The Last Word

By Reuben Wairau | Posted: Tuesday June 12, 2018

My life has been made up of many moments both positive and negative, as I’m sure all of you in this room have too.

One thing I believe I have learnt throughout my years at Otago Boys’ is to never take any moment for granted. Even something as simple as putting on one blue blazer.

I believe the key to understanding the importance of this is staying in the moment - not getting stuck in past ones. By this I mean, having a clear mind on the task at hand and giving that moment your full effort. Even if it is something you don’t enjoy doing. Sometimes this is definitely tough. I can get caught up in the negative aspects of tasks that need to be done. Recently, I have started to look at the positives of doing things. For example, the tedious task of mowing the lawns. I begin with motivating myself with ideas of making the moment more memorable, which usually consists of listening to a new album. I also think about the outcomes - making others happier, being satisfied with finishing a task and just the look of the pasture once trimmed.

An important part of any moment is staying focused. Focused on what’s going on around you and what you are doing.  Holding focus is something I believe a lot of us struggle with. This holds us back from many great moments. For me this is very true. I loose focus often, whether it be at training, in the class or just doing simple tasks. My mind enjoys wandering. More recently, I’ve been trying to limit habits that negate focus. I do this by reminding myself what I need to do and how I need to do it. This could mean stopping myself from having that quick glance at my phone during class, or telling myself that I need to get back to work, by giving my full concentration to something and not letting it slip.

One of the hardest things for me, is to stay in the moment, even when it is negative. This could be as simple as having a bad hair day, failing a test and dropping a pass or as large as losing a relative. Even in these moments, I ask you lads to push through these times. Remember these moments, use them to drive and motivate you. These challenges build character and push us to be better.

I always remember, when these moments occur, are the things that led me to this. I use this as a reminder to push through these moments of negativity. We all know that these times will come upon us. I challenge you to be resilient and not back down when you’re at these low points, as well as to remember the lows when you’re at your high points.

Finally, I believe that you should never let your past moments define who you are but remember them and use them to drive what you do today. 

Cheers boys.