Hey Smart Students!
I just wanted to drop a couple quick notes and wish you all a super happy holidays and a very merry Christmas.
I was just about to leave for Christmas Eve dinner when I got an email that I felt the need to respond to. I started to write it as an email but I realized that this message can probably help all of us in some way or another. (I forget it myself all the time.)
I’m going to publish it here and leave it up to you whether or not it’s worth sharing.
The message that prompted this came from a hard working student that had a couple rough semesters in the past. These days his grades still haven’t fully recovered but they’re back on track. Here is the message I wanted to share with him:
Do you know that feeling you got when you were young and couldn’t wait for Christmas?
Yea… Sure… We all know those holiday, family, and religious things but I’m talking about the more fun one when you’re younger.
I’m talking about the gifts! 😛
Those were the Christmas moments I want you to think of.
Do you know that anticipation you felt a week before Christmas? (At least if you’re lucky.)
You know something awesome is going to be coming but now you have no choice but to wait… and wait… and wait…
Okay… maybe you didn’t just wait.
I know I used to BEG my parents for early gifts. “Can I just open ONE gift?”
And I’d almost always get a definite no. (Or something about Santa only coming on Christmas…)
Does any of this sound familiar?
Anyway…
Think about that feeling.
That is the same situation you are in with your grades.
Christmas is coming.
You know in a few months your grades will improve. You know in a few years they’ll be even better.
You’re now playing the waiting game.
Sure… you’ve got to keep up your good habits or you’ll end up with a lump of coal but you’re on the right path.
You can beg and plead with your study strategies. You can try to perfect every second of your schedule. You can adjust your day to be even more efficient. It may work but you can’t make a dramatic improvement without giving it time. Christmas can’t come earlier.
Here is the thing…
You don’t need to torture yourself to make Christmas come sooner. It is on its way.
Know that when the results show up, they’re going to be every bit as amazing as you’re imagining.
Enjoy the anticipation.
Most of your life is going to be this kind of anticipation. Revel in it.
If you’ve done the work to get yourself on the right path, patience is your next most important step. You can’t plant a seed and expect it to be full grown the next day. Life doesn’t work like that.
You’ve got this under control. Santa is coming with a bag full of presents for you.
Have you ever sabotaged your success doing this silly little thing?
Ever procrastinate?
You only procrastinate the stuff that sucks. You don’t say, “Ahhh… I’ll read that text from my crush later.” Nope. Now… Any pause is intentional and coordinated to respond better.
Here is the problem with academics:
You probably think most academic stuff sucks – at least a little. (Especially compared to other things you could be doing.)
And the thing is:
FORCING YOURSELF TO STUDY JUST MAKES IT WORSE!
You’re slowly hardening your association of school and being miserable.
You need to create positive associations with academics. You want your brain to be getting hyped up and positive when you’re thinking about studying and giving into this internal oligarchical instinct to force yourself to studying – ain’t helpin’.
Chill the internal dictator for a moment…
A big secret: You need to STOP forcing yourself to study so much.
But, if you’re not forcing yourself then how are you going to see those killer straight-a’s that you’re always dreaming about?
WAKE UP!
Get your copy of my book about How To Get Happier Straight A’s.
It only costs $4.99 (and if these strategies don’t work like magic like it has for thousands of other students then you can get a full refund.)