The 16th President of the United States, President Abraham Lincoln, is often credited with saying, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” This very statement illustrates a clear picture of staying focused on your dreams, being persistent, and never giving up, no matter what trials or tribulations might surface.
So, “Create Your Future!” How do you go about crafting a life for yourself where you’ll be happy and successful, achieving all your goals? It is possible but it boils down to your level of commitment. The Lakeland Police Department stands strong with a “Commitment to Excellence.”
Do you have what it takes to be part of the Lakeland Police Team? Many people want to create a future that’s filled with success, love, and happiness. However, when it comes down to doing what it takes to achieve their goals, they either procrastinate, don’t give it their all or simply lose interest. They set goals and forget them rather than setting goals and working tirelessly towards their fruition.
The problem is that anything in life that’s worthwhile takes a lot of work, ”commitment.” It won’t come easily by any means. If you want to create a bigger and brighter future; you must be willing to put in the time and effort.
If you’re ready to put in the work and make the sacrifices, here are the steps you need to take to create your own future. What sounds simple, as most already know, isn’t always the case.
One absolute prerequisite to “Creating Your Future,” is to first have a vision. Don’t allow others’ perceptions of what’s possible for you influence how you envision your life. Don’t allow the fear of not being able to achieve your vision to stop you. Too often, we’re compelled by fear, worry and anxiety, unable to think on the grandest scales.
What drives and compels you? Who or what do you believe in wholeheartedly with every single fiber of your being? You see, you can’t predict the future by creating it if you don’t believe in it first. That belief starts with your reasons.
It’s not enough to just have a vision and have deep-rooted reasons for wanting to achieve your vision. A vision without a plan is just a wish. You also need to create a plan. Create a plan not just for this year, but for the next five years, next ten years, etc. Being a member of the Lakeland Police Department means that you have opportunities available to you to do different things. Set goals to lateral and/or move upward within the agency.
To get from one point to the next, you need some metric for tracking and measuring your results. No matter what goal you’re after, or whatever future you’re trying to create for yourself, you need to be able to analyze the results. Without this analysis, it’s easy to get lost in the obscurity of your results, and in turn, to lose your focus. Analyzing your results also helps to give you some momentum. It’s in those small wins that we’re able to keep pushing toward creating a future from our vision.
When a vision is new, it’s exciting. It’s lustrous and shiny. But as time passes, those visions lose their allure. They’re not so exciting after months and even years. In fact, for the most part, we tend to forget about them after a while. But if you want to “Create Your Future” and design the life you envisioned, you must stay focused and committed.
Now that you have a roadmap toward your vision, and your vision is to become a Law Enforcement Officer, start “Creating Your Future.” Join the Police Department family, the family that does things RITE (Respect, Integrity, Teamwork & Excellence) …the Lakeland Police Department, where visions are encouraged and realized!!!
OFFICER RODNEY WILKERSON
Recruitment & Training Officer
rodney.wilkerson@lakelandgov.net
Office: 863.834.5915