The difficulty of giving up

Often, the feeling of giving up overwhelms us and sometimes I can't help but think it's so easy to give up. Just put down the pen and walk away because to succeed it takes a lot of effort and effort means hard work and hard work is difficult.

Tongo Field Diamond Miners

But interestingly enough, as difficult as it may seem to succeed, realise that it is more difficult to give up and fail without effort. And it is that realisation that makes us strive harder.

Realise that when you fail and you know you've done nothing within your capability to avoid that failure...it truly is the end of the line. No turning back.

So, even when you want to give up, don't! DON'T QUIT! Have the determination, work hard, and NEVER GIVE UP!

My dad told me a about a cache called Hard Times in Australia and the story behind the cache is about the hardship of the pioneers and the difficult times they went through but they endured and because of their endurance, Australia is what it is today. ENDURE!

A few years back my sister bought for me a poster with this poem on it. I've loved it ever since! I'd like to share it with the world:

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,

When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest, if you must

But don't you quit.

Success is failure turned inside out,

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems afar,

So, stick to the flight when your hardest hit

It's when things go wrong that you mustn't quit!

It's Do or Die

What do you do when you've given your best but your best is still not enough? When you've fought with all you had but still lost the fight? When you've died fighting but still willed on to live? When you've given it your all till you've nothing left but the war still rages on and you're stuck in the middle. You're holding your loaded guns but you can't aim properly anymore. That's when the light seems dim and the world goes dark but you're still groping your way through. When hope seems bleak, you battle on. Not because you want to but only because YOU HAVE TO. THERE IS NO CHOICE. At times like these...You do or you die.

The A-level battle continues...full speed...merciless...I've lost this fight. I've lost this battle. I've lost this round. But I WON'T lose the war! 15! And may the spirit never waver!

The cursed 14 instead of the 'magic' 15

Feels like I haven't written in here ages!!! But it really wasn't that long ago. So much has happened since...so many things I've wanted to write but never had the time. Biggest news I suppose is my great failure of 14 points during my Advanced Subsidiary Examinations. Got an A for Physics and Mathematics but a B for Chemistry. Don't think I took it too well. Had half the college and most of the lecturers encouraging me to move forward with my head held high and get my spirit soaring again. But I really didn't feel like moving at all, let alone forward. (I want to take this opportunity to say, "Thank you, Lynn for buying me food when I was not eating and feeling helplessly useless and unmotivated and for spiriting me on!") Only after talking to my greatest inspiration my spirit came back and here I am fighting on...full blast! Thank you, dad, my number 1 motivator and greatest inspiration!

Thank you also to every single one who help me make it through when hope seems bleak:

1. mum, for always having faith in me and always encouraging me on

2. my roommates, who bared with me when I was like a black hole; lifeless, turning our room into a miserable vibe (or maybe just anything within 3 feet radius...I wasn't really that big of a black hole, was I?), and radiating bad karma all around

3. lecturers, who watched after me like a hawk every single day and pep talked me with endless encouraging words till I got better

4. friends, who never tire of asking how I was doing and showing genuine and sincere concern even when you have your own things to worry about

I am now content with my 14, knowing that even though I wasn't good enough during my AS Chemistry, having earned that B, like my dad said, perhaps it was a blessing in disguise in some ways. I wasn't good enough and had I gotten an A, I would've deliriously thought that perhaps I really have mastered the subject.

Working SO hard and giving it everything I had and I still got a B. That's what discourages me the most. If I've already given everything I had, how do I move on? Whatever it is...the battle continues!

Short lived holiday

Good news: Advanced Subsidiary Examinations over and done! Had my last paper on the 10th of June (Wed), Chemistry Paper 1. It wasn't too bad, not as terrible as the Paper 2! Overall AS wasn't as dire as I originally thought it would be. 15 points? 15 POINTS!!! Results will be out on the 10th of August, in exactly 2 months. Wish me luck!

Bad news: After coming back from a 3 days, 2 nights not-very-interesting-camp (made compulsory to attend by the college) 2 days after I finished my AS exams, I ONLY have 4 days of holidays left. SIGH.

Good news: My sister is coming back home tomorrow!

Bad news: I barely get to spend 2 whole days with her due to the fact I have to be back in college by Monday morning ready to report in for class. SIGH.

Good news: Naw...I'm out of good news.

Bad news: *Refer to last good news

Cheerio!

The POWER OF WORDS

A group of frogs were travelling through the woods and 2 of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the 2 frogs that they were as good as dead. The 2 frogs ignored the comments and they tried to jump out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him the whole time to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.

A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them.

Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path. The power of words...It is something of great importance, sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak word that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times. Special is the individual who will take the time to encourage another.

-Author unknown

Let the Battle Begin!

Today marks the first day of my 2nd biggest war I'll be battling in my A-Levels. Got 15 points for my trials (A for all 3 subjects Mathematics-93%, Physics-92%, Chemistry-87%). It was a good encouragement.

Note to self: I shall not be perished in this battle! 15 points all the way!

Sat for my first of 8 papers of the Advanced Subsidiary Examination, Pure Mathematics 1. It was surprisingly easy (praise the lord!) but nevertheless I'm bloody, sadly, heartbokenly disappointed that I've stupidly lost 2 marks for not using my brain! Well there goes the Top In The World Award. It was something to aim for and well...not my luck I suppose.

Note to self: Do not jump down building! (only kidding of course...no need to raise an alarm!)

Still have 7 papers left. Aim for nothing less than 100%! (might be fairly impossible...but like they say, "AIM HIGH!")

Road to success

On your road to success you will be faced with obstacles that will make your journey a hard one, full of challenges. Other people being one of your most irritating hindrance. They'll turn on you and out of spite do things to stop you from succeeding. They're envious of your achievements when they themselves have achieved so little. They want the world to progress with their sad slowness and only then when they come out first, not because they were the best but because there was no one better will they leave you alone.

Never let anyone put you down

Never let anyone cloud your judgement.

Never let anyone influence you to the dark side.

NEVER GIVE UP AND NEVER GIVE IN!

It won't be a journey, a road to success if everything was laid out on a silver plate for you to take. Success is sweetest when you (and only you) know what you did and all the things you've sacrificed to achieve it.

Do what you know and believe with all you're worth is right, even when you have the world against you.

Do what it takes to reach the top.

Do what it takes to reach the greatest heights.

The sky is NOT the limit...it only is for those who fail to see beyond the great possibilities of (among other things...) space exploration!