8 hrs

Welcome to College

racy Barnes is an elite athlete who trains and competes in the biathlon, a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing with rifle marksmanship. Barnes, who shares her passion for the

biathlon with her twin sister, has been competing for 11 years and both plan to participate in the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

Barnes' love for the biathlon takes her many places. "I'm on the road for about eight months out of the year. I spend most of the winter (November through March) in Europe and travel to training camps all over the U.S. in the summer and fall," she explained. The travel, competition and travel have paid off for the Durango, Colo., native.

"Biathlon has such a unique combination of skill and endur- ance that makes it so challenging. And it's the No. 1 winter sport in Europe. It is so exciting competing in Europe in front of 20,000 screaming fans! And the biggest thrill for me is representing the U.S. in the Olympics. There's no greater honor," she said.

Another thrill for Barnes has been attending CSU in pursuit of an online bachelor's degree in business.

"A friend of mine was taking some courses and told me about CSU. I had wanted to finish my degree for some time and had attended colleges and universities all over the U.S.," she said. "But I hit a point where I was traveling too much and was unable to attend classes. CSU offered me the flexibility I needed to finish

my degree and still pursue my athletic goals. I started taking classes in 2010 and hope to finish my degree before the next Olympics."

Barnes said that her desire for an education also has yielded some dividends for her athletic career. "I find that when I have my schoolwork to do, I'm more efficient with my time and that helps my training and competing. It's nice to have an outlet outside of my sport and it's always a fun challenge to continually expand the mind and learn all you can on a certain topic."

She added that feedback from professors and intriguing online courses have contributed to her enjoyment of CSU.

"My education has always been important to me and I always wanted to pursue a degree in business, but was having trouble attending classes being on the road for so long. CSU was a perfect fit for me because the classes were high quality and it has the flexibility to allow me to take classes from anywhere in the world. I'm very passionate about business and it's always exciting to learn everything I'll need to know to run my own business someday."

For those considering pursuing a degree, Barnes offers this advice: "Do it! Start now! You certainly won't regret it. No one can afford to pass up an opportunity to have a degree. Set your mind to it and you'll have a quality degree before you know it.

STATUS CheckCheck ► How prepared are you for college?

► I feel ready to handle college-level work. 1 2 3 4 5

► I can identify how college culture differs from high school and the workplace. 1 2 3 4 5

For each statement, circle the number that feels right to you,

from 1 for "not at all true for me" to 5 for "very true for me."

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

► I am aware of what it takes to succeed in today's technology-driven, ever-changing workplace.

► I believe my intelligence can increase as a result of my effort.

► I use a combination of critical, creative, and practical thinking to reach a goal.

► I believe that success demands hard work and practice no matter what my talents are.

► I can explain the value of acting with academic integrity in college.

► I am able to perceive my own emotions accurately as well as those of others.

► I relate effectively to others and can work successfully in a team.

► I know that I will need to learn throughout my life to succeed in the workplace.

Now total your scores.

Each of the topics in these statements is covered in this chapter. Note those statements for which you circled a 3 or lower. Skim the chapter to see where those topics appear, and pay special attention to them as you read, learn, and apply new strategies.

REMEMBER: No matter how prepared you are to succeed in college, you can improve with effort and practice.

1 2 3 4 5

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Where are you now and where can college take you?

Think about how you got here. Are you going to college straight from high school or its equivalent? Or are you returning after working one or more jobs or completing a tour of duty in the armed forces? Do you have life skills from experience as a partner or parent? No matter what your background or motivation, you have enrolled, found a way to pay

for tuition, signed up for courses, and shown up for class. You have earned this opportunity to be a college student.

If you are wondering how this or any other college course will make a dif- ference for you, know that your experience in this course and during this term has the potential to:

yes

► Allow you to discover more about how you learn and what you want ► Build academic skills as well as transferable life skills ► Help you set and reach your most important goals ► Increase your ability to relate effectively to others and work together

Now that you have the opportunity, you need to use it. This book, and your course, offer tools that will help you grow and achieve your goals, perhaps

2 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

Courtesy of Shutterstock

beyond what you've ever imagined. You will be able to make the most of them—if you start by believing that you can grow.

When a high jumper or pole vaulter gets over a bar of a certain height, someone raises the bar so that the athlete can work toward a new goal. The college experience will "raise the bar" for you with tougher instructors, demanding coursework, and fellow students whose sights are set high. Oth- ers' goals and expectations are only part of the picture, though. College is a place where you can raise the bar to reach your personal aspirations, whatever they might be. Think about how you want to improve your life. This book and course will challenge you to set the bar to the height that's right for you.

First, however, begin your transition to college by looking at the present— the culture of college, what you can expect, and what college expects of you. Then, consider the future—what a college education means for you in the workplace and life.

The culture of college Whatever your age or stage of life, knowing what to expect in college will help you to transition more successfully. You are likely to experience most or all of the following aspects of college culture (spend some time with your college's student handbook to get informed about details specific to your school).

■ Independent learning. College offers you the chance to learn with a great deal of freedom and independence. In exchange, though, instructors expect you to function without much guidance. This culture requires strong self-management skills. You are expected to make the following—and more—happen on your own:

it. Use syllabi to create, and follow, a schedule for the term ► Navigate course materials electronically (if your school uses an online

course management system such as BlackBoard) ► Complete text and other reading with little to no in-class review of the

reading ► Turn in projects and coursework on time and be prepared for exams ► Get help when you need it

■ Fast pace and increased workload. The pace of each course is typically twice as fast as high school courses and requires more papers, homework, reading, and projects. Although demanding, learning at this speed can also energize and moti- vate you, especially if you did not feel inspired by high school assignments. The heavy fast-paced workload demands more study time. For each hour spent in class, plan two to three hours of study and work time outside of class. For exam- ple, if you are in class for nine hours a week, you need to spend at least twice that number each week studying and working outside of class time.

■ Challenging work. Although challenging, college-level work offers an enor- mous opportunity to learn and grow. College texts often have more words per page, higher-level terminology, and more abstract ideas compared to high school texts. In addition to difficult reading, college often involves complex assignments, challenging research papers, group projects, lab work, and tests.

■ Diverse culture. Typically, you will encounter different ideas and diverse people in college. Your fellow students may differ from you in age, life experi- ence, ethnicity, political mindset, family obligations, values, and much more.

■ Higher-level thinking. You'll be asked to move far beyond recall in college. Instead of just summarizing and taking the ideas of others at face value, you will interpret, evaluate, generate new ideas, and apply what you know to new situations (more on thinking skills later in this chapter).

CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 3

You are not alone as you adjust. Look for support resources, including instructors, academic advisors, mentors, other students, or tutors; technology such as the Internet, library search engines, and electronic planning aids; and this book. And to give meaning to your efforts in college, consider how your efforts will serve you in the workplace.

What are employers saying? According to the report College Learning for the New Global Century (2008), "Employers want college graduates to acquire versatile knowledge and skills. Fully sixty-three percent of employers believe that too many recent college graduates do not have the skills they need to succeed in the global economy and a majority of employers believe that only half or fewer recent graduates have the skills or knowledge needed to advance or to be promoted in their companies." Other skills listed as vitally important to employers include:

► Computer literacy ► The ability to learn new skills quickly ► Accuracy ► Attention to detail ► Self-confidence ► Tact 11. Humor ► Character

Whether we like it or not, a massive transformation is going on all around us in this country, as well as all over the world. Thriving in the coming years is going to be more difficult than in the past and will require certain new and dif- ferent abilities and attitudes. You will need to learn the skills that will make you competitive, give you an edge, and help you master a life filled with changes and challenges. Many of these skills are outlined in Key 1.1, Essential Cornerstones for Success in a Changing World. These skills will be needed for your success, personal independence, and growth in the new economy. Study them carefully as each one will help you create a positive transition to the world of work.

••110-' ESSENTIAL CORNERSTONES FOR SUCCESS 7 IN A CHANGING WORLD

Seek Excellence as a Communicator

Writing, speaking, and listening skills are constantly listed by employers as mandatory for success in any profession. Few people actually possess

these qualities, especially all three. If you want to put yourself ahead of the competition, then attend every class, every seminar, every meeting,

and every function where you can learn more about effective writing, speaking, and listening skills.

Become a Desirable Employee

A strong work ethic will be another valuable quality that sets you apart from the other job seekers. A work ethic can include a variety of characteris-

tics, including your pride, passion, professionalism, ability to work on a team, and ability to adapt, grow, and change. Your work ethic is how you per-

form at work without a job description, constant supervision, or someone threatening you. Your work ethic is not tied to what you do to get a raise

or a promotion, but rather what you do because it is the right thing to do. In today's work environment, employers want to make sure that you are

dedicated to your job, your company, and your colleagues. Our suggestion is to develop a strong work ethic that is healthy for you and your employer.

Practice Loyalty and Trustworthiness

Loyalty to your employer is a highly valued trait. However, one's loyalty cannot be measured by a resume or determined by a simple interview.

Proving that you have the characteristics of loyalty and trustworthiness comes over time. It may take years to establish loyalty and trustworthiness

with your company and within your industry, but with hard work, dedication, and honesty, it can and will be achieved. Be forewarned, however: it

may take years to build trust, but it only takes seconds to destroy it.

4 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

4i0 Pi- CONTINUED

Walk with Confidence and Make Bold Decisions

Appropriate confidence and boldness are important to employers. There is a difference between having confidence in yourself, your work, and

your decision-making ability and being cocky. Confidence comes from experience, calculated risk taking, and previous successes. Employers are

looking for confident people who are not afraid to make hard decisions. They are also seeking individuals who have confidence through experi-

ence. There is a difference between bragging about doing something and actually doing it. There is a difference between being hard and making

hard decisions. When you meet with the person(s) interviewing you, confidently steer the conversation toward your general and specific abilities

and characteristics.

Use Critical-Thinking Skills

The ability to think your way through problems and challenges is highly valued by employers. Employers are looking for people who can distin-

guish fact from opinion; identify fallacies; analyze, synthesize, and determine the value of a piece of information; think beyond the obvious; see

things from varying angles; and arrive at sound solutions. They also want people who possess the emotional intelligence to critically and creatively

work to resolve challenges.

Manage Your Priorities Well

Setting priorities and managing time are essential to success in today's stressful workplace. Today, maybe more than any other time in human

history, we are faced with more and more to do and what seems like less and less time in which to do it. Your success depends on how well

you manage your priorities both personally and professionally. Priority management not only involves getting today's work accomplished, it also

involves the ability to plan for your personal and professional future. Use your time wisely at work, at home, and in leisure.

Multiply by Multitasking

The ability to multitask, or accomplish several things at once, will serve you well in the workplace and at home. A recent newspaper cartoon sug-

gested that you are too busy if you are multitasking in the shower. This may be true, but in keeping pace with today's workforce, this is another

essential task—the ability to do several things at a time, and the ability to do them all very well. If you have not had much experience in multitask-

ing, we suggest that you begin slowly. Don't take on too many things at one time. As you understand more about working on and completing

several tasks at a time, you can expand your abilities in this arena. An example of multitasking at home is to have a casserole baking while clothes

are washing at the same time you are researching a project on the Internet. To be successful in the fast paced world we live in today, you must be

able to manage several tasks at once—without burning dinner.

Stay Current and Build Transferable Skills

Keeping your skills and knowledge current is essential to your success. Building skills that can be transferred from one position to another is essen-

tial in today's workplace. Fine tuning your computer skills can set you apart from many of today's applicants. Your skills need to include the ability

to work with word processing programs, spreadsheets, databases, and PowerPoint. Some careers will require knowledge and expertise of industry

software, and you will need to be an expert if this is true in your field. Learn to develop webpages, and create your own website that reflects a

professional, career oriented person. Learn to use social media for more than socializing.

Continue to Get Experience and Education

Never stop learning! You may not want to hear it, but your education will never end. You will eventually complete your formal schooling, but as

long as you are working in today's global economy, you will need to keep abreast of the changes in your field. Seek out opportunities to expand

your knowledge base. Get certified in areas that will make you more marketable. Take a continuing education course to brush up on changing

workplace skills. Make yourself the best, most knowledgeable, most well rounded applicant in the field.

Avoid Internet and Social Media Blunders

Don't let social media mistakes come back to haunt you and cause you to miss out on your dream job! What you post online today may very well

come back to haunt you in the future—even if you remove it, it can still be accessed. You may not lose your current position over a crazy, spur of

the moment posting, but it may cost you a future position. You may tell yourself that your Facebook, Linkedln, or webpage is private and no one's

business, but remember, nothing is private online and everything is someone's business in the world of business.

Watch Your Credit Rating

Building a good credit rating is one of the most important jobs you have. Really? My credit rating? What in the world does my credit score have

to do with my employment? The answer: A great deal. More and more, employers are accessing your credit history and score as a part of the

hiring procedure. Why? Because some employers believe that your credit history paints a clear picture of your working future. Bad credit history

means a bad employee. Missed payments mean missed work. Low score means low morale. Careless errors mean careless job performance. This is

just one of the many ways that your credit history and score can follow you for years.

CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 5

■,=••■■•■'/A4,,, CONTINUED

Remain Open-Minded

The ability to accept and appreciate a highly diverse workplace and the inherent differences and cultures that will be commonplace is important.

You will need to develop the ability to listen to others with whom you disagree or with whom you may have little in common and learn from

them and their experiences. The ability to learn a new language (even if your mastery is only at a primitive, broken, conversational level) and con-

duct yourself in a respectable and professional style will set you apart from other employees.

Practice Accountability

The ability to accept responsibility and be accountable for all aspects of your future—including your psychological and spiritual well being, your rela-

tionships, your health, your finances, and your overall survival skills—is vitally important. Basically, you must develop a plan for the future that states, "If

this fails, I'll do this," or "If this job is phased out, I'll do this," or "If this resource is gone, I'll use this," or "If this person won't help me, this one will."

Polish Your Human Relation Skills

Polish your people skills and learn to get along with people from all walks of life. We saved this one for last, certainly not because it is least

important, but because this quality is an overriding characteristic of everything listed previously. Employers are looking for individuals who have

"people skills." This concept goes so much further than being a team player; it goes to the heart of many workplaces. It touches on your most

basic nature, and it draws from your most inner self. The ability to get along with grouchy, cranky, mean, disagreeable, burned out coworkers is,

indeed, a rare quality. But don't be mistaken; there are those who do this, and do it well. Peak performers, or those at the "top of their game,"

have learned that this world is made up of many types of people and there is never going to be a time when one of those cranky, grumpy people

is not in our midst. Smile. Be nice. Remain positive.

Gainful employment What strategies can I use to keep from being outsourced? Go where the puck is going! Sound crazy? The great hockey champ Wayne Gretzky made the comment that this one step had been his key to success. What does it mean? He said that when he was playing hockey, he did not skate to where the puck was at the moment; he skated to where the puck was going. He anticipated the direction of where the puck was going to be hit, and when it came his way, he was already there— ready to play.

Think of your career in this light. Go to where it will be bright in the future, not necessarily where it is bright at this moment. Look ahead and try to determine what is going to be "hot" in the coming years, not what is hot right now. Plan ahead. Look at trends. Read. Ask questions. Stay prepared. Think in the future, not the moment.

People holding degrees and certificates are a dime a dozen. This does not mean, however, that you are a dime a dozen. Herein lies the challenge. How do you distinguish yourself from the countless job seekers out there? What are you going to do that sets you apart from your competition? What do you have to offer that no one else can possibly offer to an employer? Later, we will dis- cuss some of the talents and qualities that are becoming increasingly rare, yet constantly sought after, in today's "workquake." By understanding more about these qualities, you can put yourself miles ahead of the competition.

Take some time now and work through the exercise in Key 1.2. You will find several skills and traits for which employers are looking in the left-hand column. In the right-hand column, create two tips that outline ways you can impress a potential employer.

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6 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

4-4, SKILLS FOR GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT

SKILL/TRAIT EMPLOYERS SEEK TWO TIPS TO IMPRESS

Priority/Time Management 1.

2.

Attitude 1.

2.

Written Communication 1.

2.

Interpersonal Communication/Relationships 1.

2.

Ethics 1.

2.

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Confidence 1.

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Advanced Training/Certifications 1.

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Creating your success Can you really create your future? Is it really possible to draft a blueprint of your own future? Is it possible to "create success?" The answer is yes. The process of creating success begins with an internal idea that you have the power, the passion, and the capacity to be successful—to reach your chosen goals. It has been said that those people who are not out there creating their own future deserve the future that will be handed to them. You can be a person who creates the future for yourself and your family. Your education is one of the most important steps in this process because your education will give you options and alternatives. It will also help you create opportunities, and, according to Leo Buscaglia, writer and speaker, the healthiest people in the world are the people with the most alternatives.

"So, how do I create a successful future with more options?" you may be asking. The formula is simple, but the action required is not—and have no doubt, action is required. The formula consists of four steps:

1. The willingness to set clear, realistic goals and the ability to visualize the results of those goals

What is the most surprising thing

you have learned about your

institution's curriculum thus far?

IndexOpen

CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 7

2. The ability to recognize your strengths and build on them 3. The ability to recognize your weaknesses or challenges and work to

improve them 4. The passion and desire to work at your zenith every single day to make

your goals and dreams a reality

Simple? The first three are rather simple. Number four is the kicker. Truth- fully, most people have little trouble with the first three; it is the work involved with number four that causes most people to give up and never reach their fullest potential—and to be handed a future over which they had little say in creating. You can create your own future, your own success, and your own alternatives.

Coming to the realization that there is no "easy street" and no "roads paved with good intentions" is also important to creating your success. In his land- mark book, Good to Great, Jim Collins suggests that once you decide to be great, your life will never be easy again. Rid yourself of the notion that there is some easy way out, that school will be easy, or that your education will make your professional life easier. Success requires hard, passionate work on a daily basis. This passionate work may require you to change some of your thoughts, actions, and beliefs. That is what this chapter and indeed this entire course is about: Creating success through positive change.

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Your education and you Why is it the partnership of a lifetime? What can a college education do for you? The list will certainly vary depend- ing on whom you ask, but basically, career colleges can help you develop in the areas listed below. As you read through the list, place a checkmark beside the statements that most accurately reflects which skills you hope to gain from attending classes at your institution. If there are other skills that you desire to achieve from your education, write them at the end of the list.

Grow more self-sufficient and self-confident Establish and strengthen your personal identity Understand more about the global world in which you live Become a more involved citizen in social and political issues Become more open-minded Learn to manage your emotions and reactions more effectively Understand the value of thinking, analyzing, and problem solving Expand and use your ethical and moral thinking and reasoning

skills Develop commanding computer and information literacy skills Manage your personal resources such as time and money Become more proficient at written, oral, and nonverbal

communication Grow more understanding and accepting of different cultures Become a lifelong learner Become more financially independent Enter a career field that you enjoy

Which skill is the most important to you?

8 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

Getting through the day-to-day activities of college demands

basic computer know-how as well as an understanding of the

school's research and communication technology.

iStockPhoto

Why?

What plans will you put into action to hone and master this skill?

Your place in the world of work Although this is likely to be one of your first courses, it can lay the foundation for career exploration and workplace skill development. You will learn to distinguish yourself in a global mar- ketplace, in which North American workers often compete with workers from other countries. Thomas Friedman, auth. of The World Is Flat, explains how the has transformed the working environment you will enter a er college:

It is now possible for more people than ever to collaborate and compete in real time with more other people on more different kinds of work from more different corners of the planet and on a more equal footing than in any previous time in the history of the world—using computers, e-mail, networks, teleconferencing, and dynamic new software. 1

These dev is in communication, combined with an enormous increase in owledge wor uc as nternet technology and decrease in labor-based work such as factory jobs, mean that you may compete for information-based jobs with highly trained and motivated people from around the globe. The working world, too, has raised the bar.

What can help you achieve career goals in this new "flat" world?

■ College degree. Statistics show that getting a degree increases your chances of finding and keeping a highly skilled, well-paying job. College graduates earn, on average, around $20,000 more per year than those with a high school diploma (see Key 1.3). Furthermore, the unemployment rate for college gradu- ates is less than half that of high school graduates (see Key 1.4).

■ 21st century skills. Taking a careful look at what the current workplace demands of workers and what it rewards, education and business leaders have founded an organization called the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. Together these leaders developed the Framework for 21st Century Learning shown in Key 1.5, delineating the categories of knowledge and skills that suc- cessful workers need to acquire.

Looking at this framework, you will see that success in today's workplace requires more than just knowing skills specific to an academic area or job. Author Daniel Pink argues that the ability to create, interact interpersonally, generate ideas, and lead diverse teams—skills all found in the Framework for 21st Century Learning—will be more and more important in the workplace. Because coursework traditionally focuses more on logical and analytical skills, building your interpersonal and creative skill set will require personal initiative from you. Often, these skills can be developed through in-class collaboration and teamwork as well as volunteer work, internships, and jobs. 2

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CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 9

10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000

Income (in dollars)

• MORE EDUCATION IS LIKELY TO MEAN MORE CONSISTENT EMPLOYMENT

Bachelor's degree or higher

Associate's degree

Some college, no degree

High school graduate, no college

Less than high school graduate

12 15 0

3

6 9

Percent unemployed

50,000 60,000 70,000

Bachelor's degree or more

Associate's degree

Some college, no degree

High school graduate

Some high school, no diploma Men IIII Women

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States, 2009," Current Population Reports, Series P60-238, September 2010.

Unemployment rates of persons 25 years old and over, by highest level of education, 2009

MORE EDUCATION IS LIKELY TO MEAN MORE INCOME

Median annual income of persons with income 25 years old and over, by gender and highest level of education, 2009

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Employment and Unemployment Statistics, "Current Population Survey," May 2010.

10 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

t, THE FRAMEWORK FOR 21ST CENTURY LEARNING v#, SHOWS WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED

•tt

CORE SUBJECTS AND 21ST CENTURY THEMES LEARNING AND INNOVATION SKILLS

• Global Awareness • Financial, Economic, Business, and Entrepreneurial Literacy

• Civic Literacy—Community Service • Health Literacy

INFORMATION, MEDIA, AND TECHNOLOGY SKILLS

• Creativity and Innovation • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

• Communication and Collaboration

LIFE AND CAREER SKILLS

• Information Literacy • Media Literacy • ICT (Information, Communications, and Technology) Literacy

• Flexibility and Adaptability • Initiative and Self-Direction

• Social and Cross-Cultural Skills • Productivity and Accountability

• Leadership and Responsibility

Source: Adapted from Partnership for 21st Century Skills Framework, www.p21.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=254&Itemid=120.

As you read the content and do the exercises in Keys to Learning Strategies for Success, you will grow in every area of this framework. There are links between these 21st century skills and what you will be reading and doing in the weeks to come, and the Personal Portfolio activity at the end of each chapter indicates which 21st century skills it builds. In fact, the three think- ing skills that take focus in this text—analytical, creative, and practical—are all included within the framework. These three thinking skills will help you achieve your most important goals because they are critical to delivering what the world needs workers to do.

How can successful intelligence help you achieve your goals?

How do you define intelligence? Is an intelligent person someone who excels in high-level analytical courses? A successful professional in science or law? Or a person who scores well on standardized tests such as IQ (intelligence quotient) tests? The idea of using an IQ test to gauge intelligence and predict success is based on the belief that each person is born with a fixed amount of intelligence that can be measured. However, cutting-edge researchers such as Robert Stern- berg and Carol Dweck have challenged these ideas. 3

When test anxiety caused Sternberg (a psychologist and dean of students at Tufts University) to score poorly on IQ and other standardized tests during ele- mentary school, he delivered what was expected of him—very little. However, his fourth-grade teacher turned his life around when she expected more. Stern- berg has conducted extensive research supporting his sense that traditional intelligence measurements lock people into poor performance and often do not reflect their potential. 4

Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck also had a life-changing experience when, as a young researcher, she conducted an experiment to see how elemen- tary school children coped with failure. She gave students a set of puzzles that grew increasingly difficult. To her surprise, certain students welcomed

CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 11

the tough puzzles and saw failure as an opportunity. "They knew that human qualities, such as intellectual skills, could be cultivated through effort. And that's what they were doing—getting smarter. Not only weren't they discour- aged by failure, they didn't even think they were failing. They thought they were learning." 5 Dweck's research since then has focused on the potential for increasing intelligence and the attitude that fosters that potential (more on that attitude later in the chapter).

The research of Sternberg, Dweck, and others suggests that intelligence is not fixed; people have the capacity to increase intelligence as they learn. In other words, you can grow what you are born with. Studies in neuroscience support this perspective, showing that the brain can develop throughout life if you continue to learn. Recent brain research shows that when you are learning, your brain and nerve cells (neurons) are forming new connections (synapses) from cell to cell by growing new branches (dendrites). 6 These increased con- nections then enable the brain to do and learn more.

The three thinking skills How can you unlock your potential and achieve your important goals in col- lege, work, and life? According to Sternberg, it takes three types of thinking: analytical (critical), creative, and practical. He calls this combination successful intelligence, 7 and he illustrates it with a story.

Two boys are walking in a forest. They are quite different. The first boy's teach- ers think he is smart, his parents think he is smart, and as a result, he thinks he is smart. He has good test scores, good grades, and other good paper credentials that will get him far in his scholastic life.

Few people consider the second boy smart. His test scores are nothing great, his grades aren't so good, and his other paper credentials are, in general, marginal. At best, people would call him shrewd or street smart.

As the two boys walk along in the forest, they encounter a problem—a huge, furious, hungry-looking grizzly bear, charging straight at them. The first boy, calcu- lating that the grizzly bear will overtake them in 17.3 seconds, panics. In this state, he looks at the second boy, who is calmly taking off his hiking boots and putting on his jogging shoes.

The first boy says to the second boy, "You must be crazy. There is no way you are going to outrun that grizzly bear!"

The second boy replies, "That's true. But all I have to do is outrun you!" 8

This story shows that successful goal achievement and problem solving require more than book smarts. When confronted with a problem, using only analytical thinking put the first boy at a disadvantage. On the other hand, the second boy analyzed the situation, created options, and took practical action. He knew his goal—to live to tell the tale—and he achieved it.

How thinking skills move you toward your goals Sternberg explains that although those who score well on tests dis- play strong recall and analytical skills, they are not necessarily able

to put their knowledge to work. 9 No matter how high you score on a library science test, for example, as a librarian you will also need to be

able to devise useful keyword searches (creative thinking) and communi- cate effectively with patrons and other librarians (practical thinking). Of

course, having only practical "street smarts" isn't enough either. Neither boy in the bear story, if rushed to the hospital with injuries sustained in a showdown with the bear, would want to be treated by someone lacking in analytical skills.

12 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

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What do each of the three thinking skills contribute to goal achievement?

■ Analytical thinking. Commonly known as critical thinking, analytical think ing starts by engaging with information through asking questions and then pro- ceeds to analyzing and evaluating information, often to work through a problem or decision. It often involves comparing, contrasting, and cause-and-effect thinking.

■ Creative thinking. Creative thinking concerns generating new and different ideas and approaches to problems, and, often, viewing the world in ways that disregard convention. It often involves imagining and considering different per- spectives. Creative thinking also means taking information that you already know and thinking about it in a new way.

■ Practical thinking. Practical thinking refers to putting what you've learned into action to solve a problem or make a decision. Practical thinking often means learning from experience and emotional intelligence (explained later in the chapter), enabling you to work effectively with others and to accomplish goals despite obstacles.

Together, these abilities move you toward a goal, as Sternberg explains:

Analytical thinking is required to solve problems and to judge the quality of ideas. Creative intelligence is required to formulate good problems and ideas in the first place. Practical intelligence is needed to use the ideas and their analysis in an effec- tive way in one's everyday life. 1 °

Why is developing successful intelligence so important to your success?

1. It improves understanding and achievement, increasing your value in school and on the job. People with critical, creative, and practical thinking skills are in demand because they can apply what they know to new situations, innovate, and accomplish their goals.

2. It boosts your motivation. Because it helps you understand how learn- ing propels you toward goals and gives you ways to move toward those goals, it increases your willingness to work.

3. It shows you where you can grow. Students who have trouble with tests and other analytical skills can see the role that creative and practical thinking play. Students who test well but have trouble innovating or taking action can improve their creative and practical skills.

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Different people have different forces or motivators— grades, love of a subject, the drive to earn a degree—that encourage them to keep pushing ahead. Moti- vators can change with time and situations. Your motivation can have either an external or internal locus of control — meaning that you are motivated either by external factors (your parents, circumstances, luck, grades, instructors' feed- back, and so on) or internal factors (values and attitudes).

CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 13

Define Your

Making the most of the opportunities that college offers starts with knowing, as much as you can, about who

you are and what you want. Analyze your "college self" using questions like the following to think through

your personal profile. Write and save your description to revisit later in the course.

What is your student status—traditional or returning, full- or part-time?

How long are you planning to be in your current college? Is it likely that you will transfer?

What goal, or goals, do you aim to achieve by going to college?

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What family and work obligations do you have?

What is your culture, ethnicity, gender, age, lifestyle?

What is your current living situation?

What do you feel are your biggest challenges in college?

What do you like to study, and why does it interest you?

14 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

Courtesy of Shutterstock

Often, you will be motivated by some combination of external and internal factors, but internal motivation may have a greater influence on success. Why? Although you cannot control what happens around you, you can control your attitude, or mindset, and the actions that come from that mindset. Based on years of research, Carol Dweck has determined that the perception that talent and intelligence can develop with effort—what she calls a growth mindset— promotes success. "This view creates a love of learning and resilience that is essential for great accomplishment," reports Dweck. People with a growth mindset "understand that no one has ever accomplished great things—not Mozart, Darwin, or Michael Jordan—without years of passionate practice and learning."

By contrast, people with a fixed mindset believe that they have a set level of talent and intelligence. They think their ability to succeed matches what they've been born with, and they tend to resist effort. "In one world [that of the fixed mindset], effort is a bad thing. It . . . means you're not smart or talented. If you were, you wouldn't need effort. In the other world [growth mindset], effort is what makes you smart or talented." 12

For example, two students do poorly on an anatomy midterm. One blames the time of day of the test and her dislike of the subject, whereas the other feels that she didn't study enough. The first student couldn't change the subject or meeting time, of course, and didn't change her approach to the material (no extra effort). As you may expect, she did poorly on the final. The second stu- dent put in more study time after the midterm (increased, focused effort) and improved her grade on the final as a result. This student knows that "smart is as smart does."

You don't have to be born with a growth mindset. You can build one. "You have a choice," says Dweck. "Mindsets are just beliefs. They're powerful beliefs, but they're just something in your mind, and you can change your mind." 13 One way to change your mind is through specific actions that demonstrate your beliefs. Such actions include being responsible, practicing academic integ- rity, facing your fears, and approaching failure as an opportunity to learn and improve.

Build self-esteem with responsible actions You may think that you need to have a strong sense of self-estee to take action toward your goals. In fact, the reverse is true. Taki:TTrespon- sible action builds strong self-esteem because it gives you something to be proud of. Your actions change your thinking. Basketball coach Rick Pitino explains: "If you have established a great work ethic and have begun the dis- cipline that is inherent with that, you will automatically begin to feel better about yourself." 14

A growth mindset helps you build self-esteem because it encourages you to put forth effort. If you know you have the potential to do better, you will be more likely to try. A research study of employees taking a course in computer training supports this idea. Half the group, told their success depended on innate ability, lost confidence by the end of the course. By contrast, the other half, told their skills could be developed through practice, reported a good deal more confidence after they had completed the same course and made, in many cases, the same mistakes. 15

Even simple responsible actions can build the foundation for powerful self- esteem. What actions will you take to build your confidence? Consider using Key 1.6 as a starting point for ideas. Taking daily responsible actions such as these will help you to succeed in any course. Your efforts will enable you to grow no matter what your starting point.

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CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 15

SUCCESS OFTEN DEPENDS ON THE BASICS

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Study for exams

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Face your fears Anything unknown—starting college, meeting new people—can be frightening. Facing fear with a growth mindset will allow you to proceed with courage as you reignite your motivation and learn. Following a step-by-step process can help you deal with otherwise overwhelming feelings.

1. Acknowledge fears. Naming your fear can begin to release its hold on you. "I'm worried about understanding a Shakespeare play I have to read."

2. Examine fears. Determine what exactly is causing your fear. Sometimes deeper fears emerge. "I feel that if I don't understand the play, I won't do well on the test and it will affect my GPA. That could cause trouble with my financial aid or my major."

3. Develop and implement a plan. Come up with ways to manage your fear, choose how to move forward, and put the plan into action. "I will rent a film of the play and watch it after I read. I will talk to my instructor about my concerns."

When you've put your plan into action, you've done what a growth mindset gives you the power to do—take action and learn from the experi- ence. Then perhaps next time you face a similar situation, your fear may not be as strong.

Learn from failure Failure approached with a growth mindset can spark motivation, showing you what you can do better and driving you to improve. Increased effort in the face of failure is a hallmark of successful people—witness the fact that Michael Jor- dan got cut from his high school basketball team as a sophomore (and clearly took that as a cue to work harder).

16 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

However, for people with a fixed mindset, failure is evidence of low intel- ligence and ability and means that you should give up and try something else. "This mindset gives you no good recipe for overcoming it," says Dweck. "If fail- ure means you lack competence or potential—that you are a failure—where do you go from there?" 16

Approach failure as a "problem to be faced, dealt with, and learned from." 17 Employ analytical, creative, and practical thinking as you take action.

■ Analyze what happened. Look carefully at what caused the situation. For example, imagine that after a long night of studying for a chemistry test, you for- got to complete a U.S. history paper due the next day. You realize that your focus on the test caused you to neglect everything else. Now you may face a lower grade on your paper if you turn it in late, or you may be inclined to rush it and turn in a product that isn't as good as it could be.

■ Come up with creative ways to improve the situation and change for the future. In the present, you can request an appointment with the instructor to dis- cuss the paper. For the future, you can make a commitment to set alarms in your planner and to check due dates more often.

■ Put your plan into action now —and what you've learned into action in the future. Talk with the instructor and see if you can hand in your paper late. If you decide you have learned to pay more attention to deadlines, in the future you might work backward from your paper due date, setting dates for individual tasks related to the paper and planning to have it done two days before it is due to have time for last-minute corrections.

People who can manage the emotions produced by failure learn from the experience. They also demonstrate the last of this chapter's ingredients in the recipe for success—emotional intelligence.

Why do you need emotional intelligence?

Success in a diverse world depends on relationships, and effective relation- ships demand emotional intelligence. Psychologists John Mayer, Peter Salovey, and David Caruso define emotional intelligence (EI) as the ability to under- stand "one's own and others' emotions and the ability to use this information as a guide to thinking and behavior." 18 Reading this definition carefully shows it isn't enough to just understand what you and others feel. An emotionally intelligent person uses that understanding to make choices about how to think and how to act.

In the past, and perhaps for some even today, the "head" (thought) was thought of as separate from, and perhaps more valuable than, the "heart" (emotion). However, modern science connects thought and emotion, and val- ues both. "Emotions influence both what we think about and how we think," says Caruso. "We cannot check our emotions at the door because emotions and thought are linked—they cannot, and should not, be separated." 19

Emotions also connect you to other people, as recent research has demon- strated. When a friend of yours is happy, sad, or fearful, you may experience similar feelings out of concern or friendship. Your brain and nervous system have cells called mirror neurons that mimic an observed emotion, allowing you to "participate" in the feeling even though it comes from somewhere else. An MRI brain scan would show that the same area of your friend's brain that lit up during this emotional experience lit up in your brain as well. 20

CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 17

G ET CR E AT 11.

Consider How to Connect

Making connections with people and groups in your school early can benefit you later on. Brainstorm how you

would like to spend whatever time you have available outside of your obligations (class time, work, family).

On paper or on your computer, list your ideas. Try one or more of the following questions as a starting point:

If you had no fear, what horizon-broadening experience would you sign up for?

When you were in elementary school, what were your favorite activities? Which ones might translate into cur-

rent interests and pursuits?

What kinds of organizations, activities, groups, experiences, or people make you think, "Wow, I want to do

that"?

Think about the people that you feel bring out the best in you. What do you like to do with them? What kinds

of activities are they involved with?

How emotional intelligence promotes success Two short stories illustrate the power of emotional intelligence.

The more able you are to work and com-

municate with others, the more you will

learn as well as develop teamwork skills.

Courtesy of Blend Images/Alamy

■ Two applicants are competing for a job at your office. The first has every skill the job requires, but doesn't respond well to your cues when you interview him. He answers questions indirectly and keeps going back to what he wants to say instead. The second isn't as skilled, but you feel during the interview as though you are talking with a friend. He listens carefully, picks up on your emotional cues, and indi- cates that he intends to make up for any lack of skill with a willingness to learn on the job. Whom would you hire?

■ Two students are part of a group you are working with on a proj- ect. One always gets her share of the job done but has no patience for anyone who misses a deadline. She is quick to criticize group members. The other is sometimes prepared, sometimes not, but always has a sense of what is going on with the group and responds to it. She works to make up for it when she hasn't gotten everything done, and when she is on top of her tasks she helps others. Which person would you want to work with again?

18 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

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To be clear: Skills are crucial. The most emotionally tuned-in person in the world, for example, can't perform surgery without medical training. However, the role of emotional intelligence in communication and relation- ships makes it a strong predictor of success in work and life, as indicated by the following conclusions of research using an assessment measuring EI (MSCEIT). 21

► Emotionally intelligent people are more competent in social situations and have higher quality relationships.

► Managers in the workplace with high EI have more productive working relationships and greater personal integrity.

► Employees scoring high in EI were more likely to receive positive ratings from peers and salary raises.

► Lower levels of EI are connected to higher amounts of drug, alcohol, and tobacco use, as well as aggression and conflict in teens.

The bottom line: More emotional intelligence means stronger relationships and more goal achievement.

The abilities of emotional intelligence Emotional intelligence is a set of skills, or abilities, that can be described as reasoning with emotion (an idea illustrating how thought and emotion work together). Key 1.7 shows how you move through these skills when you reason with emotion.

These skills allow you to create the best possible outcomes from your interactions. Given that you will interact with others in almost every aspect of school, work, and life, EI is a pretty important tool. You will see references to emotional intelligence throughout the text.

How might emotional intelligence fit into the rest of the skills discussed in this chapter? Think of it as thinking skills applied to relationships. Putting emotional intelligence to work means taking in and analyzing how you and others feel, shifting your thinking based on those feelings, and taking action in response—all with the purpose of achieving a goal.

Source: Adapted from John D. Mayer, Peter Salovey, and David R. Caruso, "Emotional Intelligence: New Ability or Eclectic Traits?" September 2008, American Psychologist, 63(6), pp. 505-507.

CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 19

How can doing something you love and enjoy increase your motivation level?

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The power and passion of motivation

What is the difference between internal and external motivation? Motivation can change your life! Read that statement again. Motivation can change your life! Ask any successful businessperson. Ask your favorite athlete or actor. Ask your classmates who ace every exam, project, or paper. It is their burning desire—their aspiration to succeed, to live an exceptional life, and reach their goals that changed their lives and got them to where they are today. Motivation is a force that can transform your attitude, alter the course of your performance, intensify your actions, and illuminate your future. Motivation can help you live a life that reflects your true potential. Motivation can help you live a life beyond your grandest dreams.

If you have a need or desire to change your motivation level or attitude toward personal and academic success, there are steps you can take to help you with this goal. Some of the steps we describe will be easy to implement and others will greatly challenge you, but taken seriously, each step can assist you in discovering who you really are and what you want in life and help you find the motivation you need to change. No one can do this for you.

There are two types of motivation: external and internal. External moti- vation is the weaker of the two because, as the title suggests, there are external forces or people causing you to do something. You do not own it. External moti- vators may be things or people such as your parents, spouse, or partner push- ing you to complete your degree; your supervisor telling you to do "x, y, or z" or you will be fired; or even your instructors giving you an exam to make sure you have done the reading. You may do the things asked of you, but the reason for doing them is external. You do not necessarily choose to do them on your own.

Internal motivation is uniquely yours. It is energy inside of you—pushing you to go after what you want. Internal motivation is a strong and driving force

because you own it. There are no external forces or people telling you that you must do it—it comes from your desire to be something, to have something, to attain a goal that you truly desire, or to solve a prob- lem. Successful people live in the world of internal motivation or find ways to convert external motivation into internal motivation.

A simple example of this conversion may be that your current degree requires you to take classes whose value or purpose you cannot understand. You may ask your- self, "Why would an interior design major have to take an algebra class?" The class is hard, math is not your thing, the chapters are frustrating and difficult to read, and math has little to do with your interests, career goals, or overall life plan. The chal- lenge for you is to find an internal reason to move forward—a rationale for how math is going to help you, now and in the future. This is called internalizing. Perhaps you

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20 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

want to own your own interior design business—a business that will require the use of math. Internalizing the content of this math class and it requirements can motivate you to do well.

By converting this ekternal motivation (a requirement for your degree) into internal motivation (something that can help you run your business), the math class will become easier and more relevant, because you have found a way to link it to your success, your goals, your money, your health, your family, or your overall life plan.

By internalizing, you see that good math skills can help you land a work- study job in design shop. You find that good math skills can help you create an effective personal budget plan and help you save money. You find that the more you learn about the logic and process of math, the easier it is to solve problems and think more critically, thus helping you perform better in other classes. By silencing your negative self-talk about math ("I hate math," "Math is so stupid," "I'm going to fail this class"), you are able to internalize the rewards of the class and own the outcome. You have made a conversion.

The need to be more What is the relationship between motivation and Maslow? One important way to think about motivation is to consider the work of Abra- ham Maslow, a renowned psychologist who in 1943 introduced the Hierarchy of Basic Needs in his landmark paper, "A Theory of Human Motivation." His basic premise is that every human being is motivated by a set of basic needs and we will do whatever it takes to have these things in our lives. The bottom four levels are what he calls deficiency needs, and they include things such as the need for food, air, water, security, family, health, sexual intimacy, self- esteem, achievement, and respect from others. The top level is called a psycho- logical need, and it involves self-actualization, personal growth, and fulfillment. See Key 1.8.

Self-actualization, the top level, is perhaps the most obscure and abstract to understand, but it is the most important when it comes to motivation. Maslow suggests that we all have a basic, driving desire to matter—to have a life where we are doing what we were meant to do. Self-actualization can also be described as living at our "peak" and to be fully ourselves. The renowned psychologist, author, and speaker Dr. Wayne Dyer describes self-actualization as meaning "You must be what you can be." By this he suggests that if you know you are living a life that is "less" than what you know you are capable of living, true happiness will never be yours.

Conquering the "First-generation gap"

How do you make it and stay motivated when you're the first in the family? Many college students are first-generation students, meaning that their par- ents' highest level of education is a high school diploma or less. This may not seem like such a big deal, but it can be on many levels. If you are a

CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 21

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PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS

Basic life needs such as air, food, water, sleep, shelter, warmth, sex, excretion

LOVING/BELONGINGNESS NEEDS Friendship, family, affection, relationships, belonging in work

groups, sexual intimacy

first-generation student, you may not have the support and understanding of family members who know firsthand the pressures of what you're going through. It may seem as if they are not supportive. This could be true, but more than likely, they are unaware how to offer support because college is new for them, too. Therefore, it is so very important that you find support beyond what your family may be able to offer. You will encounter many people at your college who are first-generation students and they can help guide you. Many non-first-generation students, faculty, staff, and personal friends will be able to offer you support, too.

In a personal survey, first-generation students responded that their reasons for attending college were to be well off financially and provide their children with better opportunities than they had.

Statistics from years of research with first-generation students also show that many are more likely to have families of their own (spouses and children), are more likely to be older (over 30), come from families with lower incomes, work more full-time hours off campus, enroll part time, be less academically prepared, and attend community colleges. It was also found that first-genera- tion students drop out more frequently than non-first-generation students (U.S. Department of Education, 1998).

22 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

Don't despair, however. These statistics do not have to predict your future, who you are, or where you are going. You are not tied to what others have or have not done. This is your life, your future, your beginning. Being a first-genera- tion student can have many rewards, such as an esteemed sense of accomplishment, the ability to serve as a mentor for family and friends, and the ability to increase your socioeco- nomic status.

As you begin your studies, however, you may find that you Face some resistance from some friends and family members. You may even find that some relationships suffer or end because of your pursuit of self-improvement. Don't let this dis- courage you. Again, this is one of the many changes that may occur in your personal life as you embark on your college jour-

What support groups exist on

your campus to help first genera-

tion students?

Courtesy of Shutterstock

ney. Before ending a relationship, try talking to the other person and letting him or her know that you still care, while holding fast to the notion that your own life and your own future is of great importance, too. You may find that some people leave you. You may also find that you have to leave some people. Some friends may not be able to rejoice in the fact that you are going to college because they feel that you are leaving them behind; others will simply be jealous of the fact that you are bettering yourself and they are not. If those around you do not support you and your dreams and they cannot be reasoned with, you may have to part company for the sake of growth and future security.

As you begin your studies, let yourself undergo the whole spectrum of the college experience. Get involved with your classmates. Use college resources to your best advantage. Establish meaningful relationships, and enjoy the ride. Yes, you may face challenges on a day-to-day basis, but growth and change include challenges. It only means you are moving. Expanding! Growing!

If you are a first-generation student, you can do many things to help ensure your success and graduation. They include the following:

► Deal with family conflicts and misunderstandings early and quickly. Talk with them about your plans, daily schedules, and college culture. Keep family members involved so they don't feel left out or that you are aban- doning them.

► Don't let feelings of guilt or "selling out" derail your goals and plans. Yes, you may be the first in your family to attend college, but with your guid- ance and mentoring, you will not be the last.

► Work hard to find a support group, advisor, counselor, peer, or professor who understands your situation and ask them for advice. Talk to people. Make friends. Associate.

► Try to meet people who have been at your institution for at least one term so that you can learn "survival tips" from them.

10. Immerse yourself socially and academically at your institution. Make use of every source of academic, financial, career, and cultural assistance possible.

► Find a healthy balance among your work, family, and college studies. Remember, this is your future. One way to look at this is to ask yourself, "Is my current job my future? Is it my destiny? Can I do what I am doing right now for the next 25 years?"

► Involve your family and friends in your education as much as possible. Ask them to attend events with you. Encourage them to begin their studies, too.

► Don't be ashamed of what you are doing and for trying to improve your station in life. Dimming your own light does nothing to help others see more clearly. This is a major step forward, and you should be proud of yourself for taking it.

11. Have an open mind and enjoy the process. This is the time to learn, grow, explore, and prosper.

CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 23

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Achieving your potential and increasing your motivation What are the cornerstones of personal and professional success? "I am a winner." "I fail at everything I do."

"I am a dedicated person." "I don't really care about anything."

"I hate getting up in the morning." "I can't wait for my day to start."

As you can see by the two different perspectives above, your attitude about how you approach life, relationships, problems, and goals can mean the difference between being a motivated, inspired, and successful person or a weary, fright- ened, and unsuccessful person.

The reason that we have included the following Strategies for Lifetime Success is to help you see that by focusing on you—becoming a person who knows where you're going, what you want, and what you have to offer—your motivation and passion for learning and growing will flourish. By knowing more about yourself, you can then establish a clearer vision of your true poten- tial. Take your time and read each point carefully. Consider the questions asked and complete the chapter activities to assist you with your motivation plan.

Point 1: Develop a new attitude Your attitude—new or old, good or bad—belongs to you. If your attitude needs changing, no one can do it for you. Now is the perfect time to begin changing your attitude if it needs an adjustment, because small changes in the way you approach life can mean major changes to your success throughout your college career.

Just as some people embrace the attitude of learned helplessness (letting your past or other people's failures dictate your future), you can just as easily embrace the attitude of learned optimism. A pessimist finds bad news in most situations; he or she lives in a world that has a cloud over it all the time. Optimists, on the other hand, can handle bad news and difficult challenges because they have a positive way of viewing the world. Optimists learn how to determine why things

went wrong and can adjust and fix the underlying problem. People actually create their own success, reach their goals,

and become successful by embracing a positive outlook on life. Conversely, a great deal of personal misery and failure is caused by adopting a bad attitude and by embracing negative feelings and self-defeating behaviors. Take the assessment in Key 1.9 to determine your current attitudes.

Select one of the self-defeating habits that you checked from the list and state exactly what your behavior is and why you think you are experiencing this problem.

Do you think that surrounding yourself with optimistic,

motivated people will help you succeed? Why or why not?

Courtesy of Shutterstock

24 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

IS MY BEHAVIOR SELF-DEFEATING?

Review the checklist below of typical self-defeating habits that can be changed by adopting the right attitude. Place a check by the ones that

relate to you and your behavior:

❑ I am frequently depressed, lonely, sad, frustrated, worried, or frightened.

❑ I spend a lot of time with people who aren't very motivated to excel in college.

❑ I waste a lot of time watching TV, playing video games, texting, scanning Facebook, and so on.

❑ I get very uptight and negative when I have to take a test.

❑ I am more worried about associating with friends than I am about my grades.

❑ I spend money that I shouldn't spend and charge things on my credit card that I can't afford.

❑ I eat too much junk food when I get stressed.

❑ I don't exercise properly when I feel depressed.

❑ I procrastinate a lot and I lose my temper quickly when I am under pressure.

❑ I tend to give up easily when things get hard.

❑ I am having trouble with my living arrangement.

❑ I have trouble making it through the day without some form of stimulant such as coffee, cigarettes, drugs, or alcohol.

❑ I daydream in some of my classes.

❑ I turn in my assignments late and make up excuses as to why.

❑ I daydream a lot about how things used to be.

❑ I cut class when I feel depressed or unprepared.

❑ I don't feel comfortable talking to my advisor and instructors.

❑ I don't feel like I am making many friends here, and I often feel lonely and discouraged.

❑ I do not participate in any co or extracurricular activities.

❑ I spend a lot of my time doing nothing.

❑ I hate my job.

❑ Some of my classes are awful, and I cut them often.

If you checked off five or more statements on this chart, you may be experiencing self defeating behavior. You will need to consider carefully how

to eliminate these behaviors from your life as you work on a personal attitude adjustment.

Develop five action steps to help you change your attitude and overcome this self-defeating behavior.

1

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Point 2: Make excellence a habit As you work to change some of your habits and become a highly motivated person, one practice you need to embrace is excellence in everything you do. The average person is happy doing just enough to get by. Those who excel and succeed demand excellence from themselves in everything they do. If you don't think excellence matters, consider these points: Would you want a doctor who

CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 25

"People become the y

are. Evev, Beefl,ovev,

became Beefl,ovev,."

<-0 .4fr WHAT IF 99.9% WERE

t4.fr/ GOOD ENOUGH?

If 99.9% were good enough, then:

■ 12 newborns would be given to the wrong parents in the United States every day.

■ 7 people would be buried in the wrong graves or cremated incorrectly daily in the United States.

■ 292 book titles published in the United States would be shipped with the wrong covers on them this year.

■ 400 entries in Webster's Dictionary would be misspelled.

■ 1,200,000 credit cards held in the United States would have incorrect cardholder information on the black magnetic strip on the back of the

card.

■ 79,000 drug prescriptions would be written incorrectly this year in the United States

■ 32,000 of the Library of Congress's books would be filed on the shelves incorrectly.

EXCELLENCE MATTERS!

cheated his or her way through medical school to operate on you or your child? Would you want a pilot who didn't perform very well on the simulated crash test to fly your plane? Would you want to cross a bridge every day that was designed by an engineer who cheated his way through design class? Excellence matters! Key 1.10 illustrates the importance of excellence in several real-life situations.

Point 3: Overcome your doubts and fears Success is a great motivator, but so is fear. Actually, fear probably motivates more people than anything else. Unfortunately, fear motivates most people to hold back, to doubt themselves, to stay in their comfort zones, and to accom- plish much less than they could have without the fear.

Your own personal fears may be one of the biggest obstacles to reaching your potential. If you are afraid, you are not alone; everyone has fears. Isn't it interesting that our fears are learned? As an infant, you were born with only two fears: a fear of falling and a fear of loud noises. As you got older, you added to your list of fears. And if you are like most people, you may have let your fears dominate parts of your life, saying things to yourself like: "What if I try and fail?" "What if people laugh at me for thinking I can do this?" or "What if someone finds out that this is my dream?" You have two choices where fear is concerned. You can let fear dominate your life, or you can focus on those things you really want to accomplish, put your fears behind you, and go for it.

Dr. Robert Schuller, minister, motivational speaker, and author, once asked, "What would you attempt to do if you could not fail?" This is an important question for anyone, especially someone trying to increase his or her motiva- tion level. In the spaces below, work through this idea by answering the ques- tions truthfully. We have adapted and expanded this question for the purpose of this exercise.

1. What would you attempt to do if you could not fail?

26 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

When faced with adversity, what techniques have you used in the

: past to survive and move on?

•. Michael Ventura/Alamy

2. Beyond the answers "I'm afraid" or "Fear," why are you not doing this thing?

3. If you did this thing and were successful at it, how would your life change? Be specific.

Point 4: Put adversity and failure into perspective Thomas Edison was once asked how it felt to fail over 1,000 times at mak- ing the light bulb work. He reportedly responded, "I have never failed at making the light bulb work. I successfully identified over 1,000 ways that it would not work." Edison looked on his unsuccessful attempts to build the electric light bulb positively. He saw it as eliminating ways that it would not work, not as failure. Failure is just a temporary byproduct of the success that lies ahead if you persevere. A part of being motivated means learning to deal with failure and set- backs. Most people compile a string of failures before they have great success.

Have you ever given up on something too quickly, or gotten discouraged and quit? That feeling is quite different from completing a goal and getting an adrenaline rush from success. Can you think of a time when you were unfair to yourself because you didn't stay with something long enough? Completing a goal feels much dif- ferent than giving up. Have you ever stopped doing something you really loved because some- body laughed at you or teased you about it? Doing what brings you joy in the face of adver- sity gives you a feeling much different than cav- ing in to peer pressure. Overcoming failure and learning from mistakes make victory much more rewarding. Motivated people know that losing and making mistakes are necessary aspects of winning: the difference between winning and los- ing is the ability to get up, stand tall, and try again. Winning is getting up one more time than you are knocked down. A successful person is successful because he or she hung on just one moment longer than the person who gave up.

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kv,ockecl

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tip, you CAin Set up."

—Les Browv,

CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 27

Point 5: Eliminate negative self-talk and the "I Can't" syndrome Try as you might, sometimes harmful emotions, fear of the unknown, and that nagging little voice inside your head (negative self-talk) can cause you problems. Negative self-talk usually appears when you are afraid, uneasy, hurt, angry, depressed, or lonely. By the time you read this, you may have experienced these feelings. When you experience change, your body, mind, and soul typically go through a process of physical and emotional change as well. Learning to recognize these symptoms in order to control them can help you control the stress that can accompany change. You may have to develop a new attitude.

Your attitude is yours. It belongs to you. You own it. Good or bad, happy or sad, optimistic or pessimistic, it is yours and you are responsible for it. How- ever, your attitude is greatly influenced by situations in your life and by the people with whom you associate. Developing a winning, optimistic attitude can be hard yet extremely rewarding work and beneficial to the change process. Motivated and successful people have learned that one's attitude is the mirror to one's soul.

Listen to yourself for a few days. Are you more of an optimist or a pes- simist? Do you hear yourself whining, complaining, griping, and finding fault with everything and everybody around you? Do you blame others for things that are wrong in your life? Do you blame your bad grades on your professors? Is someone else responsible for your unhappiness? If these thoughts or com- ments are in your head, you are suffering from the "I CAN'T" Syndrome (Irri- tated, Contaminated, Angry, Negative Thoughts). This pessimistic condition can negatively influence every aspect of your life, from your self-esteem, to your motivation level, to your academic performance, to your relationships, to your career success.

If you want to eliminate I CAN'T from your life, consider the following tips:

► Think about the many positive aspects of your life and show gratitude for them.

► Work every day to find the good in people, places, and things. ► Eliminate negative thoughts that enter your mind before you begin your

day.

► Discover what is holding you back and what you need to push you forward.

► Visualize your success—visualize yourself actually being who and what you want to be.

► Locate and observe positive, optimistic people and things in your life. ► Make a list of who helps you, supports you, and helps you feel positive;

then make a point to be around them more.

► Take responsibility for your own actions and their consequences. ► Force yourself to find five positive things a day for which to be

thankful.

You've seen the difference between an optimist and a pessimist. They are both everywhere—at work, at school, and maybe in your own family. Think of the optimist for a moment. You've probably sat next to him or her in one of your classes or seen him or her at work—the person who always seems to be happy, motivated, bubbling with personality, organized, and ready for whatever

"I-1- 's 1-Le load fl-,a+ breaks y ou dowfr),

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Horvie

28 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

comes his or her way. Optimists greet people as they enter the room, they respond in class, they volunteer for projects, and they have a presence about them that is positive and lively. You may even look at these people out of the corner of your eye and ask, "What are they on?"

Positive, upbeat, and motivated people are easy to spot. You can basically see their attitude in the way they walk, the way they carry themselves, the way they approach people, and the way they treat others.

Be wary, however, of "the others." The ones you need to avoid. Whiners. Degraders. Attackers. Manipulators. Pessimists. Backstabbers. Abusers. Cowards. Two-faced racists, sexists, ageists, homophobes, ethnocentrists. These people carry around an aura so negative that it can almost be seen as a dark cloud above them. They degrade others because they do not like themselves. They find fault with everything because their own lives are a mess. They do nothing and then attack you for being motivated and trying to improve your life. We call them contaminated people. Contaminated people are unhappy with who they are. To make themselves feel better, they try to tear down people who are the opposite of what they are. They belittle your positive actions and try to make your life as miserable as their lives are.

Sure, everyone has bad days and bad stretches in his or her life. This is not the person we are talking about here. With contaminated people, being negative and trying to bring you down is epidemic in their lives. It is the way they operate all the time. It is constant. Having a bad day and complaining is normal for some people at various times, but contami- nated people see life (and you) as negative and bad on an hourly and daily basis.

Point 6: Identify and clarify what you value in life If you have been highly motivated to accomplish a goal in the past, this achievement was probably tied to something you valued a great deal. Since most of what you do in life centers on what is truly important to you, you need to identify and then clarify what you value in your life—what really matters to you.

Values, self-esteem, motivation, and goal setting are all mixed up together, making it difficult to separate one from the other. The things you work to accomplish are directly connected to the things you value. Therefore, your atti- tude and actions are tied to your values. If you value an attitude or belief, your actions will be centered on these ideals. If you love to spend time with your friends and this is valuable to you, you will make the time for this on a regular basis. Why? Because having friends is a fundamental part of your value system. You like it and get pleasure from it, so you are motivated by it and you do it. It is that simple. Our values influence our actions. It is, once again, tied to Maslow's Hierarchy of Basic Needs.

Below, you will find a wide and varied list of personal qualities. Read over them carefully and circle the ones you truly value. Be careful and selective. Do not just randomly circle words. As criteria for each word you circle, ask yourself, "Can I defend why I value this in my life?" and "Is this truly something I value, or something I was told to value and never ques- tioned why?" If you value something and it is not on the list, add it to one of the spaces at the end.

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CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 29

Honesty Affection Punctuality Respect Frankness Open-mindedness Reliability Trustworthiness Sincerity Wit/Humor Spontaneity Devotion Frugality Justice Creativity Caring Spirituality Friendliness Energy Intellect Attentiveness Conversation Money Security Beauty Enthusiasm Positivism Commitments Foresightednes Organization Learning Listening Control Comfort Knowledge Success Athletic ability Thoughtfulness Independence Courage Safety Fun Excitement Partying Love Friendship Writing Speaking Reading Family Dependability Teamwork Time alone Time w/friends Phone calls Walks Exercise Problem solving Empowerment Integrity Service to others Modesty Strength Tolerance Imagination Self-esteem Food Power Winning Goals Risk taking Change Self-improvement Forgiveness Fairness Optimism Motivation Trust Direction in life Giving Working Hobbies Stability Mentoring

Now that you have circled or written what you value, choose the five that you value the most. In other words, if you were only allowed to value five things in life, what five would you list below? In the space to the right of each value, rank them from 1 to 5 (1 being the most important to you, your life, your relationships, your actions, your education, and your career).

Take your time and give serious consideration to this activity, as you will need to refer back to this exercise later in this chapter.

LIST RANK

Now, look at your #1. Where did this value originate?

30 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

How can damage to your name and

reputation negatively affect your overall

success?

Courtesy of Shutterstock

Defend why this is the one thing you value more than anything else in life.

How does this one value motivate you

Point 7: Take pride in your name and personal character "My name?" you may ask. "What does my name have to do with anything?" The answer: At the end of the day, the end of the month, the end of your career, and the end of your life, your name and your character are all that you have. Tak- ing pride in developing your character and protecting your good name can be a powerful motivational force.

Imagine for a moment that you are working with a group of students on a project for your English class. The project is to receive a major grade and you and your group will present your findings to a group of 300 students at a cam- pus forum. Your group works hard and when you present the project, your group receives a standing ovation and earns an A. The name of each individ- ual group member is read aloud as you stand to be recognized. Your name and project are also posted in a showcase. You are proud. Your hard work paid off. Your name now carries weight with your peers and among the fac- ulty. It feels good.

Conversely, imagine that your group slacks off; the project is poorly prepared and received by the audience and your instructors. Your group earns an F on the project. Your name is associated with this pro- ject and your name and grade is posted with every other group. Your group is the only group to receive an F. It doesn't feel good.

Basically, it comes down to this: Every time you make a choice, every time you complete a project, every time you encounter another person, your actions define your character and your name. People admire and respect you when you make an honorable and moral choice, especially if it is a difficult decision. Both your character and your name are exclusively yours, and you are responsible for their well-being. When you care this passionately about your reputa- tion and character, your life is governed by protecting your name. Your actions, beliefs, and decisions are all tied to this one belief: "My name and my reputation matter and I will do nothing to bring shame or embarrassment to my name."

Point 8: Develop a strong, personal guiding statement You're wearing a t-shirt to class. It is not your normal, run-of-the- mill t-shirt, however. You designed this t-shirt for everyone to see and read. It is white with bright red letters. On the front of the t-shirt is

"Your cl,4rAcfer is

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beck."

—Abis6i1 V40 BtAreo

CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 31

Tim McGraw, recording artist

and country music sensation, was

born in Louisiana in 1967. When he

was 11 years old, he discovered that

the man he believed to be his father

was not and that his father was actu-

ally the famous New York Mets base-

ball player Tug McGraw. Tug denied

that Tim was his son for seven years.

When Tim was 18, Tug finally admit-

ted that he was Tim's father.

During Tim's early recording

years, his first series of singles failed

so badly that he was told to give up

his dream of becoming a country

recording artist. One producer even

told him, "You'll never make it, son.

Go on home and find yourself a

job."

As of today, he has sold over

40 million CDs and has 31 number

one hits. His last 11 CDs debuted at

number one on the Billboard charts.

He has won three Grammy awards,

14 Academy of Country Music

Awards, 11 Country Music Associ-

ation Awards, and three People's

Choice Awards. He is also married to

another famous country music singer,

Faith Hill (TimMcGraw.com , n.d.;

Wikipedia, n.d.).

PHOTO: AliStar Picture Library/Alamy

written your personal guiding statement —the words by which you live. The words govern your life. What would your t-shirt say? Perhaps you will use the golden rule, "Do unto others . . ." It might be an adaptation of the Nike slogan, "Just Do It," or it might be something more profound such as, "I live my life to serve others and to try to make others' lives better," or "Be a blessing," or "Live, love, laugh."

Whatever your guiding statement, it must be yours. It can't be your parents', your professor's, or your best friend's statement. It must be based on something you value, and it must be strong enough to motivate you in hard, tough times. Your guiding statement must be so powerful that it will literally "guide you" when you are ethically challenged, broke, alone, angry, hurt, sad, or feeing vin- dictive. It is a statement that will guide you in relationships with family, friends, spouses, partners, or would-be love interests. It is a statement that gives direc- tion to your daily actions. Think about how different your life would be if you woke up each morning and lived your guiding statement to the fullest.

One of the best ways to start working on your guiding statement is to look back at those values you earlier circled as important to you. If you value some- thing, it may appear in your guiding statement. For example, if you circled the words respect, giving, and optimism among those you value, this is a basis for your statement. A guiding statement based on these words might read:

"I will live my life as a positive, optimistic, upbeat, motivated person who respects others and enjoys giving to others on a daily basis."

32 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

If your circled words included integrity, honesty, and fairness, your statement may read:

"My integrity is the most important thing in my life, and I will never act in any way that compromises my integrity. I will be truthful, fair, and honest in all my endeavors."

More simply, your guiding statement may read something like:

"Be reliable," "Live optimistically," or "Never give up."

In the space below, transfer the most important words from the value list on pages 71-72 and then work to develop your guiding statement.

The most important values were:

Using these words, draft your guiding statement. (Take your time and be sincere. You will need this statement later in the chapter.)

Point 9: Make a commitment to strengthen your self-esteem If you were asked to name all the areas of your life that are affected by self- esteem, what would you say? The correct answer is, "Everything." Every area of your life is affected by your self-esteem.

Self-esteem and self-understanding are two of the most important compo- nents of your personal makeup! To be truly motivated, you have got to know yourself and love yourself. Many people who are in therapy are there simply because they cannot accept the fact that they are OK. Self-esteem is a powerful force in your life and is the source of your joy, your productivity, and your abil- ity to have good relationships with others.

You might think of self-esteem as a photograph of yourself that you keep locked in your mind. It is a collective product—the culmination of everyone with whom you have associated, everywhere you've traveled, and all of the experiences you have had. William James, the first major psychologist to study self-esteem, defined it as "the sum total of all a person can call their own: the Material Me (all that you have), the Social Me (recognition and acceptance from others), and the Spiritual Me (your innermost thoughts and desires)."

Stanley Coopersmith, noted psychologist and developer of the most widely used self-esteem inventory in the United States, defined self-esteem as "a per- sonal judgment of worthiness." Psychologist and author Nathaniel Branden defined self-esteem as "confidence in our ability to cope with the basic chal- lenges of life." And finally, psychologist Charles Cooley called it "the looking glass." Perhaps in everyday terms, we can define healthy self-esteem as "I know who I am, I accept who I am, I am OK, and I'm going to make it."

CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 33

Self-esteem has five basic characteristics based on Maslow's Hierarchy of Basic Needs. They are:

► A sense of security (I am safe and have the basics of life—food, water, etc.) ► A sense of identity (I know who I am and where I'm going) ► A sense of belonging (I know how to love and I am loved) ► A sense of purpose (I know why I'm here and what I am going to do

with my life) ► A sense of personal competence (I have the ability to achieve my goals

and grow)

These characteristics are considered key to a person's ability to approach life with motivation, confidence, self-direction, and the desire to achieve out- standing accomplishments.

How can actively participating in class help

build your self-esteem?

Image 100

Tips to enhance your self-esteem

■ Take control of your own life. If you let other people rule your life, you will always have unhealthy self-esteem. Get involved in the decisions that shape your life. Seize control—don't let life just hap- pen to you!

■ Adopt the idea that you are responsible for you. The day you take responsibility for yourself and what happens to you is the day you start to develop healthier self-esteem. When you can admit your mis- takes and celebrate your successes knowing you did it your way, loving and respecting yourself become much easier.

■ Refuse to allow friends and family to tear you down. Combat negativity by admitting your mistakes and shortcomings to yourself (without dwelling on them) and by making up your mind that you are going to overcome them. By doing this, you are taking negative power away from anyone who would use your mistakes to hurt you.

■ Control what you say to yourself. "Self-talk" is important to your self-esteem and to your ability to motivate yourself positively. If you allow negative self-talk into your life, it will rule your self-esteem. Think positive thoughts and surround yourself with positive, upbeat, motivated, happy people.

■ Take calculated risks. If you are going to grow to your fullest potential, you will have to learn to take some calculated risks and step out of your comfort zone. While you should never take fool- hardy risks that might endanger your life or everything you have, you must constantly be willing to push yourself.

■ Stop comparing yourself to other people. You may never be able to beat some people at certain things. Does it really matter? You only have to "beat yourself' to get better. If you constantly tell yourself that you are not "as handsome as Bill" or "as smart as Mary" or "as athletic as Jack," your inner voice will begin to believe these statements, and your motivation and self-esteem will suffer. Everyone has certain strengths and talents to offer to the world.

■ Keep your promises and be loyal to friends, family, and yourself. If you have ever had someone break a promise to you, you know how it feels to have your loyalty betrayed. The most outstanding feature of your character is your ability to be loyal, keep your promises, and do what you have agreed to do. Few things can make you feel better about yourself than being loyal and keeping your word.

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34 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

Kn Technology is in nearly every field changing how you

is doubling every two live and work. to three years.

The Internet and technology will shape communications and improve knowledge and productivity during the next twenty years—and will require continual learning.

The global economy Workers are changing

is moving from a jobs and careers more

product and service frequently. base to a knowledge

and talent base ,

Every time you decide to start a new career, you need new knowledge and skills.

■ Win with grace, lose with class. Everyone loves a winner, but everyone also loves a person who can lose with class and dignity. On the other hand, no one loves a bragging winner or a moaning loser. If you are engaged in sports, debate, acting, art shows, or academic competitions, you will encounter win- ning and losing. Remember, whether you win or lose, if you're involved and active, you're already in the top 10 percent of the population. You're already more of a winner than most because you showed up and participated.

■ Be a giver. Author, speaker, and teacher Leo Buscaglia states: "You want to make yourself the most brilliant, the most talented, the most fabulous person that you can possibly be so that you can give it all away. The only reason we have anything is to be able to give it away." By giving to other people and shar- ing your talents and strengths, you begin to live on a level where kindness, self- lessness, and others' needs gently collide. Whatever you want in this life, give it away and it will come back to you.

Learning for life The signs in Key 1.11 point to the need to be a lifelong learner, continuing to build knowledge and skills as your career and life demand. This book will help you fulfill that need.

This text gives you tools with which you can learn for life, meeting the changing demands of the modern world. Imagine: You are in class with your growth mindset, open to learning. You are ready to use analytical and creative skills to examine the knowledge you take in and come up with new ideas. You are motivated to use your practical skills to move toward your goals. Your emotional intelligence has prepared you to adjust to and work with all kinds of people. The bar has been raised. Get ready to use Keys to Success to fly over it and find out just how much you can grow.

A CHANGING WORLD MEANS 4i4 LEARNING IS FOR LIFE

If you stop learning, your knowledge base will be inadequate to keep up with the changes in your career, thus affecting your marketability.

In the United States and abroad, jobs are being created that ask workers to think critically to come up with solutions.

CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 35

CHAPTER 1

Building Skills for College,

reer, and Life

Steps to Success

Activate Yourself Robert Sternberg found that people who reach their goals successfully, despite differences in thinking and personal goals, have twenty particular characteristics in common that motivate them to grow. 22 Each of the "I" statements in the following list identifies one of the characteristics.

BUILD BASIC SKILLS. Use this self-assessment to think about how well you can get and stay motivated right now.

Please circle the number that best represents your answer.

1 2 3 4 5

Not at All Somewhat Not Somewhat Definitely Like Me Unlike Me Sure Like Me Like Me

1. I motivate myself well. 1 2 3 4 5

2. I can control my impulses. 1 2 3 4 5

gears. 3. I know when to persevere and when to change 1 2 3 4 5

4. I make the most of what I do well. 1 2 3 4 5

action. 5. I can successfully translate my ideas into 1 2 3 4 5

6. I can focus effectively on my goal. 1 2 3 4 5

through. 7. I complete tasks and have good follow- 1 2 3 4 5

ahead. 8. I initiate action—I move people and projects 1 2 3 4 5

9. I have the courage to risk failure. 1 2 3 4 5

36 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

1 Not at All Like Me

2 Somewhat Unlike Me

3 Not Sure

4 Somewhat

Like Me

5 Definitely Like Me

10. I avoid procrastination. 1 2 3 4 5

11. I accept responsibility when I make a mistake. 1 2 3 4 5

12. I don't waste time feeling sorry for myself. 1 2 3 4 5

13. I independently take responsibility for tasks. 1 2 3 4 5

14. I work hard to overcome personal difficulties. 1 2 3 4 5

15. I create an environment that helps me concen- trate on my goals.

1 2 3 4 5

16. I don't take on too much work or too little. 1 2 3 4 5

17. I can delay gratification to receive the benefits. 1 2 3 4 5

18. I can see both the big picture and the details in a situation.

1 2 3 4 5

19. I am able to maintain confidence in myself. 1 2 3 4 5

20. I can balance analytical, creative, and practi- cal thinking skills.

1 2 3 4 5

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. Choose five statements that focus on areas you most want to develop throughout the term. Circle or highlight them on the self-assessment. Then pretend to be an instructor recommending you for a scholarship or a job. Write a short e-mail about how strong you are in those five areas. Save the e-mail as a reminder of what you would like such a person to say about you.

MOVE TOWARD MASTERY. Select one of the five statements chosen in the previous section and take action in the following ways.

1. Find the section in the text that will help you develop this ability If you wish to procrastinate less, for example, locate the time management information in Chapter 3.

2. Skim the text section and find one concept or strategy that catches your attention. Copy the concept or strategy onto a piece of paper or electronic file. Then, briefly describe how you plan to use it.

3. Take action in the next week based on your plan. You are on the road to growth.

In the last chapter, you will revisit this self-assessment and get more specific about actions you have taken, and plan to take, to promote personal growth.

Writing

Build Intrapersonal and Communication Skills Record your thoughts on a separate piece of paper, in a journal, or electronically.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE JOURNAL

How you are feeling now. First, describe what you are feeling right now about college. Then discuss what those feelings tell you about how ready you are for the experience. Last, brainstorm some actions that will help you be as prepared as possible to benefit from the experience of college. (For example, if shyness prevents you from feeling ready to meet new people, one action might be to make a special effort to engage in the discussion board that will help you get to know people more easily.)

CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 37

REAL-LIFE WRITING

Skills you have now. No matter what professional goals you ultimately pursue, the skills that the 21st cen- tury workplace demands will be useful in any career area. Look back at Key 1.5 to remind yourself of the four skill areas—and the individual skills within each category—defined as 21st century essentials for suc- cess. Identify three skills you have already built and can demonstrate. If you would like to read further, go to www.21stcenturyskills.org/route21 and click on any of the four areas to see details about specific skills.

For each skill, write a short paragraph that contains the following elements:

• A description of your abilities in this skill area • Specific examples, from school or work, demonstrating these abilities • Jobs or coursework in which you have built this skill

Keep this information on hand for building your resume—or if you already have a resume, use it to update your information and add detail that will keep your resume current.

Personal Portfolio

Prepare for Career Success ASSESS YOUR SUCCESSFUL INTELLIGENCE

This is the first of twelve portfolio assignments you will complete, one for each chapter. By the end of the term, you will have compiled a portfolio of documents that can help you achieve career exploration and planning goals.

Type your work and save the documents electronically in one file folder. Use loose paper for assign- ments that ask you to draw or make collages, and make copies of assignments that ask you to write in the book. For safekeeping, scan and save loose or text pages to include in your portfolio file.

21st Century Learning Building Blocks

• Initiative and Self-Direction • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

As you begin this course, use this exercise to get a big picture look at how you perceive yourself as an analytical, creative, and practical thinker. For the statements in each of the three self-assessments, circle the number that best describes how it applies to you.

ASSESS YOUR ANALYTICAL THINKING SKILLS

For each statement, circle the number that feels right to you, from 1 for "not at all true for me" to 5 for "very true for me."

1. I recognize and define problems effectively. 1 2 3 4 5

2. I see myself as a "thinker," "analytical," "studious." 1 2 3 4 5

3. When working on a problem in a group setting, I like to break down the problem into its components and evaluate them. 1 2 3 4 5

4. I need to see convincing evidence before accepting information as fact. 1 2 3 4 5

5. I weigh the pros and cons of plans and ideas before taking action. 1 2 3 4 5

6. I tend to make connections among bits of information by categorizing them. 1 2 3 4 5

7. Impulsive, spontaneous decision making worries me. 1 2 3 4 5

8. I like to analyze causes and effects when making a decision. 1 2 3 4 5

9. I monitor my progress toward goals. 1 2 3 4 5

10. Once I reach a goal, I evaluate the process to see how effective it was. 1 2 3 4 5

Total your answers here:

38 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

ASSESS YOUR CREATIVE THINKING SKILLS

For each statement, circle the number that feels right to you, from 1 for "not at all true for me" to 5 for "very true for me."

1. I tend to question rules and regulations.

2. I see myself as "unique," "full of ideas," "innovative."

3. When working on a problem in a group setting, I generate a lot of ideas.

4. I am energized when I have a brand-new experience.

5. If you say something is too risky, I'm ready to give it a shot.

6. I often wonder if there is a different way to do or see something.

7. Too much routine in my work or schedule drains my energy

8. I tend to see connections among ideas that others do not.

9. I feel comfortable allowing myself to make mistakes as I test out ideas.

10. I'm willing to champion an idea even when others disagree with me.

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

Total your answers here:

ASSESS YOUR PRACTICAL THINKING SKILLS

For each statement, circle the number that feels right to you, from 1 for "not at all true for me" to 5 for "very true for me."

1. I can find a way around any obstacle. 1 2 3 4 5

2. I see myself as a "doer," the "go-to" person; I "make things happen." 1 2 3 4 5

3. When working on a problem in a group setting, I like to figure out who will do what and when it should be done. 1 2 3 4 5

4. I apply what I learn from experience to improve my response to similar situations. 1 2 3 4 5

5. I finish what I start and don't leave loose ends hanging. 1 2 3 4 5

6. I note my emotions about academic and social situations and use what they tell me to move toward a goal. 1 2 3 4 5

7. I can sense how people feel and can use that knowledge to interact with others effectively. 1 2 3 4 5

8. I manage my time effectively. 1 2 3 4 5

9. I adjust to the teaching styles of my instructors and the communication styles of my peers. 1 2 3 4 5

10. When involved in a problem-solving process, I can shift gears as needed. 1 2 3 4 5

Total your answers here:

With your scores in hand, use the Wheel of Successful Intelligence to look at all the skills at once. In each of the three areas of the wheel, draw a curved line approximately at the level of your number score and fill in the wedge below that line. Look at what the wheel shows about the level of balance you perceive in your three aspects of successful intelligence. If it were a real wheel, would it roll?

Based on the appearance of the wheel, in which skill do you most need to build strength? Keep this goal in mind as you proceed through the text. In each chapter, pay special attention to the exercise that builds this thinking skill.

CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 39

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Sample Wheel

28 40

PRACTICAL SKILLS

30 35

ANALYTICAL CREATIVE SKILLS

40 45 SKILLS

50

Source: Based on The Wheel of Life" model developed by the Coaches Training Institute. Co-Active Space 2000.

40 KEYS TO LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

Social Networking CONNECT TO THE WORKING WORLD One of the most productive uses of online social networking is to help people market themselves and develop networks of professional contacts in the work world. At the end of each Personal Portfolio exercise, this segment will help you build a profile on one of the most widely used tools for this purpose-Linkedln. The mission of LinkedIn is to help you connect to people you know and trust, and access wider networks of people through them, to become a more successful professional in the career of your choice.

Set up your account on LinkedIn to get started. Do the following:

• Go to wwwlinkedin.com and click on "What is LinkedIn?" to get an overview. • Click on "Join Today" and follow the instructions to establish your account name and

password. • Be sure to read the User Agreement and Privacy Policy.

If you already have a LinkedIn account, sign on and make sure your basic information is up to date.

ENDNOTES 1. Thomas Friedman, The World Is Flat,

New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2006, p. 8.

2. Daniel Pink, "Revenge of the Right Brain," Wired Magazine, February 2005, www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.02/ brain.html?pg=l&topic=brain&topic_ set=.

3. Robert J. Sternberg, Successful Intelli- gence: How Practical and Creative Intel- ligence Determine Success in Life, New York: Plume, 1997, pp. 85-90; Carol S. Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, New York: Random House, 2006, p. 5; and Susanne Jaeggi, Martin Buschkuehl, John Jonides, and Walter J. Perrig, "Improving Fluid Intelligence with Training on Working Memory" 2008, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 105, pp. 6829-6833.

4. Sternberg, Successful Intelligence, p. 11.

5. Dweck, Mindset, pp. 3-4.

6. The Society for Neuroscience, Brain Facts: A Primer on the Brain and Neu- rosystem, Washington, DC: The Society for Neuroscience, 2008, pp. 34-35.

7. Sternberg, Successful Intelligence, p. 12.

8. Ibid., p. 127.

9. Ibid., p. 11.

10. Ibid., pp. 127-128.

11. Carol Dweck, "The Mindsets," 2006, www.mindsetonline.com/whatisit/ themindsets/index.html.

12. Dweck, Mindset, p. 16.

13. Ibid.

14. Rick Pitino, Success Is a Choice, New York: Broadway Books, 1997, p. 40.

15. Dweck, Mindset, p. 51.

16. Dweck, Mindset, p. 35.

17. Ibid., p. 33.

18. John D. Mayer, Peter Salovey, and David R. Caruso, "Emotional Intelli- gence: New Ability or Eclectic Traits?," September 2008, American Psycholo- gist, 63, no. 6, p. 503.

19. David R. Caruso, "Zero In on Knowledge: A Practical Guide to the MSCEIT," Multi- Health Systems, 2008, p. 3.

20. Sandra Blakeslee, "Cells That Read Minds," January 10, 2006, New York Times, www.nytimes.com/2006/01/10/ science/lOmirthtml.

21. Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso, pp. 510-512.

22. List and descriptions based on Sternberg, Successful Intelligence, pp. 251-268.

CHAPTER 1: Welcome to College 41

i t all started in 1992 while he was volunteering as a fire-fighter in South Florida. There was an emergency call to structure fire. A crew of fire- fighters jump onto the truck and sped to the scene. Curious and eager, he went along with the paid group. They arrived, put out the blaze and all the while, he got a taste of what it meant to really be a firefighter.

And he liked it. "I knew then that this was the only job for me," said Brock

Jester, who years later, is now a battalion chief with the Pensacola (Fla.) Fire Department.

"I think it was the adrenaline, but it was also really getting out and doing something," Jester explained. "We were the ones going in while other people are being shuffled away. As a fire- fighter, you are always were the action is and you are always there to help."

Jester added that the while firefighting is a true rush, there is another reason he does this job.

"You can see the relief on people's faces when we walk up, it's like they are saying, 'He's going to take care of it.' That's the moti- vation for me, seeing that relief on people's faces. It kinda makes you fall in love with it," said Jester.

A year into the job, Jester decided to get "training" of his own by seeking a bachelor's degree in fire science with CSU in

2009. "I had already had my two-year degree, but realized I should really have a full bachelor's degree."

"I had a lot of fire science education, but it was here and there. I didn't have anything to kind of pull it altogether and combine what I learned, other than my two-year degree," he explained.

As with many students, CSU took all those classes and certifi- cations in consideration and designed a degree plan for Jester. And with a little prodding from fellow firefighters (or maybe it was the competitiveness) and a CSU learning partner representative, Jester decided to enroll.

"The customer service at CSU is impeccable. I always got returned phone calls and it never took more than a day. And they are always smiling. On the phone, I could hear them smiling," he laughed.

Brock was still learning the ropes of his new administration job when he joined CSU. But he credits the university's flexible course schedule and outstanding faculty with helping him tackle the load. He was able to take classes, handle demands of his new administration job and be there for his family.

"You can do that with online education. You aren't bound by the traditional classroom with CSU. With CSU, I can juggle my responsibilities. That freedom is nice, really nice," Jester added.

"With the flexibility CSU offers and the many opportunities in the fire service industry, I know can go anywhere now."