The Polymath
If you're reading this, you might have started to think the same way I did when I started to really understand my lack of success in school: academic success is not just a series of steps that you follow, it's actually more of a lifestyle choice. Here's the beautiful part - this lifestyle doesn't require a 24-7-365, ditch-all-other-life-elements approach; rather, it's about careful planning and making space for those things that matter to you. Depending on the nature those things that matter, it may mean you have a little more scheduling you need to do than students with less involved non-academic priorities. But I'm hoping we can go on a bit of trip together, one that shows that being "good at school" is holistic but can still be a helluva lot of fun.
They say the journey of a 1,000 miles starts with a single step; however, in my case, it started with a few missteps. Below is my story, how I blew myself up, and where I ended up.
I'm really hoping that the above shows you that any missteps you've had so far are all a part of your trip and really valuable learning experiences. These missteps, as fortune cookie as this may sound, sow the seeds of your future successes. This trip, or curriculum if you will, is based on my personal academic and professional experience, one that's been characterized by some meaningful highs and some lacklustre lows, and one I wouldn't trade for anything.
Let's breakdown the journey we're going to take together:
Mindset
The first goal is to understand the mindset we have towards school. Why do we think the way we do about our time in school? What can we do to make it feel like we can do this? We want to gain some meaningful insight on what the word "mindset" means and how it can hurt us and how it can help us.
Physical
As much as school is seen as a purely mental exercise, the more we study the minds and bodies of students, the more we see that the certain physical activities improve academic outcomes in a meaningful way. Let's not only focus on getting good at school but let's see if we can rope in some physical fitness in there.
Academic Tools
With your mindset primed and your body in ready to rock, this is where we get into nitty gritty of school stuff. What are some effective strategies for note-taking? How do I study for different types of tests? How should I plan my school work? All of the stuff that goes into the actual school side of things is here and ready to help you reach your potential.
Consulting
Creating a lifestyle is not something that happens alone - it requires a team and we would absolutely love to be part of that team. The last part of this process is connecting with a coach who can help you with these steps. Whether it's along the way or at the end of each stage, having a coach is crucial to the process.