As finals are approaching, I find myself staring at the huge workload in front of me, and aching to find the motivation to tackle the tasks in front of me.

I find myself wondering what is the point behind all of this? What is the point of trying so hard?

At times like this, I forget the reason why I started in the first place. It becomes hard for me to get out of bed every day to meet the seemingly endless tasks of the day. I forget why I stay up late till early mornings working on homework assignments. I end up staring at my laptop… thinking: "Why?" I forget the point behind trying so hard.

I found myself feeling this way today. At the point of writing this article, I also have five other essays to write for my classes. When a stressful situation like this happens, I like to center myself. One way I center myself is by defining and remembering my "why."

What exactly is this "why" I am talking about? It is the reason why I started this all in the first place. It is the motivation that keeps me going. My "why" reminds me that the work in front of me is important because it is allowing me to ensure that my future self thrives. Every ounce of effort I pour into the work in front of me is to help me reach a goal. The goal for me is broad — my goal ensures that my future self looks back at this moment without regret.

I know that by abandoning my work, I will in a sense, be abandoning my future self. If I decide not to write that final essay, I will get a low grade in that class, which will lower my GPA. If my GPA tanks, I am less likely to get into the graduate school of my dreams. I will also look back at my work and know I could've done better. I know that just by trying my best, I will be protecting my future self. I will be making sure that she has the best opportunities to thrive, and that she doesn't have to carry around regret for not doing the best she could've done.

Each essay I write, the more I will be fighting for my future. This mentality, while it may be silly, keeps me going. Even though the work may seem simple on a surface level, it eventually adds up. I know that the work I do today has meaning, even though it may feel small. The harder I try, the better I do in school, and the better I do in school, the more likely I am to get the job of my dreams. All of this is meant to help me reach the goal of thriving.

Success doesn't come from slacking. It comes from hard work. This is no shortcut to success. So, with this understanding, I am going to do the best I can, knowing that by doing so, I am taking care of my future self.