CARP Talk: So who’s standing in your way?

Success requires determination, focus and investment. Have you noticed, often it’s not the most intellectual or talented people who do well in university or in life, but it’s the people who have the most conviction, who can knuckle down and get things done. Today’s university students in particular face huge amounts of pressure, and often the road to success is paved with pre-deadline blues, Tesco value microwave meals, late night cramming, mental burnout, and milestones of procrastination hurdles. It’s a never ending struggle to get to where you want to be. So what is it exactly that’s standing in your way of getting there? This week’s CARP talk was given by Matthew Allen, a history graduate from Queen Mary University of London. Matthew discussed that as human beings we are fundamentally made up of 2 aspects; our mind, the internal, causal aspect of ourselves, and our body, the physical, external aspect. Which is in control of our lives? Hopefully the mind, it should be subjective and directive. But sometimes it tends to take the backseat, and we give in to our physical desires, even when they start to hinder us from doing what we really ought to be doing. For example, binge eating after a workout, or sleeping through lectures. When we end up putting our bodily desires first, our mind becomes object to our body, we can’t fulfil our responsibilities. And when we do things which are against what we want to achieve, we feel guilt. ‘Before seeking to have dominion over the universe, first perfect dominion over yourself’ ~ Rev. Sun Myung Moon

So how can we begin to have discipline over ourselves and get to where we want to go? Well when you start something, chances are you probably suck. And who doesn’t when they’re just starting out? But the difference between a master and a beginner is that the master has failed many more times. Success is about conviction, perseverance, and self-discipline. Putting your mind over your body, taking control over your habits and actions, and directing them towards your goals. So when you notice obstacles in your path, ask if it’s an obstacle you created for yourself, like procrastinating, bad habits, limiting thoughts. And know that since you created it, only you can get rid of it. So take gradual steps to change. And remember there are no shortcuts, but, as the Chinese proverb goes, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. ‘You sow a thought, you reap an act, You sow an act, you reap a habit, You sow a habit, you reap a character, You sow a character, you reap a destiny.’ ~ Ralph Waldo

This week at CARP we also hosted a public speaking challenge where all the guests were given the opportunity to create and give their own mini CARP talk based on Matthew’s topic. The 3 finalists presented theirs to the whole audience.