Have you ever hit a roadblock and thought you would never overcome it? I remember sitting at our round dining table at home, the HSC trials looming ahead of me. I was looking at a pile of, what seemed like, infinite and impossible work. I had reached my breaking point, and was sure there was no way out.

Having a growth mindset is so much more valuable than you think. In that very moment, I just closed my books, and took a break (which I initially thought was going to be a permanent one, bitterly admitting my failure). But after that (frankly much needed!) break, I was brought back into the world by my Business Studies tutor who, rather than even teaching me Business Studies for the 2hr session we had planned, just sat and worked with me on planning out my next week and a half. We planned WHAT I needed to get done, and WHERE I was going to schedule doing that. And let me tell you, if it was not for her, and the fact that all the challenges I had overcome prior to that gave me the resilience I needed to keep going, I wouldn’t be here. And I certainly would not be making the impact on the thousands of students that I have made to this day over the past 20+ years. 

So here are a few things you can do to instil a growth mindset for yourself.

Seek Out Challenge
Everyone loves to be comfortable, but it’s important not to get too used to the status quo. As C.S Lewis said so perfectly, “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” Are you feeling stuck with your routine? Maybe now is a great time for new challenges!
 

Ask For Feedback From Teachers
Asking for feedback from your teachers is the best way to grow not only as a student but as a person as well. This will encourage you to improve and motivate yourself. 

Realising that Mistakes are amazing Opportunities to Learn
It’s natural for all of us to make mistakes when learning new things or tackling complex tasks. So having a positive relationship with ‘failure’ is not only normal, it’s VITAL to actually accomplish anything! Embrace ‘failure’ and learn from your mistakes. These challenges can only motivate and prepare you for more considerable challenges down the road!

The Fight or Flight Response
The fight or flight response is activated when we are feeling threatened and have a stress reaction. Our brains want to protect us from danger, so they go into survival mode and cause symptoms like sweating, stomach cramps, and what students describe as ‘going blank’ especially in an exam. Nose breathing is one of best ways to settle the nervous system, enhance your lung function, and relieve stress and anxiety. So focusing on keeping the mouth closed and breathing through your nose is a very practical way to do reduce stress and increase effectiveness.

Break it Down and Have a Plan

Learning how to prioritise your work, break it into ‘bite size’ chunks, and then actually look in your diary and schedule when you can get it done will make such a difference to you. We progress in life by making a 1% improvement every day over time (Atomic Habits by James Clear is a great read). This is why at Ignite, we don’t believe in leaving things to the last minute. If you progress a little bit each day, each week, rather than waiting to cram everything at the end, you will build a sustainable life, rather than one of stress and burn out. 

Have Accountability 

After competing in her first Olympics for Javelin in Tokyo 2021, I interviewed my past student Mackenzie Little, who I tutored from 2008-2014. Back then, I just couldn’t understand why she was getting tutoring. She was always on top of her work, receiving incredible results, and frankly, seemed to teach me more than what I was teaching her! But when I asked her why she stuck with tutoring (even after I told her repeatedly that she didn’t need it!) she simply said: accountability. When you have someone who’s got your back, and can support you in breaking down what you need to do, and setting time frames to get it done by, you can achieve so much more than you think. Now a graduated doctor from the Univerysity of Sydney, and a two time Olympic athlete, I feel she may know a thing or two when it comes to productivity, and when it comes to success! 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gDgsuodfqMpCkumdZkiz5RKvTfxsMbBb/view?usp=drive_link