Have you ever heard of the myth about the pot of gold that is hidden at the end of a rainbow? It is an old myth that comes from Irish culture. According to the legend, there are small mythical creatures called Leprechauns that collect gold and hide it so that humans have no chance of finding it. One of the Leprechauns’ favourite hiding places is at the end of a rainbow.
So, why would it be so difficult to find something at the end of a rainbow? The reason why it would be impossible to find anything at the end of a rainbow is a little more scientific than the myth itself.
Rainbows are formed by a process of refraction and reflection. Although the resulting phenomenon appears to be an arc of colourful light, it is truly circular in shape. When viewed from a position of height, for example, from an airplane, a rainbow will appear as a circle. Since circles do not truly have an end, it would not be possible to find something that has been hidden at a circular object’s ‘end’. In addition to this, the rainbow is a type of optical illusion that does not really have a fixed position. This means that its position changes when you move so that no matter how quickly you travel towards it, it will never get closer to you than it was in the beginning.
Mac Anderson, a motivational speaker, once said “Dream big dreams, but never forget that realistic short-term goals are the keys to your success.”
For many of us, the celebration of the beginning of a new year involves creating a list of resolutions. New year’s resolutions refer to a series of goals that are set to be achieved by an individual during the course of the upcoming year. Resolutions are important because they can help to build a plan that focuses specifically on improving yourself and correcting personal areas that are holding you back from your true capabilities. Having a list of resolutions also means that you are more easily able to track your own progress.
On the other hand, a set of poorly set resolutions can actually damage your ability for progress. If you have noticed that you are unable to achieve most of the goals that you set for yourself every year, then it might mean that you need to reevaluate the method that you use to set your goals.
Ensure that your aims are realistic and achievable. Focus on building healthy habits instead of setting a large goal with no framework on how to achieve it. For instance, instead of just asking yourself to score an ‘A’ in every subject that you are studying, ask yourself to study for at least two hours a day. If you are able to build a habit of studying regularly, you will automatically be able to attain the grades that you want.
Also, make sure that the goals you set are things that you truly want to achieve, and not things that you are being pressured to do. It is always difficult to spend your time and energy working on something, when deep inside, you are aware that it is not something that you want to do. A big part of setting your goals should be ensuring that you prioritise what is healthy and desirable for you, and not what you simply believe you should be doing.
The new year is a fresh start for the entire world. Make it your priority to make use of this opportunity to the best of your ability.
