Most people who know me now would say I’m an organised person who sets high goals and works hard to achieve them. This was not always the case. At high school I had a bit of a headspace problem and also a bit of an attitude problem. I was also disorganised and lacked concentration and motivation. Is this teenager the same person I am now? How did I change things around?
Changing your headspace is a tricky thing. It’s best not to try and find the elusive “Motivation” to do it, to give yourself a reason to make changes or remind you of the consequences of what might happen if you fail to do it.
It’s best just to… well… simply do it!
Start by faking a new headspace. Pretend you’ve changed it. Do things you wouldn’t ordinarily do, like sitting down and not getting up until the assignment is done.
Don’t overthink it, or you will talk yourself out of it. Do it!
Be cautious of saying to yourself, “You got a crap report last term, the pressure is on to do better or you won’t be able to go to Uni”. This is negative thinking and will only make you feel like you can’t do it. And none of us cope well with that kind of pressure.
Don’t even MENTION last term’s report when thinking of the future. Actually, don’t think of the future at all, as that involves its own set of pressures. Think about what you are doing NOW!
Simply say to yourself, “What do I need to do right now? What small system can I put in place, or what item on my list can I tick off right now?” And then prove to yourself that you can do it.
Don’t be a talker.
Be a do-er.
Interesting, Becky. I see you run classes for girls, great stuff! All I can say about my own schooling is that I found it mostly irrelevant to life, and it was the teachers that had an attitude towards me, because I kept questioning stuff. My reports got worse each passing year. But it didn’t stop me getting a distinction in several subject at uni, because I wanted to be there……and I was treated with respect.
Absolutely, Pat!
I have a philosophy I share with the kids I work with: that some things are just a FOL (Fact Of Life) and that you just have to do to get through to your goal… once you are at Uni yes, things become easier and you naturally become more interested and focussed. My goals are to get kids through the short term hassles of school and sometimes that means swallowing a bitter pill and just doing stuff.
There are also a lot more pathways subject-wise for kids at school nowadays, which give them much more options to do topics that are more relevant to their particular lives and learning styles, as we are all so different. Having the resilience to work through difficulties and hang on in there is a wonderful trait to develop!