Hello Fellow Students.
In researching for my online tutoring system, The VTA Method, I interviewed dozens of students and asked them how they became successful so successful in school. The one thing they all had in common was their mind shift from thinking they knew they were going to succeed to knowing they were going to succeed.
Difference between Believing and Knowing you will succeed in University
Let me describe the distinction between believing and knowing. Believing you’re going to succeed at something is when you don’t exactly know how you’re going to accomplish a goal but you have the faith that you will be able to achieve it. This, in itself is a rare and highly successful way to think. Many successful students and people have this mindset and have accomplished great things by implementing this kind of mind shift.
Knowing is a little different. Knowing your going to succeed is having the same mindset that you will be able to achieve your goal BUT having a fully laid out plan to accomplish said goal. So believing you’re going to succeed is having faith that you will be getting an A on a paper, knowing you’re going to succeed is having all the research, brainstorming and essay outlines completed and refined ready to be used to write an amazing paper. You first need to believe before you know, and knowing requires quite a bit of testing and refinement, but once you know it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.
Applying your Mind Shift in University
So to apply this to school and life in general, I have a little exercise that I’d like you to go through. I swear it will only take a minute and the exercise will determine whether you are at a believing or knowing stage in your life.
Everyone’s life can be broken down into three main components: Past, Present and Future. In the past you had certain patterns of though and behaviour that you just did day after day that have gotten you to wherever you are right now. If you’re not happy with where you are right now, some of those patterns and behaviours didn’t serve you as they produced or assisted in the manufacture of the problems you have right now.
I really can’t help you with your past, other than to say, don’t let your past define your future.
Present: What I would like you to do is write down a few of those problems so you become conscious of them. I want you to delve deep into your sub-conscious right now and try to get at issues that you’ve always known were a problem but have never consciously admitted to yourself yet.
As an example:
- I didn’t pay my taxes from two years ago and am concerned about it.
- I haven’t liked the way a friend of mine has been treating me, but I don’t tell him how I feel and continue to hang out with him.
- I haven’t been putting together a good plan to stay on top of my readings even though I’ve had many opportunities and ample time to do so.
Present: Next, what are some of the things you are doing right now to stop you from solving those problems. BE HONEST!
Example:
- I have a fear that the taxes I’ll have to pay will be incredibly high, therefore I’m not paying attention to the problem even though every day I wait, the problem is probably becoming much worse.
- I haven’t had enough self confidence and self-respect to confront this person. I don’t actually like this person but he seems so cool that I continue to hang out with him.
- I haven’t put together a good reading schedule because I feel like I’ll do an alright job at doing the readings without the plan, even though I know deep down that I really won’t.
Future: What are some of the things you need to do right now in order to get to the place in which you are solving those problems? You probably know what some of those things are right now but never really engaged them consciously. I’d like you to sit down and write down some of the reasons why you fear the solutions to your problems. Next, take a minute to think about whether those fears are really all that bad.
Now I want you to write down what you need to do RIGHT NOW to solve each problem. Try to write down 5 steps for each problem you face in order of importance, if you can’t come up with 5 points, write down multiple ways in which you can solve those problems. Now I want you to pick the first step and do it immediately, I don’t care if its 3 in the morning do it now. Most of the time it will only be a 5 minute activity like sending an email or making a quick plan. Next I want you to do the second thing on the list tomorrow before noon. Do not check your email, check your facebook, or any other version of procrastination until you’ve accomplished the second step in your plan. This will move you from a believer to a knower. If you can conquer this system you will be in an infinitesimal minority and your success in school and life will undoubtedly change.
If you need help with this your VTA online tutor will be able to help you out with this. If you don’t have an online tutor, I would highly suggest you check out the VTA Method as my program is jam packed full of these types of mental mind shifts and we have tutors that can bring you through step by step in order to conquer any academic problem you might have.
Anybody want to share their own problems with the group? Throw your problems down in the comments section and I might be able to give you some advice on your mind shift.
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Online Tutoring Program
