Chapter 2: Planning for Success

A college education is aligned with greater success in many areas of life. While enrolled in college, most students are closely focused on making it through the next class or passing the next test. It can be easy to lose sight of the overall role that education plays in life. But sometimes it helps to recall what a truly great step forward you are taking! 

It’s also important to recognize, though, that some students do not succeed in college and drop out within the first year. Sometimes this is due to financial problems or a personal or family crisis. But most of the time students drop out because they’re having trouble passing their courses. 

In this section, we examine the elements of college success. Are there patterns of success you strive for but aren’t yet reaching? Where might you shore up your support? What strategies can you use to achieve success in your college endeavors?

How do you define college success? The definition really depends on you. You might think that “success” is earning an associate’s degree or attending classes in a four-year college. Maybe success is a bachelor’s or master’s degree or a Ph.D. Maybe success means receiving a certificate of completion or finishing skill-based training. 

You might be thinking of other measures of college success, too, like grades. For instance, you might be unhappy with anything less than an A in a course, although maybe this depends on the difficulty of the subject. As long as you pass with a C, you might be perfectly content. But no matter how you define success personally, you probably wouldn’t think it means earning a D or lower grade in a class. 

If most students believe that passing a class is the minimum requirement for “success,” and if most students want to be successful in their courses, why aren’t more college students consistently successful in the classroom?  

Perhaps some common misconceptions are at play. For example, we often hear students say, “I just can’t do it!” or “I’m not good at math,” or “I guess college isn’t for me.” But, these explanations for success or failure aren’t necessarily accurate. Considerable research into college success reveals that having difficulty in or failing in college courses usually has nothing to do with intellect.

When we think about going to college, we think about learning a subject deeply, getting prepared for a profession.  We tend to associate colleges and universities with knowledge, and we’re not wrong in that regard. 

But going to college, and doing well once we’re there, also relies heavily on our behaviors while we’re there.  Professors and college administrators will expect you to behave in certain ways, without any explicit instructions on their part.  For instance, professors will expect you to spend several hours a week working on class concepts (homework, writing, preparing for exams) on your own time.  They will not tell you WHEN to spend those hours,  but leave it up to you to recognize the need to put in the effort and schedule the time accordingly. 

According to Tobin Quereau, a long time professor of student success courses at Austin Community College, there are Seven Keys to College Success.  You can build a strong foundation for college success by implementing the following seven behaviors: 

Show Up 

• Be present mentally and physically for EVERY class. 
• Pay attention to your attention so that you stay focused during class and while studying rather than becoming distracted or daydreaming. 
• Establish a consistent, regular study schedule that takes priority over other activities. 

Be Prepared 

• Develop an accurate, realistic picture of your academic strengths, weaknesses, skills and behaviors so that you know where to put your attention and how to do your best work. 
• Make a personal commitment to have ALL of your reading and studying done prior to each class and turn ALL of your assignments in ON TIME. 
• Look ahead prior to each class to see what will be covered and skim relevant chapters of the textbook so that you can take more effective notes during class. 

Manage Your Time, Your Life, and Your Stress Levels Effectively 

• Make school a priority and keep a good balance between school, work, friends, and family. 
• Don’t let immediate pleasures get in the way of important long-term tasks. 
• Have back-up plans in place in case the unexpected happens.

Put in the Effort 

• Learning, like life, is not easy or automatic, you will need to work hard to get ahead. Plan on several hours of reading and study for each class each week to do well. 
• Be an active learner by studying regularly and learning as you go instead of putting it off until right before the exam. 
• Use effective strategies for deeper, more lasting learning rather than just memorization. 

Stay Motivated 

• Be clear about the reasons you are here and what you can gain from continuing your education now and throughout your life. 
• Set some realistic academic goals for each day and week and monitor your progress on them. 
• Make a personal commitment to stay on course even when the going gets tough. 

Seek Assistance Whenever Needed 

• You are here to learn, but you don’t need to do it alone. Make use of all the available resources: your instructors, the Learning Lab tutors, study groups, advising, etc. 
• When crisis strikes and life feels overwhelming, stay in touch with your instructor and get support from the free counseling services rather than just giving up and disappearing. 

Finally, Learn from Everything! 

• When you succeed in learning and getting good grades, pay attention to what helped and keep doing those things. 
• And when things don’t turn out as you would like, figure out what went wrong or got in the way and make appropriate changes. 
• You are responsible for your successes in life and you can improve your performance with committed effort and persistence, so give it your best and keep on learning!

Effective Learning Strategies at Austin Community College. Authored by: Heather Syrett. Provided by: Austin Community College.  Available at: https://www.oercommons.org/courseware/8434. License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License, available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

The next sections of this chapter go into depth about key behaviors that can help you display the above characteristics. These include: developing a growth mindset, engaging in self-analysis, learning how to use intention statements, identifying and changing habits, and maintaining a positive attitude.

What is the difference between a student with a growth mindset versus a student with a fixed mindset?  Students with a growth mindset believe that intelligence can be developed. These students focus on learning over just looking smart, see effort as the key to success, and thrive in the face of a challenge. On the other side, students with a fixed mindset believe that people are born with a certain amount of intelligence, and they can’t do much to change that. These students focus on looking smart over learning, see effort as a sign of low ability, and wilt in the face of a challenge. 

In a 2012 interview, Carol Dweck, author of 2006 book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, defined both fixed and growth mindsets: 

“In a fixed mindset students believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents, are just fixed traits. They have a certain amount and that’s that, and then their goal becomes to look smart all the time and never look dumb. In a growth mindset students understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching and persistence. They don’t necessarily think everyone’s the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it.”

Which student do you think has more success in college? Think about this statement: You can learn new things, but you can’t really change your basic intelligence. People who really agree with this statement have a fixed mindset. People who really disagree with this statement have a growth mindset, and, of course, people might be somewhere in the middle.  

It turns out that the more students disagree with statements like these, the more they have a growth mindset, the better they do in school. This is because students with a growth mindset approach school differently than students with a fixed mindset. They have different goals in school. The main goal for students with a fixed mindset is to show how smart they are or to hide how unintelligent they are. This makes sense if you think that intelligence is something you either have or you don’t have. 

Students with a fixed mindset will avoid asking questions when they don’t understand something because they want to preserve the image that they are smart or hide that they’re not smart. But the main goal for students with a growth mindset is to learn. This also makes a lot of sense. If you think that intelligence is something that you can develop, the way you develop your intelligence is by learning new things. So students with a growth mindset will ask questions when they don’t understand something because that’s how they’ll learn. Similarly, students with a fixed mindset view effort negatively. They think, if I have to try, I must not be very smart at this. While students with a growth mindset view effort as the way that you learn, the way that you get smarter. 

Where you’ll really see a difference in students with fixed and growth mindsets are when they are faced with a challenge or setback. Students with a fixed mindset will give up because they think their setback means they’re not smart, but students with a growth mindset actually like challenges. If they already knew how to do something, it wouldn’t be an opportunity to learn, to develop their intelligence. 

Given that students with a growth mindset try harder in school, especially in the face of a challenge, it’s no surprise that they do better in school. 

Students with a growth mindset view mistakes as a challenge rather than a wall. Many students shy away from challenging schoolwork and get discouraged quickly when they make mistakes. These students are at a significant disadvantage in school—and in life more generally—because they end up avoiding the most difficult work. Making mistakes is one of the most useful ways to learn. Our brains develop when we make a mistake and think about the mistake. This brain activity doesn’t happen when we get the answers correct on the first try.  

What’s wrong with easy? According to Dweck, “it means you’re not learning as much as you could. If it was easy, well, you probably already knew how to do it.” 

To succeed in school, tell the truth about what kind of student you are and what kind of student you want to become. Success starts with telling the truth about what is working—and what is not working— in our lives right now. When we acknowledge our strengths, we gain an accurate picture of what we can accomplish. When we admit that we have a problem, we are free to find a solution. Ignoring the truth, on the other hand, can lead to problems that stick around for decades. 

Let’s be truthful: It’s not fun to admit our weaknesses. Many of us would approach a frank evaluation of ourselves about as enthusiastically as we would greet a phone call from the bank about an overdrawn account. 

There is another way to think about self-evaluations. If we could see them as opportunities to solve problems and take charge of our lives, we might welcome them. Believe it or not, we can begin working with our list of weaknesses by celebrating them. 

Whether written or verbal, the ways that we express our self-analysis are more powerful when they are specific. For example, if you want to improve your note-taking skills, you might write, “I am an awful note taker,” but it would be more effective to write, “I can’t read 80 percent of the notes I took in Introduction to Psychology last week, and I have no idea what was important in that class.”    

Be just as specific about what you plan to achieve. You might declare, “I want to take legible notes that help me predict what questions will be on the final exam.” 

As you use the results of your self-analysis, you might feel surprised at what you discover. Just tell the truth about it. The truth has power. 

It is important for you to discover and acknowledge your own strengths as well as your areas for improvement. For many students, this is difficult to do. Some people suggest that looking at areas for improvement means focusing on personal weaknesses. They view it as a negative approach that runs counter to positive thinking. Positive thinking is a great technique. So is telling the truth, especially when we see the whole picture—the negative aspects as well as the positive ones. 

To start your self-analysis, use the following suggestions as a guideline. 

Be specific. It is not effective to write, “I can improve my communication skills.” Of course you can. Instead, write down precisely what you can do to improve your communication skills. For example, “I can spend more time really listening while the other person is talking, instead of thinking about what I’m going to say next.” 

Be self-aware. Look beyond the classroom. What goes on outside school often has the greatest impact on your ability to be an effective student. Consider your strengths and weaknesses that you may think have nothing to do with school. 

Be courageous. Self-analysis calls for an important master student quality—courage. It is a waste of time to do this if this is done half-heartedly. Be willing to take risks. You might open a door that reveals a part of yourself that you didn’t want to admit was there.  

One way of thinking about success or failure is to focus on habits. Behaviors such as ignoring reading assignments or skipping class might be habits that lead to outcomes that could not be avoided— including dropping out of school. In the same way, behaviors such as completing assignments and attending class might lead to the outcome of getting an A. 

When you confront a behavior that undermines your goals or creates a circumstance that you don’t want, consider a new attitude: That behavior is just a habit. And it can be changed. 

Thinking about ourselves as creatures of habit actually gives us power. In that way, we are not faced with the monumental task of changing our very nature. Rather, we can take on the doable job of changing our habits. One consistent change in behavior that seems insignificant at first can have effects that ripple throughout your life. Following are ways to test this idea for yourself. 

One way to put your self-analysis into action is by journaling about your behaviors and habits and then creating discovery and intention statements.

Discovery Statements 

Through discovery statements, you gain awareness of “where you are.” These statements are a record of what you are learning about yourself as a student—both your strengths and your weaknesses. Discovery statements can also be declarations of your goals, descriptions of your attitudes, statements of your feelings, transcripts of your thoughts, and chronicles of your behaviors. 

Sometimes, discovery statements chronicle an a-ha! moment—a flash of insight that results when you connect a new idea with your previous experiences, preferred styles of learning, or both. Perhaps a solution to a long-standing problem suddenly occurs to you. Or a life-changing insight wells up from the deepest recesses of your mind. Don’t let such moments disappear. Capture them in discovery statements. 

Record the specifics about your thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Notice your thoughts, observe your actions, and record them accurately. Get the facts. If you spent 90 minutes to checking your social media feed instead of reading your anatomy text, write about it. Include details. 

Use discomfort as a signal. When you approach a daunting task, such as a difficult math problem, notice your physical sensations. Feeling uncomfortable, bored, or tired might be a signal that you’re about to do valuable work. Stick with it. Write about it. Tell yourself you can handle the discomfort just a little bit longer. You will be rewarded with a new insight. 

Suspend judgment. When you are discovering yourself, be gentle. Suspend self-judgment. If you continually judge your behaviors as “bad” or “stupid,” your mind will quit making discoveries. For your own benefit, be kind to yourself. 

Tell the truth. Suspending judgment helps you tell the truth about yourself. “The truth will set you free” is a saying that endures for a reason. The closer you get to the truth, the more powerful your discovery statements. If you notice that you are avoiding the truth, don’t blame yourself. Just tell the truth about it. 

Intention statements can be used to alter your course. These statements are about your commitment to take action based on increased awareness. An intention arises out of your choice to direct your energy toward a specific task and to aim at a particular goal. The processes of discovery and intention reinforce each other. 

Even simple changes in behavior can produce results. If you feel like procrastinating, then tackle just one small, specific task related to your intention. Find something you can complete in minutes or less, and do it now. For example, access just one website related to the topic of your next assigned paper. Spend just 3 minutes previewing a reading assignment. Taking baby steps like these can move you into action with grace and ease. 

Make intentions positive. The purpose of writing intention statements is to focus on what you want rather than what you don’t want. Instead of writing, “I will not fall asleep while studying chemistry,” write, “I intend to stay awake when studying chemistry.” Also, avoid the word try. Trying is not doing. When we hedge our bets with try, we can always tell ourselves, “Well, I tried to stay awake.” 

Make intentions observable. Rather than writing, “I intend to work harder on my history assignments,” write, “I intend to review my class notes, and I intend to make summary sheets of my reading.” 

Make intentions small and achievable. Break large goals into small, specific tasks that can be accomplished quickly. Small and simple changes in behavior—when practiced consistently over time— can have large and lasting effects.

When setting your goals, anticipate self-sabotage. Be aware of what you might do, consciously or unconsciously, to undermine your best intentions. Also, be careful with intentions that depend on other people. If you intend for your study group to complete an assignment by Monday, then your success depends on the students in the group. Likewise, you can support your group’s success by following through on your stated intentions. 

Set time lines. For example, if you are assigned a paper to write, break the assignment into small tasks and set a precise due date for each one: “I intend to select a topic for my paper by 9:00 A.M. Wednesday.” 

Move from intention to action. Intention statements are of little use until you act on them. If you want new results in your life, then take action. Life responds to what you do. 

Discovery leads to awareness. Intention leads to commitment, which naturally leads to focused action. 

The processes of discovery, intention, and action create a dynamic and efficient cycle. First, you write discovery statements about where you are now. Second, you write intention statements about where you want to be and the specific steps you will take to get there. Finally, follow up with action—the sooner, the better. Then, start the cycle again. Write discovery statements about whether or how you act on your intention statements—and what you learn in the process. Follow up with more intention statements about what you will do differently in the future. Then, move into action and describe what happens next. 

This process never ends. Each time you repeat the cycle, you get new results. It’s all about getting what you want and becoming more effective in everything you do. This is the path of mastery—a path that you can travel for the rest of your life. 

Don’t panic when you fail to complete an intended task. Straying off course is normal. Simply make the necessary corrections. Consider the first word in the title of the textbook—becoming. This word implies that mastery is not an end state or final goal. Rather, mastery is a process that never ends. 

Miraculous progress might not come immediately. Do not be concerned. Stay with the cycle. Give it time. Use discovery statements to get a clear view of your world. Then, use intention statements to direct your actions. Whenever you notice progress, record it. 

It can take the same amount of energy to get what you don’t want in school as it takes to get what you do want. Sometimes getting what you don’t want takes even more effort. 

Visible measures of success—such as top grades and résumés filled with accomplishments—start with invisible assets called attitudes. Some attitudes will help you benefit from all the money and time you invest in higher education. Consider these examples: “Every course is worthwhile.” “I learn something from any instructor.” “The most important factors in the quality of my education are my own choices.” 

Other attitudes will render your investment worthless: “This required class is a total waste of time.” “You can’t learn anything from some instructors.” “Success depends on luck more than anything else.” “I’ve never been good at school.” 

You can change your attitudes through regular practice with affirmations and visualizations. 

Affirm It  

An affirmation is a statement describing what you want. The most effective affirmations are personal, positive, and written in the present tense. To use affirmations, first determine what you want, and then describe yourself as if you already have it. To get what you want from your education, you could write, “I, Malika Jones, am a master student. I take full responsibility for my education. I learn with joy, and I use my experiences in each course to create the life that I want.” 

If you decide that you want a wonderful job, you might write, “I, Peter Webster, have a wonderful job. I respect and love my colleagues, and they feel the same way about me. I look forward to going to work each day.” 

Effective affirmations include detail. Use brand names, people’s names, and your own name. Involve all of your senses—sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Take a positive approach. Instead of saying, “I am not fat,” say, “I am slender.” 

Once you have written an affirmation, repeat it. Practice saying it out loud several times a day. 

Visualize It

Here’s one way to begin. Choose what you want to improve. Then, describe in writing what it would look like, sound like, and feel like to have that improvement in your life. If you are learning to play the piano, write down briefly what you would see, hear, and feel if you were playing skillfully. If you want to improve your relationships with your children, write down what you would see, hear, and feel if you were communicating with them successfully.

Once you have a sketch of what it would be like to be successful, practice seeing it in your mind’s eye. Whenever you toss the basketball, it swishes through the net. Every time you invite someone out on a date, the person says “yes.” Each test the teacher hands back to you is graded an A. Practice at least once a day. Then, wait for the results to unfold in your life. Be clear about what you want, and then practice it. 

“Grit is the disposition to pursue very long-term goals with passion and perseverance, sustained over time. So the emphasis is on stamina.”

From: Grit, Angela Duckworth (2019), London: Vermillion.
Grit is a component seen in hard working and persevering people. Keeping a positive attitude about your potential achievements and productively struggling are traits that mostly come from within, part of a person’s self-efficacy. Self-efficacy relates to an individual’s perception of their capabilities or their belief in themselves. Individual differences in perceived self-efficacy have been shown to be better predictors of performance than previous achievement or ability and seem particularly important when individuals face adversity. Meaning, if you believe in yourself and your ability to succeed, you are likely to succeed. 

Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years, and working really hard to make that future a reality. It is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Those who possess grit are able to self-regulate and postpone their need for positive reinforcement while working diligently on a task. 

SOURCES

• “Set Yourself Up for Success” from Effective Learning Strategies at Austin Community College. Authored by: Heather Syrett. Provided by: Austin Community College.  Available at: https://www.oercommons.org/courseware/8434. License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License, available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
• OpenNow College Success. Authored by Cengage Learning. Provided by: CEngage. Available at: https://oercommons.s3.amazonaws.com/media/editor/179572/CengageOpenNow_CollegeSuccessNarrative.pdf License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.