Goal achievement

Goal Achievement December 18, 2005 Goal Achievement This incident relates to the days when I was in my high school and was a representative leading the class in various sports competitions, athletics, elocutions and also in other extra curricular activities such as music competitions. A challenging task that I can recall was leading Woodwind Quintet team consisting of a group of disorganized, naive and timid individuals in a major musical competition called Music Festival and of course winning the competition. Playing in a group required us to have a complete mutual understanding of each other’s style of playing, strengths and weaknesses.
Our music teacher Mr. Gavlik was against our participation since he felt that we would not be ready to participate in the Music Festival with just three months away and also the final exams fast approaching, followed by Christmas and Chinese New Year Holidays. But I was not the one to loose heart and accept defeat just by my music teacher’s comments and hence I took it as a challenge and started off with a positive frame of mind. My mind was only focused on the point that ” Where there is a will there is a way.” Being leader of the team it was my sole responsibility to get all the team members at a place and explain to each one of them individually about their performance and also encourage them to play so as to coordinate with other team members.
At times the team members accepted their deficiencies and apologized for committing mistakes. I remember having yelled a countless number of times at our Bassoon player, Sheldon to ” Look up!” Finally we would end up with a joke or two and play music in a more lively style. I would encourage them by telling the popular adage ” Every Slipping stone is a step towards success.”
We were so determined to win that even during Chinese New year Vacation we created a Chinese New Year Retreat for daily practice. All the team members of Woodwind Quintet made it a point to practice at least for two hours daily in the school auditorium after school working hours and sometimes the sessions extended to even three to four hours, but every individual in the team patiently practiced and cooperated with every other member, sometimes correcting the other and also correcting themselves. I would just remind them that ” Practice Makes the man perfect.” As a team leader it was my bounden duty to motivate each and every individual team member and inspire them to give their best to prove our teacher Mr. Gavlik wrong.
Finally on the day of competition we were confident of winning the title in the Music Festival and walked up the stage with all our instruments and related paraphernalia and success was at our feet. The music we played crossed our own limits of imagination and the audience responded by giving a standing ovation. Though confident of winning I was spell bound and tears of happiness rolled down my cheeks and my voice remained choked for about ten minutes.
Mr. Gavlik walked up the stage and simply hugged each one of us congratulating and feeling ashamed for having discouraged us against participation. In appreciation he gifted us with a Woodwind Quintet and yes he also thanked us for having participated in the competition against his advice.