing by. It is incredibly fast. The beginning of the year is usually peppered with the standard activities of planning for the entire year. Plans for the Gakkai, the Students Division and my students in school are up. These are 3 areas of my life where I genuinely felt a keen sense of responsibility towards. They are my immediate concerns.

But as I approached the 20th month since entering the workforce, I had also used the opportunity to seriously contemplate my career and my dreams.

I had not been a good student. Blessed with an above-average inclination towards academic subjects, I breezed through my Primary, Secondary and JC education without a hassle. While I may not be satisfied with the results I had gotten, I know that I had gotten them with minimum effort. I honestly did not study too hard for them and yet, still obtain decent grades.

This was to be my undoing. As a young man, I grew conceited and arrogant. And the lack of training in the art of studying causes me to struggle during my undergrad years. Nonchalantly, I would often remark that I was a “Sea-level” student as I average Cs throughout my varsity education. But the truth is, I was bothered about it deep down in my heart. I would love to have study harder, but I did not and regretted badly.

As I pursue a career in education, the significance of studying continued to laminate my consciousness and it was becoming glaring. I am now determined to put my attitudes towards studying back on track. I hereby promise to myself that I will eventually pursue further studies. If condition permits, I would go beyond Masters and obtain a Doctorate degree.

I will always be working in the field of education, a vow I had made to my mentor to support his vision of Soka Education. This I will not waver. Hence, my goal for the next 5 years will be to complete my bond with MOE and explore the possibility to read the Masters of Education or Philosophy or other related subjects. A doctorate will be my goal for the next 10 years.

There! I had finally put it down in black and white. I am determined to savior the joy of studying and demonstrate the truth meaning of education through my very own example and life experience.