Taking A Chance

Taking A Chance

            Something we always try to do is win. We see everything as a competition because in reality, everything is a competition. We are being tested through everything we do, everything we act on, and every decision we make. However, when it comes to relationships and finding someone we want to be with, people choose to make the competition between one another. When things go wrong, each partner wants to ‘play hard to get’ and they each want to make the other jealous. Our world thrives off jealousy. If you ask someone what they are most self-conscious about, many will say their appearance or what others think of them. Therefore, when one partner in a relationship plays hard to get, the other will want that partner even more. Another thing; people want to take time off and want to wait and see where things go. The average person will want to wait and see if they like a person and then come back to them. With trust and knowing that you are attracted to someone both physically and emotionally, why wait? If you like someone, don’t play the ‘game’ of playing hard to get or trying to make the other partner feel jealous because you are talking to other people. The goal is not to win a relationship. Striving to win a relationship is the same as striving to get A’s, but not striving to learn a single thing in school. The goal of a relationship is beyond the label of a relationship status.

            It is something difficult to grasp, but what makes us so attracted to someone? There are so many people in this world and so many people that would be open to a relationship with us, but we choose one. We choose the one that makes us happy. The one that makes us feel like we are headed in the right direction. The one that will do anything for us, at whatever time. When we meet someone we like, we know it. When we have a number of people interested in us and we turn them away without hesitation, we know at that very moment we have someone special. And sometimes the perfect relationship we thought we had turns to rubbish, but other times it turns into gold. We are in a world where we must learn. We are in a world where we must take chances and risk everything for one thing. We are in a world where our lives will be perfect one second and at rock bottom the next. There is no holding back for me and there is nothing I will give up on when I am motivated. In this world, there is too much competition to sit back and wait for everything to come to you. The average will wait for what comes to them. Waiting is not wrong, but patience has a limit. You cannot wait forever because then your time runs out. I believe in chasing what is on your mind. If you cannot go a day without thinking about someone, that person matters to you.

            I will never know what is right or what is wrong unless I try. Unless I try, I will never learn. Unless I mess up, I will never grow. If I never grow, I will never move forward. If I never move forward, I will always be average. If I am average, I will never be a leader. If I am not a leader, I will never be successful. If I am never successful, I will never make an impact in this world. If I never make an impact in this world, I will have failed.

            When the time is right, go for it. When the time is wrong, figure out when the time will be right. People will not always understand your reasoning and intentions, but your goal is to teach them why. Through your words you must explain to them. Through your actions you must prove to them. Show someone why you care about them and if they do not see it, keep trying. If they still cannot see how much you care, go forth with your life and let them choose the direction in which they want to go. Life is too short to be dwelled on. Wake up each day giving thanks to The Lord and wake up every morning with the intentions of helping the people around you. The Lord has a plan for us all and every second is a learning second. We are living the life which we are learning and there is never a second that goes by when The Lord is not with us. Have Faith that it will all work out.

 -Austin McClain Baker

 

Austin Baker

Twitter/Instagram: @ABakerPresident

DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com

Austin.Baker25@yahoo.com

 

           

           

'The One'

 

'The One'

            The journey starts with the introduction of your name and where you are from. We are all searching for the one. Call it whatever you want, but every day we think of people; whether it is someone from a few years back or it is someone from the night before. Men and women have different minds and ways of thinking, but we both share the same goal of finding someone who we can spend the rest of our lives with. Finding the perfect one is something we cannot do through searching; rather the perfect one presents itself when we are least expecting it. When we put effort into looking for someone, we find ourselves in an even deeper hole than before. When we are not thinking about relationships, the opportunities begin to illuminate themselves. When we finally meet the person we think that is right, we know it. We know it immediately, or at least we think so. You see them for a couple seconds and the attractiveness of the person is checked off the list. You talk and hangout with the person for a few weeks and you check off their personality and their ability to communicate with you. From there, the journey can take a turn for the worse or can continue to make you excited for the Friday and Saturday night dates. But once you know you like someone and everything is perfect, how do you know if they are ‘the one’? You don’t. It takes time, trust, and experiencing. The moment you find out who ‘the one’ is, is they day you realize that the one for you will do anything for you. If you find yourself at your lowest point and your partner is at their highest and they lower themselves to bring you up, you’ve found a special person. What separates ‘the one’ from the ones you do not want is that ‘the one’ will give up their time and effort for you when the time is most inconvenient for them and they are at the busiest point of their day. Those who are average will give up their time when it is convenient for them. When you are in trouble and a person comes to you in the middle of the night or when you need a favor and they volunteer without hesitation to support you, you’ve found a special person.

            The mistake many people tend to make is that when ‘the one’ finally comes along in the journey, people are too accustomed to dealing with the average people, so they think that ‘the one’ is either too good for them or is different and not for them. This is why the ‘good guy’ never wins because girls usually want the guy who is a bad***. In life, the person who is different can be the person you need to meet. Billionaires have different mindsets than the average. CEO’s have different mindsets than those who are working under them. Those with different minds are the ones who open this world up for us and are the ones who are the opportunity to something new. So, when you are searching for the one, do not search. Wait for the one who is different to come up to you and then, at that moment; you will realize that the opportunity is at your right hand.

            Life has so much to offer and there are so many people in this world. If something does not work out for you, move on. When one door closes, another door opens. It is a fact. It may not open immediately, but with enough patience; the door will open. Just as a storm passes over, so does the stress of hoping to find someone perfect for you. Some storms are strong. Some relationships are difficult. Some storms are weak. Some relationships are over in a few weeks. The sun will rise and the sun will set. But at the same moment, you must realize that if you do meet someone and things are not working out, you should not give up and move on in an instant. If you want someone, put everything you have on the table and risk it. We were not given money to hold onto it until we meet our grave. Money is a form of risk and we are given the money to use when we need it. In regards to a relationship, your money is your commitment to the person you have feelings for. You must take the risk of that person saying they do not want you anymore or that the time is not right for them. But you must take the chance if you want to know how it could have been. We all regret something in life. Do not let the person of your dreams walk away without you trying. Do not try to get the person back. Give yourself away to the person and let them decide. You can do as much as you can and say as much as you want, but at some point, it is in the hands of the other partner.

            Essentially, life has its teachings for us and we are taking the journey to find someone who we can spend the rest of our lives with. We will meet thousands of people, connect with hundreds, and date many. We meet people for a reason. If a person is meant to be in our lives, then they will find a way into it. God has a plan for us all and it is one amazing plan. If you have someone you like, tell them. If the relationship has fallen off, do not think that you have lost it all. Think that you can be remarkable and find a way to get back together with that person. Make sacrifices for the one you care about and at the moment where it matters most; give up everything you have for that special person. Be who you are and learn as much as you can. Life is extraordinary. Relationships are a risk, but make the promises that you can make and commit to. Commit with your heart and everything will turn out how it should. Give it a chance.

 

-Austin McClain Baker

 

 

 

 

 

 

Austin Baker

Twitter/Instagram: @ABakerPresident

DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com

Austin.Baker25@yahoo.com

 

 

Our Education

Our Education

            Far too often we find ourselves speaking poorly about someone or something. Whether it is a politician in office, a celebrity’s actions, the inflation rate, the U.S. unemployment rate, or the troubles in our education system; we are all a part of the problem. We speak with distrust about the people we know best when they are not around…we can all admit that we have done it at least once. The honest truth is that our world has the opportunity to be remarkable, but too many people sit back and speak on our problems rather than choosing to stand up and fix the situation.

            Of all of the problems listed above, I look at the ‘troubles in our education system’ and immediately, a negative connotation flashes into my mind. But in actuality, our school system does not have as many flaws as one may think. Of course, the teacher salaries are remarkably low and therefore, the ability to attract proficient and experienced teachers to the State of North Carolina is difficult, but the teachers who teach for reasons other than money are the ones who have come to Mecklenburg County and are a part of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. And before you say, “The teachers coming to North Carolina must be uneducated if they are not choosing to come for the money; they must not have any other options”, you must read on.

The statement above is what the majority of people in our area believe, but the honest answer in my opinion as a recent graduate of Ardrey Kell High School, is that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) have some of the most highly educated and well-rounded teachers in the State of North Carolina. I would guarantee that numerous teachers currently working at CMS could work in any school district at any school in the United States. For instance, at Ardrey Kell High School; I had several teachers who graduated from well-respected universities, such as UNC- Chapel Hill and Stanford. That fact eliminates the statement above regarding teachers only coming to North Carolina schools because other options were unavailable. Teachers all around CMS care about their students and are aware of the competitive world awaiting their students after they graduate high-school. Our school system may have flaws, but doesn’t everything in the world have flaws? You could be attractive, but you may not be smart. You could be rich, but are you always happy? You may have everything, but is something still missing?

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is bringing in thousands of new students each year to their elementary, middle, and high schools. Made up of 164 schools and nearly 143,000 students enrolled in CMS, the need for teachers is critical (CMS: Fast Facts). Of course CMS wants to increase the teacher salary, expand on infrastructure, and bring in new technology for students to use, but the money is limited and with 164 schools, there is a process to receive funding and it is a long process. The problem is neither our school system nor CMS. The problem is larger than we can see it. Our educators and officials want students to receive an extraordinary education, but the ability to help everyone at once is not reasonable; just as it is when two presidential candidates run against one another. One candidate will have nearly half of the votes and the other candidate will receive virtually half of the votes. Life is challenging and we cannot please everyone, but we can still be successful with what we have.

            My focus point is that whether or not we believe our education system is functioning effectively and successfully, we can receive a remarkable education regardless. We have teachers. We have classrooms. We have SMART Boards. We have computers. We have pens, pencils, notebooks, binders, erasers and more. We have the necessities to receive an education and too many people are complaining that we need more. To be honest, I was against the education system in past years, but I have discovered that the problem was that I listened to the public’s opinion on our education system, so I blamed our school system when I earned poor grades or when something went off beam at school.

            Having the opportunity to attend school is a gift by itself. Having the opportunity to be in a safe school occupied by cameras and security-officers is a blessing. Having the opportunity to learn in a classroom with your own desk and your own space is remarkable. We take so much for granted and we do not realize how fortunate we are to attend school. CMS has done an extraordinary job at ensuring safety for all students and have spent years analyzing how to achieve their vision of “providing all students the best education available anywhere, preparing every child to lead a rich and productive life” (CMS: Fast Facts).

            I have been enrolled in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools since Kindergarten at Hawk-Ridge Elementary School. I then went to Community House Middle School before attending Ardrey Kell High School, where I then graduated in June of 2014. I have experienced more than I could ever want and I learned more than I had planned. I have been equipped with the knowledge to be intelligent, the professionalism to be mature, the skills to be well-rounded, the vision to have a dream, and the inspiration to be a success. I thank Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools for everything they have done for me since age five.

            Now at High Point University, I am using my knowledge to take me to the next level. I am in the process of writing my own book, Dreams, Drive, Determination: Taking A Different Route and I have my own blog, http://dreamsdrivedetermination.blogspot.com/. I am continuing to learn more each day and I can truly say that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has influenced me on how I live my life. I have been pushed by all of my extraordinary teachers to reach my potential and I have discovered more and more about myself over the years. Our education system may have flaws in its appearance, but once you break down CMS and look inside its outer cover, you will realize Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is on the right path towards ensuring a successful future for each student enrolled in its system. You choose whether you will be successful or not; nobody else can make that decision for you.

-Austin McClain Baker

 

 

 

Austin Baker

Twitter/Instagram: @ABakerPresident

DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com

Austin.Baker25@yahoo.com

 

 

 

DEFINE WHO YOU ARE

 

DEFINE WHO YOU ARE

 

                Every day I hear the same things from students, “Austin, why do you want to write a book” or “why do you want to change the world, just let someone else do it.” I realized that people at my school were different than me, different in that they were not motivated to step up to society and make a difference. With my motivation and continuous urge to inspire my community, I decided to begin writing a novel. Many people will say you have plenty of years to do so or what's the point of writing a book or "look guys, Baker is going to try to write a book". I am writing this because I have a dream, a goal to inspire and motivate others. With that, I do not know how much time I will have on this Earth to make an impact, so I want to begin my life early.

                I do not want to wait until I graduate college to begin my job. I have found my passion, to make a difference on this planet. I have those who doubt me, doubt me constantly, but I am glad they do so because the ‘pessimistic population’ is my motivation. From the beginning of 4th grade at Hawk Ridge Elementary, I knew that I would become a difference maker when I grew up. I enjoyed socializing with everyone and I was not afraid to hear the opinions of my peers. I wanted to become the President of the United States. As a senior, I was elected as the Student Body President. I achieved my goal in a small perspective, but my goals changed. I felt that I was called to work in this world to motivate and inspire those who do not have much to look forward to. Of course, anyone can become a motivational writer or speaker or one who creates quotes to inspire society, but do they have the intentions of only helping others rather than themselves or the dream to one day have a world of inspired minds?

                I cannot truly tell you how much of a difference I will make in this world, but I guarantee you that I will make an impact. I have a goal of implementing a program into schools for the purpose of motivating and inspiring students who will WANT to succeed. I want to stop the constant bullying in schools and in society. What good does it do to make fun of others or cause them to give their life away because they believe they are worthless? We will always have our options of one another and we will always judge because that is just the human nature, but the only opinion that matters is that of The Lord. We are all equal, whether you want to agree or not. We all have something to offer. Just as a corporation works together by hiring employees with unique skills in order to succeed, our world can become a complete success if we all put in an effort to make it happen. I cannot do it alone. I will be talked about, laughed at, and waived off by some of my own friends, but it does not faze me. I have found a group of friends who I know will always be there to support me. They truly understand my intentions and my motives. They are aware and on board with the difference I will make in this world.

                I am confident that I will make an impact on this Earth, and I have multiple tasks that I will complete to do so. I am motivated, determined, and optimistic about what the future holds for me. I used to believe that grades were everything to life and that they would determine the person of whom I would become, but after the Rockbridge Young Life camp in the summer of 2013, I realized that I am on this Earth for a reason. I am here to do well. The Lord would not have placed me here to fail and serve as nothing. I am taking a different route that the common person in society would fear to take. If I fail and lose all of my money, I know that I will still be alive, I will still have a family, and most importantly, I will still have God. With that being said, I am not worried about what others say or think of me.

                My purpose is to use what I have learned and what I am still continuing to learn every day to help inspire society. If I continue to follow my plan and dreams, I will enable myself to achieve my ultimate dream; building a homeless shelter that will have personal teachers, psychologists, guest speakers, job placement coordinators, and a loving group of judge free people. My dream consists of more than this, but this is my overall plan. I do what I do because I was placed on this planet to make an impact. I have a vision and I have God; I will make a difference.

 

-Austin McClain Baker

 

Austin Baker

Twitter: @ABakerPresident

Email: DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com

 

 

Dreams, Drive, Determination