Academic Task 2 writing model in response to a question faced in Sydney in April 2012

Posted on 16 May 2012 by Ryan

(This question taken from IELTS-Blog.com.)

Some people consider thinking about and planning for the future to be a waste of time.  They argue that people should simply live in the moment.  Do you agree or disagree?  Use at least one personal example in your response.

The merits behind attempts people make to guess, alter or control the future are often contested.  Many counter that people should make efforts to live in the moment.  However, I feel that people ought to think regularly about the future and adhere to a plan for their life and career.  To illustrate this, the heightened probability of goal achievement and the benefit derision that occurs when one is prepared for the unknown will be analyzed in this essay.

For one, people are much more likely to achieve their professional targets if they make plans.  Education’s connection to the working world plays as a good example here.  If a person plans to become a doctor, they must put into place a comprehensive plan for their education.  Were they to just ‘live in the moment’, their vocational hopes would fall by the wayside and never be realized.  As this example shows, thinking about the future is necessary practice that all people with goals should engage in.

In addition to this, regular meditation on the future can help a person position themselves to benefit from upcoming changes to their lifestyle.  For instance, before I came to China, I took the time to study the Chinese language.  Because I had the foresight to do this, my transition to life in China was much smoother.  Thus, as my personal experience makes clear, preparing oneself for the future can help a person reap additional benefits that a ‘live in the moment’ mentality cannot.

It is for these reasons that I feel people who commit time to thinking about the future stand to gain in ways other people do not.  Thus, everyone the world over would be best to commit themselves to this lifestyle practice.

 

About Ryan

I have been developing online IELTS training resources for over 10 years. For more information about me and how I can help your preparation for the IELTS, please email me: ryan@ieltsielts.com
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One Response to Academic Task 2 writing model in response to a question faced in Sydney in April 2012

  1. George Andrews says:
    17 May 2012 at 7:16 am

    Many people believe that setting goals for the future and making plans to achieve them is beneficial for succeeding in life. However, there is another line of thought which advices people to lead a meaningful and effective life in the present and not bother much about the future. I reckon that a close examination of both the perspectives is necessary to decide the better view of life.

    On the one hand, having a definite plan for the future is a great motivating factor for people to work harder and achieve their goals. To be precise, it would prompt people to think about their own abilities and make an extra effort to realise their dreams. For example, if a high school student dreams of becoming a doctor he may have to work harder than other students to qualify for a medical school. The plan for his future would prompt him to go an extra mile to attain his aim. This would mean that planning for the future is not an unreasonable idea.

    On the other hand, in many instances planning for the future, they believe, is not very sensible and many unforeseen events in life can turn things against one’s plan. For instance, people often plan their future and make huge investments in terms of money and other resources. It is likely that many of these plans do not work according to people’s designs and, as a result, they can feel distressed.

    In conclusion, an analysis of both the views seems to present elements of practical points for a meaningful life. Nonetheless, I am inclined to favour the idea that it is unnecessary to bother much about the future because of the uncertainties life can offer. Making the most out of the opportunities available each day is the ideal way to safeguard people from being overly anxious about the future.

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