Most skills necessary for one to succeed in life are what can be developed while in school. The reason is that the school environment provides the atmosphere for these skills to be developed. That means you don’t need to wait till you are out of school to start developing and perfecting these critical success skills. These skills may not be part of the usual school curriculum but like I said earlier, the school environment provides the settings for these success skills to be developed. It would however take a deliberate and conscious effort on your part as a student to develop these skills. Here are 7 success skills you can learn in school to set your self up for success in life;
Goal Setting: Your success in real life will depend on knowing what you truly want and taking the responsibility towards achieving it. If you don’t really know what your objective is, then it does not matter whether you win or lose. Students should learn the art of goal setting, for instance you should have a goal for every study time (What you have to achieve before your study hour ends). Those who acquire good grades in school usually are those who decided to do so right from the very beginning. Plan ahead! What grade do you want to achieve? What skills do you want to acquire? Be clear on what you want. This is a critical success factor.
Time Management: Distractions are inevitable on daily basis. Life in school is no different. To ensure that one productively maximizes time, one needs to prioritize. Being busy isn’t the same as being effective. As a student organize and plan how long you spend on specific activities. Effective students understand the importance of their time in school. Therefore they prioritize their daily activities. There must be time for study, leisure and other activities. Prioritizing and scheduling your daily activities creates a sense of responsibility and urgency. Start now to learn the discipline of time management. You will be glad you did.
People Skills and Team work: what I am referring to here is building relationships of trust, respect and productive interactions. Relationships plays a major role in life. It is often said, it’s not what you know, but WHO you know. It is important to build and maintain strong and positive relationships and networks. The school environment is one that should help us appreciate the positive impacts others can make in our lives. It is a good place to develop skills that will enable you work and network with others effectively.
Effective Study Skills: To study effectively does not necessarily mean to study for hours rather it is about studying smart. It does not mean cramming as many students do. As a student question what you are reading or being taught and seeking to understand how it applies to practical life experiences. It demands you to open your mind to knowledge and ideas outside your academic discipline or field. There is difference between formal education and self-education. Formal education ends the moment you are out of school. Self-education is for a whole life time.
Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: An important goal of education is helping students learn how to think more productively. That is, the ability to generate and evaluate ideas. This demands you to be analytical, open minded, inquisitive and able to use your imagination. In school one is giving problems to solve which require you to apply the power of your mind . Critical thinking and problem-solving is something that has to be built over time. You can start now to develop these skills by taking on problems as they come and finding solutions, instead of shying away from them. It will enable you to always see possibilities where others see only dead-ends.
Communication Skills: One goal of education is to enable students communicate what they know. Communication skills which include reading, writing, listening are very essential in today’s world. Apart from reading and writing presentations, reports and speeches are a part of every school curriculum. This should be able to help a student develop skills on communication. Most students tend to shy away from presentations and seminars. What they have not realized is the importance of these skills in every day life.
Financial Intelligence: That you are still a student is no reason for you not to save and invest. If as a student you are already heavily indebted, you are setting yourself up for failure. As a student think of an idea that will earn you a passive income or multiply the little you’ve saved. Many of the successful entrepreneurs and investors today built the platform for their success back in their school days.
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