Humans are inherently social creatures. They live in communities that help shape them as individuals. A community can hold you together and help you succeed and vice versa. All these factors play a role in shaping a person’s interests, opinions, and ultimately the trajectory that their life takes.

It is difficult to be ambitious when surrounded by unmotivated people and, similarly, a lack of “do-ers” can hold you back. In Pakistan, philanthropy thrives, more so on an individual level rather than a governmental one. I truly believe that a person aiming to make the world a better place by doing humanitarian work has many of the fundamentals sorted.

On a personal level, within my community, I have seen people without ample means get treated at Shaukat Khanum Hospital and LRBT, for example. On an immediate level, in 2015 my village became inundated with water after severe floods, causing countless people to lose their homes. A single Facebook status prompted a number of donations from friends and family, which helped rehabilitate numerous people, showing how communities play a key role when one is aiming to be a contributing member in any way possible.

Look closely and you will find NGOs and people working on an individual level who will not only inspire you but actually assist you. Having said that, Pakistan has numerous unsung heroes who had to make do with limited resources. However, they would not be at the position they are today without the people who surround them. With many a naysayer, there is always an encouraging hand willing to motivate and support.

Goal-setting isn't a lonely endeavor. The wisdom and encouragement of others helps to keep you on course and in turn increase the probability of your success. A community provides a person with practical support. Schools and colleges have counseling services, which, at times, are free of cost. These help students stay on target and achieve their academic goals. Students who have managed to get scholarships and have studied abroad try to give back to their community by being available through different platforms to guide and help carve out a route for similarly aspiring students.

An individual's effort is always the uppermost requirement to achieving goals but a community’s role is all-important too.