* Be confident. If you are confident half the battle is won.
* Have faith in your capabilities; think positive, enter the examination hall with full preparation; for this plan your reversion works in a systematic manner.
* One night before the exam relieve yourself of all kinds of tension keep your pens, pencils, rulers, highlighters all ready and sleep early.
* On the clay of the exam do exam do not spend time on idle chatting and discussions with your friends, you will get confused.
* As you get the answer sheet gather yourself and become focused.
* Divide your time carefully while answering the question paper.
* Use the last page of your answer sheet as a rough sheet, during the first reading many points will come to your mind-jot them down.
* Maintain neatness throughout the paper.
* Keep extra time for highlighting and underlining the important points.
* Try to attempt all the questions in sequence.
* Leave some space after every answer so that more points can be added, later if you happen to remember them.
* Refrain from borrowing.
* Be alert and cheerful all the time
* Refrain from cheating. It’ll not serve any purpose.
Adults, with eyes to see, can learn so much about success in life from children.
When a baby is born, it has instinctively in it everything needed to succeed in life. A child is like a fresh piece of canvas, ready to become a unique contribution to the world. A child has had less exposure to adult conditioning with regards to behaviour and expectations. Every child has the seeds of success for life within them. By observing children being children, adults can re-learn principles of success that have been buried by their adult world.
little boy and his mother by the side of the road. They had stopped walking and the mother was adjusting a toy crossbow to fit more comfortably over the boy’s shoulder. I realized that at that moment in the heart and mind of that small boy, he was not on a sidewalk by a busy road. Perhaps he was hunting in a forest, or was an intrepid explorer of the unknown, ready to pull out his bow and arrows at the slightest hint of danger. In his imagination he was a hero, confident, skilled, and brave. He was alert, prepared, with the expectation of overcoming danger or threat with his skill and swift reflexes.
For a child involved in imaginative play, there is very little distinction between fantasy and reality. Children live and play out their dreams totally in the moment.
There are many principles of success that can be learned by looking through the eyes of a child. Children’s eyes see with clarity and perception and reflect the reality of who they are. Children are uncluttered by training, brainwashing, and by living according to the unwritten rules and etiquette that have assailed the adult mind. For a child life has limitless possibilities that have not been squashed by logic, common sense, or limiting expectations that become part of the adult mind.
What principle of success can be drawn from the little boy with his bow and arrow?
One of the most powerful and yet unused principles of success is the process of visualization. Visualization is the act of creating compelling and vivid pictures in your mind. This is just what the little boy was doing. He was “that hero”; he acted like him, dressed like him, and could picture himself in another time and another place. For him, it seemed like reality. This is a spontaneous, natural process for a child.
Researchers have found that visualization accelerates achievement in powerful ways. It has been proved by research that when performing any task in life the brain uses the same identical processes that it would if you were only vividly visualizing that activity. The brain sees no difference at all between visualizing something and actually doing it.
This principle also is applicable when a person is learning something new. Visualization makes the brain achieve more. In a study by researchers at Harvard University, it was found that students who visualized in advance were able to perform tasks with nearly 100 percent accuracy. Students who performed tasks without using visualization only achieved 55 percent accuracy.
Visualization is frequently used by Olympic and professional athletes to improve performance.
Jack Nicklaus, a legend in the golfing world, once described how he uses visualization. “I never hit a shot, not even in practice, without having a very sharp in-focus picture of it in my head. It’s like a color movie. First I “see” where I want it to finish, nice and white and sitting high on the bright green grass. Then the scene quickly changes, and I “see” the ball going there: its path, trajectory, and shape, even its behaviour on landing. Then there’s a sort of fade out, and the next scene shows me making the kind of swing that will turn the previous images into reality.” The results of the power of visualization for Jack Nicklaus are convincing: he has won over 100 tournaments earning over 5.7 million in the process.
For a child a high proportion of time is spent in visualization. Adults may say, “He’s only playing” and not see the potential power for success that the child is practicing. Visualization is a process that is naturally strong in the learning and formative years of the child. Research now confirms that visualization activates the creative powers of the subconscious mind. It focuses the brain by programming its reticular activating system (RAS) to notice available resources that were always there but previously unnoticed. Visualization, incredibly, also magnetizes and attracts you to the people, resources, and opportunities you need to achieve your goal.
Next time you see children playing, pause to watch visualization in its purest form. What can you learn and apply to your own life to accelerate and achieve greater success using the principle of visualization?
Very often we face situations which make us nervous, fearful, agitated or uncomfortable. It may happen in class when we are being pulled up by the teacher or at home if we are being questioned by an elder. When you are seeking admission to a new school and have to give an interview or are asked to speak at an interschool debate, butterflies in the stomach start their mad dance.
If you remember a few simple things, you will find that such situations become a lot easier for you to handle.
1. Take a look at the problem and try to find out what it is that really scares you. Don’t make them out to be worse than they are.
2. Write out your fears on a piece of paper. Some may seem really insignificant once you see them in writing.
3. Think for yourself, but never throw away a valuable opinion if you are offered one by an elder.
4. Avoid trying to shift blame on others and do not put yourself down either. Look at your fears impartially.
5. Before you hastily say something, think it over in your mind. Remember words once spoken can never be taken back.
6. If you are to meet someone for an interview, try to gather some information about the person or institution before hand. You could get such information from books and the internet. Knowledge always makes you feel that much more confident.
7. Read something inspiring, listen to some music, share a joke with a friend .
8. Be relaxed and smile! That will automatically make it much easier.
loveletters.gifMost parents are aware that their child's feelings of self-worth are linked to social and academic success. But, sometimes parents are unaware of how easy it is to damage their child's self-esteem without even realizing it. Research shows that children with learning disabilities are more likely to suffer from lack of self-esteem than their peers. The Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities and Dr. Robert Brooks, have compiled a list of ways parents can develop positive feelings of self-worth in their children.
1. Help your child feel special and appreciated.
Research indicates that one of the main factors that contributes to a child developing hope and becoming resilient is the presence of at least one adult who helps the child to feel special and appreciated; an adult who does not ignore a child's problems, but focuses energy on a child's strengths. One way for you to do this is to set aside "special times" during the week alone with each one of your children. If your child is young, it is even helpful for you to say, "When I read to you or play with you, I won't even answer the phone if it rings." Also, during these special times, focus on things that your child enjoys doing so that he has an opportunity to relax and to display his strengths.
2. Help your child to develop problem-solving and decision-making skills.
High self-esteem is associated with solid problem-solving skills. For example, if your child is having difficulty with a friend, you can ask her to think about a couple of ways of solving the situation. Don't worry if your child can't think of solutions immediately; you can help her reflect upon possible solutions. Also, try role-playing situations with your child to help demonstrate the steps involved in problem solving.
3. Avoid comments that are judgmental and instead, frame them in more positive terms.
For example, a comment that often sounds accusatory is, "Try harder and put in more of an effort." Many children do try hard and still have difficulty. Instead say, "We have to figure out better strategies to help you learn." Children are less defensive when the problem is cast as strategies that must be changed rather than as something deficient with their motivation. This approach also reinforces problem-solving skills.
4. Be an empathetic parent.
Many well-meaning parents, out of their own frustration, have been heard to say such things as, "Why don't you listen to me?" or "Why don't you use your brain?" If your child is having difficulty with learning, it is best to be empathetic and say to your child that you know he is having difficulty; then you can cast the difficulty into a problem to be solved and involve your child in thinking about possible solutions.
5. Provide choices for your child.
This will also minimize power struggles. For example, ask your child if she would like to be reminded five or ten minutes before bedtime to get ready for bed. These beginning choices help to set the foundation for a feeling of control over one's life.
6. Do not compare siblings.
It is important not to compare siblings and to highlight the strengths of all children in your family.
7. Highlight your child's strengths.
Unfortunately, many youngsters view themselves in a negative way, especially in terms of school. Make a list of your child's "islands of competence" or areas of strength. Select one of these islands and find ways of reinforcing and displaying it. For example, if your child is a wonderful artist, display his artwork.
8. Provide opportunities for children to help.
Children seem to have an inborn need to help others. Providing opportunities for children to help is a very concrete way of displaying their "islands of competence" and of highlighting that they have something to offer their world. Involving your child in charitable work is just one possible example. Helping others certainly boosts your child's self-esteem.
9. Have realistic expectations and goals for your child.
Realistic expectations provide your child with a sense of control. The development of self-control goes hand-in-glove with self-esteem.
10. If your child has a learning disability, help your child to understand the nature of her problem.
Many children have fantasies and misconceptions about their learning problems that add to their distress (for example, one child said he was born with half a brain). Having realistic information can give your child a greater sense of control and a feeling that things can be done to help the situation.
Successfully executing any personal strategic plan for change requires that as you develop your plan, you effectively incorporate these seven steps for attaining each and every goal.
1. Express your goal in terms of specific events or behaviors.
For a dream to become a goal, it has to be specifically defined in terms of operations, meaning what will be done. When a goal is broken down into steps, it can be managed and pursued much more directly. "Being happy," for example, is neither an event nor a behavior. When you set out to identify a goal, define what you want in clear and specific terms.
2. Express your goal in terms that can be measured.
How else will you be able to determine your level of progress, or even know when you have successfully arrived where you wanted to be? For instance, how much money do you aspire to make?
3. Assign a timeline to your goal.
Once you have determined precisely what it is you want, you must decide on a timeframe for having it. The deadline you've created fosters a sense of urgency or purpose, which in turn will serve as an important motivator, and prevent inertia or procrastination.
4. Choose a goal you can control.
Unlike dreams, which allow you to fantasize about events over which you have no control, goals have to do with aspects of your existence that you control and can therefore manipulate. In identifying your goal, strive for what you can create, not for what you can't.
5. Plan and program a strategy that will get you to your goal.
Pursuing a goal seriously requires that you realistically assess the obstacles and resources involved, and that you create a strategy for navigating that reality. Willpower is unreliable, fickle fuel because it is based on your emotions. Your environment, your schedule and your accountability must be programmed in such a way that all three support you — long after an emotional high is gone. Life is full of temptations and opportunities to fail. Those temptations and opportunities compete with your more constructive and task-oriented behavior. Without programming, you will find it much harder to stay the course.
6. Define your goal in terms of steps.
Major life changes don't just happen; they happen one step at a time. Steady progress, through well-chosen, realistic, interval steps, produces results in the end. Know what those steps are before you set out.
7. Create accountability for your progress toward your goal.
Without accountability, people are apt to con themselves. If you know precisely what you want, when you want it — and there are real consequences for not doing the assigned work — you are much more likely to continue in your pursuit of your goal. Find someone in your circle of family or friends to whom you can be accountable. Make periodic reports on your progress.
Sheela had spent three days trying to memorise a poem for an oral test, but whenever she got to the third stanza she was stuck. It took her a week to memorise the poem. Sheela often wondered how her friend Nisha did it. She merely scanned a new poem twice before reciting it from memory!
Sheela and Nisha had almost the same level of intelligence and came from similar family backgrounds. Why then was there a difference?
Psychologists and educators have the answer: Nisha just knew how to learn better than Sheela did. She had increased the capacity of her brain by applying some skills. Here are six steps to better learning.
Preview the matter first: That is, don’t plunge headlong into reading new, unfamiliar material. You can understand more and retain more if you first scan it or skim over it quickly. Read the first sentence of each paragraph, glance at the table of contents and the preface.
Slow down and read it aloud to yourself: Speed reading is fine for easy material but for more complex works, slower reading is much more effective. Good learners vocalize, either loudly or in their minds, listening to each word as they read. They also actively think about what they read and assimilate it.
Use mnemonics or memory-enhancing techniques: These are like pegs on which you can hang difficult-to-remember facts and figures. For example, for remembering the order of the nine planets, you can make up a sentence with each word beginning with the letter of each planet in sequence (as VIBGYOR for the rainbow colours). The trick is to make unfamiliar material familiar by relating it to something meaningful to you.
Organise facts into categories: For instance, if you have to memorise a jumbled list containing names of animals, types of transport, items of clothing and kinds of occupations, it is easier if you split them into groups or categories. Dividing it into smaller, meaningful portions makes it easier to learn.
Be focused: If we are sure about what we’ll gain from learning something, we learn it faster. We will resist it less. To improve concentration and focus, fix a particular time and place for studying. Use a variety of methods, like writing down what you’ve read or taping it and then listening to it, or making a synopsis or even visualising it as a diagram.
Take a break if you become too tense or tired. It will improve your learning capacity.
Follow your own learning style: Each person has his own way of learning. If given the pieces of an object to assemble, each of us uses a different method to arrive at the same result. Analyse your appoach and follow the method that you feel most comfortable with.
Self-confidence is an important key to success in any walk of life. People with self-confidence are noticed more. They achieve their goals relatively easily. In contrast, people who lack self-confidence often end up being losers. You too need to build your self-confidence if you want to do well in life. Here are ten tips that can help you build that elusive self-confidence:
1. Self-confidence is found in people who have a healthy self-esteem. They know their personal worth, and act accordingly. A good way to improve your personal worth is to make a list of your accomplishments every day. You will be surprised to know how many positive acts you perform every day in life, but which you don’t notice. Once you start looking at this list, your self-confidence will boom.
2. Be clear about your goals. If need be, break your goals into smaller, more manageable tasks. Pat yourself every time you achieve a minor goal. It will boost you’re a self-confidence, and help you achieve bigger goals.
3. Find a mentor who can help you reach your goal. Most people, who have done well in life, have a mentor who has traveled the same road on which they are traveling today. Meet your mentor regularly, and seek his advice and support as a routine. You will find that you are learning something valuable every day.
4. Socialize with people who are positive and supportive, who like and respect you. Give them the same support and respect that they give you. Avoid people who are negative and critical of you. Such people erode your self-confidence. They make you look at your negative self, and not your positive self. After some time, you get enveloped in their cynical and negative world-view. Nothing can be more damaging than that. Dump such friends as soon as you can.
5. Pay attention to how you look. Take pleasure in wearing good clothes and being well groomed. It makes you feel good. People too look at you differently. Remember that every human being wants to be found in the company of smart, intelligent, successful people. You can soon be a centre of attraction if you radiate a positive, smart look. It can very easily make the difference between success and failure.
