- Make sure the teacher knows you care Dedication and urgency.
Make sure your teacher/professor knows who you are and what your goals are this school year. Show that you are hungry. A teacher will give you advice if you ask for it. Teachers are there for you to learn and gain knowledge. Do not be afraid to use resources. If you care they will care as well.
- Do a little extra
Go to extra help, go to study hall, go to the writing center, use all the resources your school/college gives you. If the teacher gives you odd problems to do in a workbook find a friend or classmate do the even ones and compare. Just like an extra workout extra help will go a long way. Get your essays/papers done early go to the writing center or your teacher to review and revise.
- Set goals (not just sports)
Have academic goals. It is easy to set athletic goals. What do you want your GPA to be this year? Do you want to be top in your class? Are you going to improve in math this year? Have clear academic and life goals written down and reviewed often.
- Tackle all legs of the stool (nutrition, sleep, etc.)
Get into a routine. Get your 8 Hours. But that doesn’t mean go to bed at 2am and wake up at 10pm every day. Get into good habits. Write out your diet and follow it. Stay on track. Sometimes if one thing in life is slacking it will affect the other parts of your life. Just like legs of a table, if one leg is broken the other legs have to take on the load. Especially during the season stick to your routines.
- No FOMO (fear of missing out)
No one regrets working hard. Even Dan Gable said he wished he had more discipline in some areas on his life. And that is coming from the G.O.A.T. Every one can go out and have fun that is the easy thing to do, but success people do successful things. Make the sacrifices, work hard, and set yourself for success towards your athletic, academic, and life goals.
- Start networking
Get on linked in and get connected on Facebook. Connect with acquaintances, friends, professors, classmates, etc. Sometimes it is who you know. People are willing to give you guidance and put you in the right directions. See what your peers are doing.
- Readers are Leaders
If you have trouble enjoying reading find something that interests you. Leaders are readers. Podcasts are good but there is so many philosophers and books that aren’t on podcasts. Start with a couple pages and expand to chapters at a time. Start loving to read and learn especially with things that interests you.
- Develop a system for your calendar
Have a calendar. Keep track and stay on track. Get an organized calendar and color code due dates of assignments. Especially during the season keep track of practice times, matches, tournaments, midterms, finals, etc. It helps you stay on track and develop time management.
- Growth Mindset Keep practice go and involve.
No one is every perfect. Even if you are a master at something you still need to learn, practice, and evolve. Imagine being a state champion your freshman year and not wrestling at all again until your senior year. Will you be as good 3 years later? Probably not… Keep practicing what you are good at.
- Have someone hold you accountable.
Have an accountability buddy. Someone that helps you stay on track. Sometimes you lie to yourself. An accountability buddy should let you know if you are getting further or closer to your goals. Make sure they are honest with you and most importantly be honest with yourself.
Watch our Video of 10 Back to School Mindset Tips below:
Blog by Ray Jaz (Wrestling Mindset Coach)