A Creature for Goals
School, like most other things, is made for goals. Not every student thinks of
it this way--in terms of planning, tracking progress, making adjustments. If they
want to do well, however, they need to start. And so do you.
Once you slide on the goal hat, your brain changes. It scans the environment
differently, picking up cues and clues that you didn't see before. It approaches
problems differently, looking for a way around and not reacting with
frustration.
Instead of letting the world zip by without notice, your brain snaps into action
and works, almost subconsciously, to help you succeed.
Imagine you've just stepped outside your front door, ready for a stroll around
the neighborhood. There is no plan, no goal. You just walk forward. When you hit
an intersection, you go whichever way feels better.
Without a plan, even only a whiff of a goal, you are heading for trouble. You
could get lost. You could wander into dangerous areas. You could go so far out
that you're too tired to come back in.
When you wander, you're at the mercy of chance and the world. This is true from
finding your love in life to passing your college exams.
Don't approach school as a neighborhood stroll. Don't wait to be hit with good
news or bad. Instead, approach it as you would a timed puzzle. Set a concrete
goal, form a plan, and start the ball rolling. If things don't go well--if you
don't solve the puzzle--change your plan and dive back in.
How you think about school is crucial. To get motivated, to get value out of any
tips you find here, you need to have the right mindset. You need to look at
succeeding in school as a matter of goals with all their fixings.
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