Attitude Determines How Successful You Will Be In College
Your attitude while on campus will determine your success in college or university. If you have time, consider part-time work during the school year and definitely work during the summers, in your related fields if possible. Besides making some of your own extra spending money, you will learn to deal with different people. You can only develop these people skills with interactions with others outside the classroom.
This is why a well-rounded B+ average individual with good people skills, will do better rather than the A+ bookworm who has the personality of a doorknob. Success in future careers will depend on a combination of intelligence and people skills rather than just intelligence alone. Therefore, future employers will be more impressed with the well-rounded individual.
One of the secrets to being a success in college or university is to pick up something new either through extracurricular activities or a course that’s outside of your usual program. This will expand your horizons and you will be a more interesting person to talk to (don’t laugh, this characteristic will show up during your future job interviews). Employers want to know how you are able to work with people, both inside and outside the company, especially from an emotional point of view. This is known as emotional intelligence and is far more important than how well you scored on a school exam.
Be open while you are at university or college. These days, you will likely encounter students from different cultural backgrounds. Learn to appreciate and even enjoy differences. You may be in a future career where you have to deal with all types of people and this is an ideal place to learn how. Indeed, dealing with diversity is one of the most important skills to learn for your future career no matter what field you plan to be in. Again, this is all part of being a success in university and college.
For those of you who are on athletic scholarships, don’t quit your higher education. If you are offered a pro contract before you graduate, consider finishing your degree during the off-season. It’s better to be an educated athlete in the long run. You need a backup plan just in case something stops your athletic career (such as serious career ending injuries) and an education will help you in your future career after you retire from pro sports.
Of course, you may choose to study in fields related to sports like physical education or sports physiology or a completely unrelated field to sports as well. An example of this is Ken Dryden who was the star goaltender for the professional hockey team Montreal Canadians. He chose to study law during his off seasons and became a lawyer after his retirement from professional hockey.
Finally, sit in on good external guest speakers on campus since they can teach you important skills that will help you become a success in college or university as well as after graduation. External speakers can expose you to useful or entertaining content that you would not otherwise get in your regular classes or lectures. They are usually free to attend and there will be no tests or exams based on what they speak about.
Clint Cora is a motivational public speaker, author and martial arts karate world champion. His book, "The Life Champion In You", is about how to overcome challenges and achieve life success. It is one man's journey from personal tragedy to becoming a karate world champion. More information about his speaking programs, books, videos, articles on motivation and success can be found at www.clintcora.com
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