Personal and Academic Growth Achieving Academic Success Coping with the Fear of failure Suzanne (Sue) Stokes

Personal and Academic Growth

Personal & Academic Growth Goals What is your goal? For the semester? For the year? In the next 5 years? Expectations What were your expectations when you arrived here at UJ?

Personal & Academic Growth Difference What was different from what you expected? Change If you could do something differently, what would it be? Why would you like to change it?

Personal & Academic Growth Strengths What do you have within you to make that change possible? Difficulties What are some of the challenges you are currently facing?

Personal & Academic Growth Failure What does failure mean to you? How do you cope with failure? Success What does success mean to you?

Motivation

Motivation Worksheet What do you have within yourself to help you achieve your dreams, your long-term goals, short-term goals, overcome the obstacles in your path? Have you decided to succeed today? What are your strengths!?

Strengths

Strengths Worksheet Usually it is very easy for us to point out what we are not good at. But in order to understand yourself better, you need to focus on your strengths, abilities and talents! This will also motivate and help you become a successful student.

Strengths Worksheet How can you use your strengths in: – Your relationships? – In your life as a student? Homework: Complete the collage

Personal and Academic Growth

What is growth? How can you grow? Do you have an idea on how to start this journey… – What are you going to do differently – What are you going to start doing/do more of – What are you going to stop doing

Personal and Academic Growth How to set goals!? How to establish academic and personal goals? Define goal setting!! – One way to organise yourself and to get yourself moving in a positive direction.

Personal and Academic Growth How to establish your own personal goal? How to establish your own academic goal? STUDY Homework: Complete the Worksheet on Goal Setting

Achieving Academic Success Staying Motivated

How would you define studying? What is the purpose of studying? What do you do when you study? Why study? Where do you study? When do you study?

Study (verb) The act of texting, eating and watching TV with an open textbook nearby.

Achieving Academic Success Staying Motivated Curbing Distractions Phone, laptop, television etc. Inadequate planning Attempting too much Being disorganised Lack of self-discipline Inability to say “no” Procrastination Unfinished tasks Personal problems Socialising during time planned for work

Achieving Academic Success Staying Motivated Dealing with Distractions What is keeping me from achieving my goals? Why is this a distraction/waste of time? How often does it happen? What causes it to happen? What are the consequences of it?

Achieving Academic Success Staying Motivated Dealing with Distractions Be realistic about how much time you have or spend on the different aspects of your life Plan for the next day the night before Writing it down helps take it out of your head! Have a dedicated study space with minimal distractions If you get distracted by something else you need to do, make a note of it (unless it’s an emergency) and attend to it later Set definite start and finish times – begin and end as you have planned

Achieving Academic Success Staying Motivated Dealing with Distractions Allocate any unfinished work to another time – do not ignore it! Find your own pace and do what works for you Review all of your work Postpone unnecessary activities until the work is done Identify resources to assist you Use your free time wisely! Reward yourself with things you enjoy – hanging out with friends, social media, fun activities

Coping with the Fear of failure

But what if I fail? Failure is a normal part of life. Everyone will fail, but not everyone will know how to bounce back from failure. What are some of the common feelings and reactions to failure?

IDENTIFYING SYMPTOMS Mind : Agitated, overwhelmed, moody, irritable, aggressive, depressed, difficulty concentrating, anxious Skin : Skin problems like acne Joints and muscles : aches, pains, and tension Heart : Increased blood pressure, chest pains, increased heart rate, high cholesterol and risk of heart attacks Behaviours : Procrastinating, changes in appetite, increased alcohol consumption, nail biting, hyperactive, withdrawal, Stomach : cramps, reflux, nausea, diarrhoea

Common Reactions to Failure – Hopelessness – Shocked – Self-doubt – Disappointment – Anger (at self/others/situation) – Frustration – Guilt and Shame

Myths and Realities of Failure Myths: “Failure means…”Realities: “Failure means…” I am stupidSomething I am doing is not working I should give upSomething needs to change People are better than meEveryone fails There are no more options – it’s the end The option I am using is a dead end People will laugh at me and judge me and think poorly of me There is opportunity to learn and grow into a more capable person I have let everyone downOnly affects one part of your life

4 Steps to Coping with Failure Step 1: Understand what went wrong Step 2: Brainstorm ways to address the weak spots Step 3: Keep yourself motivated Step 4: Identify skills you need to develop

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