Young people have been advised to understand the need to set SMART goals and align their personal goals with their professional goals to achieve greater life accomplishments.
Ify Aronu-Okafor, Nigeria’s Champion of the Summit of the Future, gave the charge at the 2nd Nigerian Youths Online Meeting held over the weekend.
The meeting, tagged ‘Setting Realistic Goals in 2025’, saw youths from across Anambra, the Southeast, and Nigeria participate in enlightening sessions.
Highlighting the importance of growing a strong and dependable social network, Mrs Aronu-Okafor emphasized that setting achievable goals starts with understanding oneself, having a clear vision for the future, and aligning with one’s God-given destiny.
She identified community service and voluntary work as vital for personal development, urging young people to undertake such to make a difference in society and to maintain focus and determination.
Drawing an analogy from her personal experience, Aronu-Okafor, the facilitator of the Monthly Nigerian Youth Online Meeting, hinted that her areas of interest include the environment, women, children, and artificial intelligence.
She emphasized the importance of identifying one’s areas of interest instead of doing everything. She noted that networking and meeting people who can facilitate opportunities in one’s areas of interest can be key to self-actualization.
According to her, valuable contacts who can support goal achievement and not just provide funds are also needed. She says young people should also seek tech-savvy individuals who can help with e-learning and accessing free courses.
The youth advocate harped on the need to start early with planning and setting deadlines for the year 2025
“One must, however, develop self-compassion and accept that not all goals will be achieved immediately, even after giving one’s best effort.
“You must then learn from the experiences and continue to make improvement to avert such setbacks.
“There is also the angle of prayer and being deliberate in one’s actions.
“Say no to avoid overcommitment and imbibe a fine sense of accountability to help stay on track,” she said.
A co-champion of the Summit of the Future, James Popoola, who joined the conversation, emphasized the importance of taking action toward goals rather than just wishing for them.
Popoola highlighted the importance of community involvement, actively attracting opportunities, and building a strong digital footprint.
He advised tracking all applications made (for those seeking global opportunities) and networking with people who can help facilitate opportunities.
A participant, Ugwuegbu Wisdom, recalled attending the YALI Network Summit last year and being inspired by the organizers’ empathy and dedication. He shared his goal of becoming a national leader, which he achieved by volunteering for the IMO state chapter conference and later becoming the coordinator of YALI in the IMO state.
Another participant, coach Ijeoma who works with the Nigerian Red Cross Society, requested for advice on writing a solid proposal for an internship programme, leadership training, and grant proposals for international bodies.
