Heidi Grant Halvorson wrote an article, then a book, about the 9 best strategies for success that have been proven across the board. Here they are, in her words:
- Have Grit — Persistence over the long haul is key
- Know Exactly How Far You Have Left to Go — Monitor your progress
- Get Specific — Have a crystal-clear idea of exactly what success will look like
- Seize the Moment to Act on Your Goals — Know in advance what you will do, and when and where you will do it
- Focus on What You Will Do, Not What You Won’t Do — Instead of focusing on bad habits, it’s more effective to replace them with better ones.
- Build your Willpower Muscle — If you don’t have enough willpower, you can get more using it.
- Focus on Getting Better, Rather than Being Good — Think about your goals as opportunities to improve, rather than to prove yourself
- Be a Realistic Optimist — Visualize how you will make success happen by overcoming obstacles
- Don’t Tempt Fate — No one has willpower all the time, so don’t push your luck
Now, some of these may sound like common sense, but how many of them do you actually use? Willpower and grit may seem like no-brainers, but not many people actually monitor their success or seize the moment. This is the kind of thing that needs to be taught in high school and college. Algebra is fine (not really, its pointless) but knowing exactly how to reach a goal is what kids truly need to be learning.
One of my professors recently told me to never do you’re told. Do more than that. Go above and beyond the call of duty, especially now when I’m trying to prove to people how much I’m capable of. Like I said, this may sound obvious, but too many college kids miss out on opportunities because advice like this isn’t given.
