5 Ways To Create The Right Mindset For Academic Success

Do you know what’s the most important organ in our body?

It’s our MIND. It’s the most complex organ that helps us navigate the journey of our life.

It helps us make informed (as well as impulsive) decisions. It helps us decide which path we choose when facing a dilemma. And, the manner in which we train it decides how we fare at every turn in our life.

Mindset And Academic Success:

There are innumerable quotes on success that we turn to for motivation.

“You get what you focus on.

“Don’t wait for an opportunity. Create it!”

The list is endless.

Do you know how these words impress our mind?

They turn our fantasies into tangible ideas by instilling into us the confidence and the assurance that, yes, success can be achieved. All you need to do is stay on the path, focus on your goals, accept failure as a package deal, and keep striving until you achieve success.

Thus, how we train our mind is what matters most for success in life.

How To Prepare Your Mind For Success:

Training oneself to achieve success is easier said than done. We don’t learn it overnight, but acquire it with age and experience.

There are countless stories of failure and dejection as there are perseverance, courage, and success. The difference between the two is how those, who succeeded, embraced failure as part of the game, learned from their mistakes and kept on going in spite of it all.

Let’s consider these five points that could help in creating a mindset that helps you achieve academic success.

1. Make A Beginning:

I remember my father always encouraged me as a child to take the first step despite my discomfort or fear of collapsing. Standing at the edge of a swimming pool, as I stared at the water with fear writ large in my eyes, I would hear father urging me to just jump in.  How else would I learn to swim?

Making a beginning is often the tough part. Some of us are eager and enthusiastic to dive in. But most of us worry if it’s the right decision. What if we fail? What if we hit rock bottom? How will we face it? How will we survive?

So many questions haunt us and lead us further away from the starting point. What we fail to understand is, how will we know our strength if we don’t even set about?

So, however much it frightens you, just dive in. You will learn to swim – if not today, then tomorrow, for sure!

2. Take One-Step At A Time:

We humans rarely live in the moment. We either live in the past, or wander off into the future, leaving our present in a perpetual state of disregard.

The past is history, and the future, a mystery. What we do have with us is our present—the only moment that really matters.

So, why not focus on the step we take today instead of reflecting on past mistakes or wondering how the future will unfold? The future will unfold depending upon how we mold our present.

3. Failure Is Not The End Of The World:

Accepting failure is often the toughest part of any race. People in their midlife worry about failing despite having substantial experience in life, so, for students, who have just embarked on their journey, failure can be the worst nightmare.

“The secret of life is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.”

Paulo Coelho

Yes, falling down is inevitable. We know not what lies in store for us when we set off on a new path. But, only if it’s strewn with countless hurdles will we learn to face those hurdles, overcome them, and find our destination.

The satisfaction of having faced those hurdles and coming out a winner will be the icing on the cake, you know?

So, when making a new beginning, let’s hope for the best, but let’s be prepared for the worst. Training the mind to take failure in its stride will go a long way in fighting its fear.

4. It Is Okay To Be Scared.

There’s a line from a Hollywood movie that I remind myself always, “It’s not brave if you are not scared.”

It is fear that pushes us to run to the finish line despite the competition. Acceptance of that fear as part of our attitude to win is key.

Accept the fear, the anxiety, the dissatisfaction and the dejection. Build a mindset that embraces these flaws that actually guide you towards your goals.

5. Never Compare Yourself With Others:

Do you know why horses have blinkers on their eyes? To prevent their attention from getting distracted!

Dissociating ourself from the progress made by our peers is the only way we can focus on our progress.

We are unique. Period. Our journey is different from every other soul. The time it will take us to reach our goals will vary because our approach to everything will be different, so, why the comparison? It only leads to heartache.

Let others live their life and run their race the way they want to. Let us focus on our race and give it our best.

Conclusion:

Our mind is like a horse galloping at a breakneck speed. If we fail to rein it in, it will go berserk, resulting in our downfall. But, if we train it well and take full control of it, we will be able to face every adversity, every challenge that comes our way. All we need to do is create a mindset that will help us fight and win every battle.