Pulling Our “Sword In The Stone”: 2019 Goal Setting Guide

As 2019 begins, so does the start of the second term. With second term starting, there will be new classes, professors and new classmates for you to meet. With that in mind, we will look at Disney’s The Sword In The Stone to guide us in setting goals for the new year.

Step 1: Dream Big, Act Now!

Disney’s Merlin from The Sword In The Stone Source: Leo A/ The Dreamer’s Disney Kingdom

           “Set your sights upon the heights, don’t be a mediocrity. Don’t just wait, and trust to Fate, and say that’s how it’s meant to be. It’s up to you how far you go, if you don’t try you’ll never know. And that my lad you must expect, unless you use your intellect.” – Merlin

When setting goals, we tend to believe that what is meant to happen will happen for us by letting fate decide for us. Being students surrounded by a wealth of knowledge and the intelligence to use it; we can plan out our next steps for the future we want to see.

There are many social movements such as #MeToo, #NoBanNoWall and #BlackLivesMatter that have continued to grow because of students like us who actively use social media and other platforms to help inspire change around the globe. So when planning goals for 2019, do not simply settle for deciding to go on a healthy diet. Use your intelligence, find your passion and make those dreams come true starting today.

Step 2: Share your knowledge and passion

“Just because you can’t understand something, it… it doesn’t mean it’s wrong!” – Arthur Pendragon

When setting goals for the future whether big or small, we students will run into those who refuse to believe that what we are doing is worthwhile. Like Arthur says, these individuals who tell us “no” may not understand why its important and the right action to take.

As students, who currently write essays, theses and presentations; we have the skills necessary to show others why our actions are justified. We can further enhance our reasoning with research that is well-cited and from reputable sources. If you are passionate about something enough, others will see it in the way you present it. So be mindful of both content of your 2019 goals and the way in which you share them.

Final Word:

Source: Leo A/ The Dreamer’s Disney Kingdom

Goal setting is a challenging aspect that as students is often intimidating with all of our responsibilities. Taking the time to plan your goals can help you and those around you achieve their goals too.

Pulling my sword/ goal for this blog in 2019 is to post twice a month and make each reader feel determined to succeed after learning lessons for their future.

What are your goals for 2019?

Leo A

#dreamerskingdom

#FindingYourSwordInTheStone

#2019Goals

Disney’s Acquisitions: A Fine Addition To Your Collection!

Last week had the opportunity to put together the perfect movie list before travelling abroad. Now if travelling the world is not affordable, it does not mean that you will not be able to journey to new worlds.

All it requires is getting snacks, a nice refreshing beverage of your choice and either throwing in that Blu-ray disc or turn on Netflix… for now. Disney is creating its own streaming service called Disney + which is slated to release in 2019.

Until that happens, gather your friends or family to put your collections together and marathon these Disney acquisitions:

Marvel Studios:

Marvel films have taken many new perspectives in determining what is right and wrong. When we were kids, we were taught these values from our parents. Today, we can look at Marvel heroes to help us make those tough decisions. Here’s the story line and let’s look at a few films we students must watch:

Source: Leo A/ The Dreamer’s Disney Kingdom

1. Spider-Man: Homecoming -> Finding the balance between school responsibilities and life responsibilities is always a challenge. As students, we have the power to manage them by staying true to who we are.

2. Captain America: Civil War -> When making friends or studying in group projects, we may have disagreeing views. These bonds will be tested but if worked on and communication happens; they can be stronger than ever.

3. Doctor Strange -> Students like us will always seek knowledge form University. It is what we do with that knowledge that matters most.

Lucasfilm/ Star Wars

When Disney made this acquisition, we saw a franchise that brought family generations together with each trilogy be reinvigorated with a new series of films and lessons for us:

Source: Leo A/ The Dreamer’s Disney Kingdom

1. Star Wars: Rogue One -> The odds of success on exams or achieving our goals as students seems like we better give up and drink our sorrows away. It is tough times like this where all we need is hope.

2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens -> When those we care about most are struggling, it is easy to just run away. Instead as students, being there to listen and support them is all we need to do.

3. Star Wars: The Last Jedi -> We have made decisions we regret, and they often are tough to live with. As students, we can learn to handle these by accepting our decisions and looking to the future instead of the past.

21st Century Fox:

Disney has recently made this acquisition in 2018 but still being finalized which will make it legal in 2019. There are some key films/TV shows that you should check out before they get Disney’s magic:

TV Show:

Source: Leo A/ The Dreamer’s Disney Kingdom

1. The Simpsons -> This show has been around so long that there has been both love and hate for it. As students, we can learn from this show that we can create an idea that will last for a long time if we work hard each day.

Movies:

Source: Leo A/ The Dreamer’s Disney Kingdom

1. X-Men & Deadpool: -> Bringing a few more of Marvel’s creations to the owners of the Avengers leaves so much opportunity. These films can teach us the importance of accepting what some may say different is a gift we should use.

2. Avatar -> As students we have dreams of making a difference in the world, this can start with something as simple as helping your local university community.

Final Word:

Which Disney acquisition did you like most? What will you watch first?

Disney Guide: Steps To The Future

Last week you found a way to add a little Disney magic into your lives with cool merchandise. Just before that you turned procrastination into motivation.

Now that you got your confidence back, it’s time to learn how Disney can prepare you for life after completing your undergraduate degree. Today, you will finally have an answer to “Will you get a job with that degree?” or “Will you go do a Master’s?”.

Step 1: Let your heart and conscience be your guide

Source: Pixabay.com

Before you can answer those questions, you need to ask yourself: “Who am I?” To truly understand what you desire, you need to determine the type of person you want to be. Disney’s Pinocchio was a puppet who decided he wanted to be a “real boy,” but what steps he needed to take to achieve this goal were unclear. Pinocchio was told by Honest John and Gideon, that being rich and famous were the keys to living a successful life. Often this sounds too familiar to being asked “Why are you not a rich doctor or famous actor?” The lesson here is that when making decisions about your future, making wealth and power the focus will not ultimately satisfy you.  Disney’s Cinderella sang that “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes”; this dream does not mean you should marry royalty. Cinderella teaches us that we should listen to our heart, because when our hearts are happy; we are on track to achieving our dreams.

Step 2.1: I’m almost there after more school

Pursuing higher education may be the best step for you, because it can allow you the time to discover who you want to be. Disney’s The Princess and The Frog shows your dreams are possible, so long as you are passionate, persistent and resilient to obstacles that challenge you. Tiana’s dream of owning her own restaurant inspired her to pursue a career she earned for herself; his choice to take the long road over the quick easy path to royalty like her friend Charlotte La Bouff. When pursuing a master’s degree, the lesson from Tiana is that you may have to work hard every day, even if it means giving up on that night out. Giving up on a night out means believing in yourself, knowing that you will fight to have a future filled with many nights out.

Step 2.2: I’ve got a dream job

Tangled Wii Game Cover Leo A/ The Dreamer’s Disney Kingdom

When you think back to your childhood, you can likely recall some of the jobs you envisioned pursuing, like becoming an astronaut. Today, we are told to be more realistic; to do this we need to look at how to find jobs we want but are within reach. Disney’s Tangled character Flynn Rider highlights another key lesson for us. Flynn Rider learns throughout the film that his dream of being “On an island that I own, tanned and rested and alone, surrounded by enormous piles of money,” is no longer his dream. The lesson is that changing your career is perfectly normal and you should not feel ashamed to try something new that matches the person you want to be.

 

What are your dreams? Comment on how you will make them come true.