Personal Development - Assignments

David Ho Ming Aun (0328394)

Personal Development

Assignments

1. Reflective Journal

D - Describe objectively what happened.

Allow me to provide some context. I have participated in a student exchange year in Germany, and have expressed interest in studying in Germany. I had made plans to study in Germany for my tertiary education in design, and I'd planned my education path around this idea. I took specific subject combinations and attended night classes for German to get the required certifications. I succeeded in doing so, achieving straight As and top scores.The German art and design universities required an entrance exam for artistic aptitude, as well as a portfolio (which I did not possess). I worked extremely hard to build a portfolio and try for the exams and submitted it on time. I applied to four universities—all rejected me.

I - Interpret the events.

This was a harsh blow for my self-esteem. I have been considered as one of the best designers in my school and clubs and I was not used to such successive rejection. I definitely felt horrible, but not as horrible as signing up to this university. This university is great, but it felt like I've officially given up. Maybe the fifth university would have accepted me? Now, I will never know. As I have given my absolute best effort for the entire application period, I began to doubt myself often and constantly felt like I wasn't enough. I am not the kind of person to give something like this up so easily. 

E - Evaluate what you learned.

In hindsight, the rejection was a humbling slap to my face, although tinged with a slight note of regret. For a designer, it is very important to be open to rejection and opinions of others, and it is easy to be too protective of your work. This experience is valuable also because it is a reminder of how hard I can push myself for a goal. Through this process, I learn that despite all humanly best efforts to plan for the future, the future has its own cars to play, its own die to roll. Uncertainty is constant where life thrives. I suppose the saying 'bloom where you're planted' applies well here. Through this experience, I have actually inspired my sister to apply for German universities, who is currently doing her Masters there. Because of this, I would say that this experience has contributed positively to my sister. 

P - Plan how this learning will be applied.

Through this experience, I've gained a lot of knowledge that is useful for the future. Taking Psychology in my A-Levels allowed me to gain an appreciation for academic journals, learning German provided my a formal certification of my language skills, and even applying for the entrance exams established a form of artistic foundation that would help me in my current course. This experience represented a failure in both my artistic aptitude and my determination, but through failure we learn. I will continue to work hard in the future, and I will try not to give up too quickly next time. At the same time, I will learn to recognise that even if things don't work out the way I planned, things will still be okay.

2. Goal Setting

1. To be more efficient in time management so that I am able to have some free time for my own recreation. I aim to be able to set aside at least one hour of free time a day.

2. To have a more solid plan and a clearer vision for my future career path. I hope to view my assignments in terms of my skills and work hard through my internship.

2. To be living a balanced life which I will have a balance between my work and personal priorities while maintaining quality in both of them.

3. Action Plan

4. SWOT

Strengths

• Meticulous, high attention to detail
• A quick learner, grasp concepts quickly
• Talented in graphic design
• Creative in problem solving
• Hardworking, willing to work hard to acheive a goal.

Weaknesses

• Poor social skills.
• Poor management of priorities, time management.
• Not charismatic, not good with public presentation skills.
• Impatient with people who don't grasp concepts quickly.
• Limited to certain art styles in my designs.

Opportunities

• Rising demand for graphic designers.
• Exponentially improving technology, allows for easier design processes.
• Connections with other designers can lead to collaboration.
• Social media allows easy sharing of my works, leading to greater influence and presence.

Threats

• My design style being 'outdated'
• Inability to keep up with the trends.
• Other designers with better skill sets than me (more charismatic, different areas of expertise, etc)
• People's perception of design being 'unnecessary' of 'superfluous'. 

5. Mission Statement

Step 1: Skills and Abilities

• creativity
• organisation
• patience
• determination
• designing
• quick learner

Step 2: Personality Traits

• independent
• creative
• logical, analytical
• hardworking
• patient
• dedicated
• responsible 

Step 3: Values, Dreams, Passions

• to give back to society through my talents, and not just designing for yourself.
• to be very good in what I do.
• to find a balance in life.

Step 4: Ways I Could Make A Difference

• making meaningful, functional design that brings positive change to society.
• maintaining a relatively healthy relationship with family.
• maintaining a close circle of friends that I can trust.

Step 5: Personal Mission Statement

Using the skills of creative, patience and determination I am blessed with, I will aspire to work towards creating meaningful works that can bring positive change to the society. I will work hard today so that I can help others tomorrow. As I do this I will maintain a healthy relationship with my friends and family and strive to achieve balance in my life. 

6. Online Forum

Question Six

It was recently demonstrated by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that Lance Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs during the seven years when he won the Tour de France. During the same period, Armstrong started Livestrong, a cancer-support organization known for its ubiquitous yellow bracelets. Is the unethical nature of Lance’s doping offset by the fact that his Livestrong organization has touched many lives in a positive way? Is it even right to consider Livestrong in our ethical analysis of Armstrong’s doping?