American civil rights leader Dr Martin Luther King, Jr, made his unforgettable "I have a dream" speech during a mass rally in Washington in August 1963. His dream was that black children would be able to attend class with white children, living out the belief that "all men are created equal". 

It was this dream that drove Martin Luther King to campaign vigorously on behalf of black Americans for the fulfillment of the promise, under the constitution, that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. His persistence and tireless efforts won him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

We all wish to fulfil our dreams - dreams, or ideals, are the road signs pointing the way ahead. Young people should have hope for the future and set goals in life. Not all of our ideals may come to fruition, but they add colour to our lives. Ideals may alter as we grow up, or need adjusting as circumstances change.

Always a price to pay

An ideal is something we should all long for, and set our minds on achieving. At times, it may be a struggle, but it will be worth the effort. In real life obstacles and limitations are often placed in our path. Choosing between ideal and reality is our test.

So, pursuing an ideal without regard to reality will inevitably lead to disappointment. And submitting to reality without an ideal will make life stagnant and meaningless.

There is always a price to pay in pursuing an ideal. It needs a measure of persistence. Just look at the many great scientists and inventors throughout history. They suffered setbacks and encountered many difficulties and limitations in exploring the mystery of our universe and in developing their inventions.

If they had submitted to "reality", the seemingly commonplace items we have today, such as the aeroplane, television and personal computer would still be a dream, and the development of science and technology and human civilisation would have come to a standstill.

Take every chance to learn

In pursuing an ideal, we must first examine the conditions for it to become reality; understand the obstacles ahead and think carefully how we can equip ourselves to meet the requirements; and then have the ability to overcome the obstacles.

For example, when choosing employment, if we only look at the job we desire without considering whether it suits our character or abilities, and without taking the initiative to find out how we should equip ourselves, it will be an empty exercise.

If we have only a vague idea about employment and dream how meaningful and successful life will be when we get the job, we are not pursuing our ideal, but simply day-dreaming.

Young students should have the courage to explore the unknown and pursue their ideals. They should be pragmatic and diligently equip themselves for the future. Colonel Yang Liwei, China's first astronaut, once said, "Opportunities are for those well-prepared."

So, take every chance to learn within or outside the school and move steadily ahead in your pursuit of ideals. Success is unlikely to come at the first attempt.  But persevere, it will come eventually.

This is an excerpt from Permanent Secretary for Education & Manpower Fanny Law's online column Letters to Youth - Learning to Live a Meaningful Life posted on the Education & Manpower Bureau website.