WE ARE the future.

WE ARE the future.

This is a famous quote, affirmation, buzz word or catch phrase that is well loved by young people across the globe.

In the US, Americans thronged to a Kids Inaugural Concerts that was aptly tagged We Are The Future, which dominated the eve of President Barack Obama's inauguration.

In the Bahamas, there is an organisation that was formed and is run by young people, which is called We Are The Future. All of these projects, programmes and organisations are great youth-led initiatives, and there are countless others across the world.

I believe that we, the youth, are the future, but the world has created an environment that seems to have allowed us to postpone our potential successes.

For many years, we young people have been limited to sex, alcohol and drug abuse awareness and education, all in the name of us being the future.

Even when these awareness and education interventions are important aspects in helping the youth to become the future, we seem set to run the risk of losing out on being encouraged to dream bigger than just, or merely avoiding unsafe sex, sex before marriage, alcohol and drugs.

If we are only focused on what we are going to become tomorrow, we might just miss out on what we can be today. After having warned youngsters about the folly and futility of engaging in life-threatening situations, young people have to be challenged to stop postponing their dreams; to start doing something tangible about their dreams, and to achieve their goals, NOW!

The best way to achieve your wildest dreams and goals is by first living it, both in theory and practice.

Those who wish to become millionaires should start living like millionaires. One thing that many millionaires do is work hard, keep a highly focused mind and plan thoroughly. You too should follow suit. So, start believing this; today is yesterday's tomorrow, and tomorrow is today's tomorrow.

If we keep on postponing, tomorrow will not come. The time to act in a desired direction, towards a certain desired goal, is NOW! We are truly the future, if we begin to live the future!

lThe writer is a transport and supply chain management student at the University of Johannesburg, an emerging motivational speaker and South African ambassador of the Africa Young Leaders Forum.