Taking Charge of your Destiny

Key Strategies for Student Success

Goals For This Workshop
• To explain the importance of being self-
motivated.
• To show how each person can attain self-
motivation.
• To explain the link between thoughts and
actions.
• To show you easy ways to control your
actions through controlling your
thoughts.
 Individual Activity
• If you will be a Superhero, who would it be?
• What will be your power?
 Your Best Guess

• What do you think

students report as
causes of their
failure?

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#1 Problem

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 Technology “Addiction”
• Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, checking cellphone
to check fb, checking email turns into surfing for
hours, video games, sports, news, Instagram,
movies, TV series, refreshing social accounts,
posting photos, using internet on phone during
lectures, while eating, after classes, before
sleeping, while sleeping…

• Waste average 24 hrs/wk

• 40 – 50 hrs/wk not unusual
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 Student Generated Strategies
1. Set Dal.ca as homepage
2. Use limiters, blockers
3. Use different browser when studying
4. Turn off fb notifications esp on cell
5. Set an alarm when time to stop
6. Leave laptop at home, in case
7. Go to library; go to place with no internet
8. Remove distractions from home screen
9. Remove automatic logins
10.Read a real book
11.Print off assignments
12.Stop posting photos
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 Our Strategy
• Absolutely all technology off and in book
bag on floor
• Supported by research:
– Multitasking reduces processing and
memory of primary information
– Technology interferes with learning of
others
(Junco, 2012; Sana et al, 2013)

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 Which is best for you
For you?
NO CELLPHONE POLICY or NO POLICY

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#2 Too Much Socializing

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 Too Much Socializing
• Waste average 21 hrs/wk (10 – 60 hrs)

• Hanging out with friends

• Studying with friends
• Drinking and wasting entire weekend
• Can’t say no—fear losing friends
• Staying out too late
• Can’t say, “I have to go.”
• Driving others
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Student Generated Strategies to Reduce
Socializing
1. Schedule posted at desk; shared with friends
2. Social time scheduled
3. Recognition that sacrifices are necessary
4. Surround self with serious students
5. Social date as motivator; set alarm to leave
6. Ask prof for help rather than friends
7. Shut off fb
8. Plan fun activity Sat morning to reduce drinking

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How can you help yourself to reduce time-wasters & manage time more
effectively in your classroom, in your courses, or in the program?

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#3 Sleep Problems
• Sleeping pills, energy drinks,
caffeine
• Sleep with cells and laptops
• Can’t get up in morning
• Sleep deprived
• Can’t fall asleep
• Nap for hours

• Waste 14 hrs/wk average

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 Sleep Hygiene
1. Healthy food; not at bedtime
2. “Breakfast makes you smarter”
3. Exercise instead of napping
4. Go to bed and get up at regular time
5. Plan fun activities for weekend mornings
6. Follow schedule to avoid cramming and all-nighters
7. Shut off technology 1 hr before bedtime
8. Alarm on other side of room
9. Wear a watch
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Lack of Motivation & Commitment
The root of most problems.

1. Demands of college/university are a shock.

2. High school was easy and/or they simply did
what they were told.
3. They aren’t equipped for the delayed
gratification.
4. Have little idea of how their studies will lead to a
rewarding life.
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Dreamboard

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 Motivational Strategies
1. Dreamboard
2. Remember priorities
3. Tell friends I failed and can’t fail again
4. Recall look on parent’s face when told of failure
5. Post good marks, encouraging feedback
6. Compete; hang out with good students
7. Aim higher
8. Dream about my future and the life I want
9. Positive self talk
10.Talk with profs and professionals who can inspire
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 Discussion
• What can you do with your commitment,
enthusiasm and motivation for your
course?

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 Why Strive To Become Self-Motivated?

• It puts you in control:

– You will not have to wait for someone else to
motivate you to be a success!
• Not Procrastinating=Less stress!
• You will feel better about yourself:
– You will no longer see yourself as a lazybones.
– You won’t have to feel guilty for not doing what
you know that you should do!
 Personal Reflection Questions

Does your GPA reflect your intellectual ability?

– If not, why?

– What changes must be made (by you

and not by others) so that your GPA
WILL reflect your ability?
 Personal Reflection
Questions
• What are two things you’re MOTIVATED to
do?

• What are two things you WANT to do but

are not MOTIVATED to do?

• Why are you MOTIVATED to do the first

two, but not the last two?
 Everyone Is Motivated
To Do Something:
• You can no longer say that you are not
motivated!
• Most people are not motivated to do a
difficult or “uninteresting” activity.
– They are motivated to obtain the result of the
unpleasant activity.
• Example: Do you take cough medicine because you
like it, or because you are motivated by the desired
result?
 Everyone Is Motivated
To Do Something:
• If you are not motivated to do something, you
either:
– Have not figured out what you want out of the
activity.
– Do not value what the activity will produce.
– Are focused on short term thinking instead of long
It is Your
term thinking.
Responsibility To
Figure Yourself Out
 Personal Reflection Questions
What Is The End Result That You Are After?
• Why did you decide to go to college?
• What are three things that you are
looking to accomplish by getting your
degree?
 The Pitfall of Excuses
• Unsuccessful people often have good reasons for
not hitting their goals: Work Challenges, Children
to Care For, etc.
• Successful people use those same reasons as
their motivation:
– I can not give up, or I will be stuck in this dead end job
forever!
– I have to study harder so that I can properly care for
my children!
Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure. -Don Wilder
 The Pitfall of Excuses
Have You Ever Made One Of These
Excuses For Not Studying?
• Something more important has come up.
• My family is inconsiderate and always bothers me while I
study.
• I work more hours than most other students.
• I can learn this stuff in no time!
• Studying won’t really matter because I am not going to be
able to understand it anyways.
• I do not understand what the professor wants me to do.
• My life is out of control!
 The Cycle of Motivation
This is GREAT! I can’t wait Renewed
to try it! resolve!!!

The thrill is Cram time!

gone.
 How To Get Out of the Cycle
Do it anyway, and you will get MOTIVATED!

You do not feel your way into right acting; you act
your way into right feeling…
 No More Excuses!
Be Proactive!

Take control of your time and stop letting your time control
YOU!

Get positive!

Take control of your mind and stop letting your

mind
control YOU!
Don’t Confuse Bad Decision Making With Destiny!
It is time to
 Take Control of Your Mind
Think of Your Brain As a Computer

Studies Have Shown That Your Brain

NEVER Tries To Prove You wrong!

Just like a
computer, your
brain will simply
run the program it
is given.
 Take Control of Your Mind
Think of Your Brain As a Computer
When you say that you CAN’T do
When
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run the “WHY?” Program. Into Your Mental Computer
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wisely! In!
 Take Control of Your Mind
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 Personal Reflection Questions

How Are You Programming Your Computer?

What are 5 negative things that you think or
say about yourself on a regular basis?
Now, rewrite them as positive statements
about yourself!

I can never make it I am taking control of

anywhere on time! I will my time. I work out
be late for my own of a calendar and
funeral! keep myself on task!
 Time To Take Action!

Three Week
It only takes 21 days to make a new habit!
Commitment:
1. Write down 1-2 specific
behaviors that you will
change
for the next three weeks?

2. Share your 3 week goal(s)

with someone close to
you and ask them to
check up on you!
 Watch your thoughts, for they
become words.
Watch your words, for
they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they
become habits.
Watch your habits, for
they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes
-Anonymous
 Need More Help Mastering Self-
Motivation?

Visit me in the office.