StudyPass - Session 3

There are a lot of strategies I want to share with you this year ... specific actions to help you achieve outstanding results this year.



You see, this coaching isn't just about creating results in your study ... it's about creating results in any area of your life.



Consider this coaching as your opportunity to personally test drive these peak performance strategies ... to apply them in your study and to see what you are capable of .... to see what is possible when you align your vision, your intentions, and your actions.





Create your AIM for the year ...



Do you know exactly what you want to achieve in your study this year?



The first step to achieving any result in your life is actually quite easy ... it is simply to get clarity on what the result actually is!



As absurd as this sounds, it is the main reason why most people don't achieve the results they wish for in their life ... They don't have clarity on what they intend to create. By clarity I mean a specific statement of intention that defines the result they want to achieve.



If you haven't written a clear AIM for your studies this year, then you haven't taken the easiest and most important step in this process.



Writing a clear AIM for your studies this year might not seem like a significant step. Please don't make the mistake of skipping this step.



This coaching is designed to build your results one step at a time. It only requires you to take a small step each time. But the accumulated results of those small steps is huge.



How to write your AIM ...



Your AIM your studies this year is your long term goal. Consider these AIMS written by students ...



"I want to do well in Maths this year"

"I want to pass NCEA Level 1 this year"



The first problem with these AIMS is that they are wishes not goals. "I want ..." is just a wish. These statements have little punch to them as they don't imply any commitment.



"I will ... " is better because it has more commitment. However because it is still stated as a future event, it is not as powerful as it could be. When you say "I will ..." there's always room for a little voice of doubt ... because anything could happen to derail your efforts.





1. State your goals in the NOW.



"I have" and "I am" are stated in the present. Stating your goals as if they have already happened is not delusional ... it's simply the fastest way of getting to your goals. Your actions then have to catch up with the place you are committed to being.



So, when you write your goals make sure you state them in the present using words such as "I have ..." and " I am ...". Whenever you read them, read them AS IF they are already achieved.



From this state of mind your actions will be more focused and more directed. It is from this place that you create outstanding results.



2. Make your goals S.M.A.R.T.



An effective goal needs to be Specific: It needs to state the goal clearly.



It needs to be Measurable: "I want to do well in NCEA" is not measurable as it does not clearly define what "do well" actually means. How would you measure that? It would also mean different things to different people.



The goal needs to be Acheivable and Realistic: You should see the goal as within your reach. But be careful not to sell yourself short. Your goals should stretch you ... they should make you feel a little uncomfortable because they imply a commitment that will test you.



Your goal should have a Timeline. Without a deadline the goal doesn't actually exist, as it could be pushed out into the future indefinitely. Make sure each goal has a date against which it can be measured.



An example of a S.M.A.R.T goal stated in the present:





I have gained a minimum of Merit grades
in all my NCEA Level 1 assessments and Excellence in 20% of my
assessments as stated in my 2009 NZQA results received January 2010.



This goal is stated in the present (I have ...). It is Specific (Merit, Excellence), Measurable (minimum ... 20%), It would be Achievable and Realistic for a student, and it has a Timeline (January 2010).





Obviously this goal would vary for different students. For some, this goal may not be realistic ... for others, it might not be enough of a stretch.



The point is however a statement like this is so much more powerful than a loose statement such as "I want to do well in NCEA this year".





Your efforts will make a difference ...



You may have tried this exercise in the past ... it may not have worked for you. If so, I am asking you to give it another try.



The difference is that this year I am willing to coach you throughout the year to help make this goal a reality. But I can't do it for you. You need to take some action.



Follow the instructions above and write your AIM on paper now. Set yourself a target for the year against which you can measure yourself.



When you have, I encourage you to print it and put it on the wall. It is such a simple yet powerful strategy for aligning your actions this year.



I have one last step in this goal setting process to share with you. After that I want to share with you the most cunning study strategy I know. Most of the top student's use this strategy all the time without even realising it. When you know how to use it it will virtually guarantee you improve your study effectiveness by 200 - 300%.



Sound too good to be true? I promise you it's not.



If you haven't done so already, please take a moment to write your AIM for your study this year. Just follow the steps above.

Until our next communication.

All the best

Geoff Peterson
StudyPass


Š 2009 Growing Minds Ltd




Growing Minds, PO Box 633, Christchurch, Canterbury 8140, NEW ZEALAND