A personal thought from Helen Richards, who works for the Prince's Trust.

WE are all very good at meeting the needs of others.

The expectations placed on us by others can vary but are familiar to us through a lifetime of experience which starts as a child, goes through school and into our work lives.

Meeting the needs and expectations of others is very different to that of meeting our own goals.

For our own goals we often don’t have someone on our backs chasing us for results, nor do we have other people cheering us on when we do achieve.

Were you told as a child that to put your needs above others is selfish?
The most common answer is YES! Does this mean then, we reach adulthood with no idea how to prioritise our own goals, dreams and ambitions?

In reality – Very Probably!

A much wiser person than I – when discussing this subject – told me the following: 'The car maker makes the car – it is up to you to drive it carefully, put in fuel and service it regularly. Otherwise it will sit on the driveway rusting into ruin and then who will it benefit?'

This very simple analogy really helped me to see that setting your own goals isn’t selfish but the best way, to not only get where you want to be going, but also ensuring everyone who matters is taken along for the ride too.

So – what are you waiting for? MOT your progress on your own goals and dreams – are you heading towards your destination or have you broken down?

Taking care of your own journey isn’t selfish. It’s simply good car ownership!