1 Successful students have goals

Success in academics isn't accidental. It's the result of clear objectives and consistent effort. Let's delve into the significance of goal-setting in a student's journey, and how it paves the way for academic triumph.

Goals help you set priorities and remain motivated and committed to your college success

Setting a long term goal usually leads to setting medium and short term goals

• Working through goals can help you feel more in control and can reduce stress
• Attitude is the largest factor determining success in college. Work to stay positive and surround yourself with positive people, and you’ll find you are motivated to carry out the activities that will help you succeed in your courses

Everything people do and how they do it starts with attitude

One student gets up with an alarm clock and cheerfully prepares for the day, planning to study for a couple hours between classes, go jogging later, and see a friend at dinner.

• Another student oversleeps after partying too late last night, decides to skip his first class, somehow gets through later classes fueled by fast food and energy drinks while dreading tomorrow’s exam, and immediately accepts a friend’s suggestion to go out tonight instead of studying.

Stay Focused and Motivated

One of the characteristics of successful people is accepting that life is full of interruptions and change- and planning for it.

• Staying focused does not mean you become a boring person who does nothing but go to class and study all the time. You just need to make a plan.

Some other tips for staying focused and motivated:

Think about the results of your goals, not just the goals themselves.

• Remember your successes, even small successes. Know you can succeed again. Get the important things done first. Stay focused, motivated, and concentrate on the things that matter most.

Goals vary in terms of time

Short-term goals focus on today and the next few days and perhaps weeks.

• Midterm goals involve plans for this school year and the time you plan to remain in college. Long-term goal may begin with graduating college and everything you want to happen thereafter.

Priorities

Thinking about your goals gets you started, but it’s also important to think about priorities

• The question of priority is really a question of what is more important at a specific time
• Priorities always involve time: what is most important to do right now
• Planning ahead is the single best way to stay focused and motivated to reach your goals

Write out your goals

Goals should be realistic

• Relate to your personal strengths and abilities
• Specific – don’t write “I will become a great musician”
• Have a time frame
• You should really want to reach the goal
• If you’re doing something only because your parents or someone else wants you to, then it’s not your own personal goal

Positive Attitude Characteristics

Enthusiasm for and enjoyment of daily activities

A goal is a result we intend to reach mostly through our own actions

Things we do may move us closer to or farther away from that result

• One way to prevent problems is to think about all your goals and priorities and to learn ways to manage your time, your studies, and your social life to best reach your goals

Setting goals and prioritization

Student goals are individual needs and desires, hopes and dreams, plans and schemes.

• While you are a student, you may not be actively pursuing all your goals with the same fervor, but they remain goals and are still important in your life.

Plan ahead

Planning ahead is the single best way to stay focused and motivated to reach your goals

• Start by reviewing the material and deciding how many hours of study you need
• Allow time for other activities, too, to reward yourself
• When the exam comes, you will be relaxed, know the material, know how to prepare, and feel confident

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