Academic Survival

Discovering Self-Motivation

Presentation based on:

Downing, Skip. On Course: Strategies for Creating
Success in College and Life, 3rd Ed.
 Self-Motivation
Successful Students Struggling Students

 Discover their dreams  Have little sense of

providing them with a purpose, passion, or
passionately felt life drive in their lives.
purpose and consistent
motivation.
 Self-Motivation
Successful Students Struggling Students

Commit to their dreams, Wander aimlessly from one

visualizing the successful activity to another.
creation of their ideal
future.
 Self-Motivation
Successful Students Struggling Students

Design a compelling life plan, Tend to invent their

complete with purposeful lives as they live them.
long- and short-term goals.
Discover Your Dreams
1. What roles have you chosen for your life?

2. What dreams do you have for each role?

Creating Inner Motivation
What is YOUR life all about?

What will catapult you out of bed each morning and keep
your energy surging throughout the day?

What will give you peaceful, contented sleep at night?

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING THIS LIFE !

What do you want to have, do, and be???

Committing to Your Dreams
1. Commit YOURSELF to your dream. When you
commit to your dreams, you program your brain to
look for solutions to your own problems and you
stay committed to your dream even when times are
rough.

2. Visualize Your Dream

a. Relax
b. Use present tense – Imagine yourself
experiencing success NOW.
c. Use all five senses.
d. Feel the feelings of YOUR success.
Design A Compelling Life Plan

Goals help make dreams become realities.

They provide a game plan by which your life can

be scripted.
 Goal Setting: DAPPS
Effective goals display five characteristics:

1. Dated – Specific deadlines for achievement.

2. Achievable – Goals must be realistic.
3. Personal – Goals must be what YOU want for yourself-
not what someone else wants for you.
4. Positive – Goals must focus on what you want rather
than what you don’t want.
5. Specific – Goals must be stated in specific, measurable
terms.
 YOUR Life Plan

SUCCESS

YOUR LIFE ROLES

YOUR DREAMS IN EACH LIFE ROLE

YOUR LONG-TERM GOALS FOR EACH DREAM

YOUR SHORT-TERM GOALS FOR EACH LONG-TERM GOAL

Believing in Yourself:
A Personal Affirmation
What characteristics will you need to display in order
reach your goals?

Claim these characteristics by stating each of them

for yourself in the affirmative.

Live your affirmation.

 Living Your Affirmation
Live your affirmation by:
1. Realize that you already possess the qualities you desire.
2. Give power to your affirmation by repeating it over and over
until it becomes as familiar to you as your name.
3. Say your affirmation while looking at yourself in the mirror.
4. Be vigilant about other words you use to describe yourself.
5. Use your affirmation when life tests you.
6. Record your affirmation on a loop tape.