Happy New Year!
At the heart of many teenagers' academic struggles lie motivation and confidence. With a new year and new semester, many teens may be making New Year's resolutions/goals to "get better grades," "study more," or "be a better student."
However, as an Academic Life Coach for teens, let me tell you that simply having a New Year's Resolution or goal doesn't work. Here's why...
- goals are either too vague or too big
- goals include many factors that are outside of your control (i.e. It's impossible to control what grade you may get on an essay, yet many students focus their goals on getting an "A".)
- goals indicate what you want to achieve, but does not provide a plan on HOW to achieve it
- goals may have you start off strong, but interest/motivation wanes without a clear action system in place
Try making WELL-DESIGNED ACTIONS (WDAs) instead!
Well-Designed Actions focus on the process and effort of working toward what you want.
A WDA meets these 4 criteria:
1. It is stated in the positive.
2. Getting started and the success (or failure) of the action depends entirely on you.
3. It has a good size to time ratio that gets you moving into action and keeps you moving at a comfortable pace.
4. It is specific and measurable.
Examples:
Goal: To get better grades this semester.
WDA: To study the entire review sheet TWO days before the actual test date and write down specific questions to ask my teacher before the test.
Goal: To not forget stuff.
WDA: To use my planner every day in every class. If no homework, write "no homework."
Goal: To get my homework done earlier.
WDA: To log out of and turn off all social media notifications on weekdays until all homework is completed.
The biggest virtue of the Well-Designed Action is that it empowers you with the full control of the success or failure of the action. Learning to break down bigger goals into smaller action steps within your control is less stressful. It helps you motivate toward what you want while building confidence along the way! It's about creating a specific action system that works well for you.
"Action is the foundational key to all success." - Pablo Picasso
"It is no use saying 'We are doing our best.' You've got to succeed in doing what is necessary." - Winston Churchill
What specific actions are necessary for you to accomplish your goals this semester?
What is your WDA this week?
What worked well last semester?
What didn't work?
What is your vision for this semester and what action can you do this week to start making your vision a reality?
I hope this helps! :-)
-Hayden Lee
Certified Academic Life Coach for Teens
haydenleealc.com
email: hayden@haydenleealc.com