I have had the honor and privilege of mentoring students who applied for a few Top Ivy League Colleges. And I even have 2 clients who are currently at Harvard. So given my interaction with them here are some of the pointers I feel will help you become a Top Student yourself.
1. Very Clear Cut Goal
Almost every Top Notch performer I have worked with has a very clear cut goal stated IN WRITING. They have this goal pasted on top of their study table, in the toilet, on a notice board in the house, and some of them even have a piece of paper in their pocket. That is the kind of obsession they have with their goal.
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It is very clear. It is very specific. They have the date, the time, the number - whatever possible to make the goal as clear, as specific, as measurable and as powerful as possible. For instance - I have met a peak performer who stated “I want to run fast” rather I have met people who achieved their goal as “At the Dubai Half Marathon on 3rd December 2017, I will run 21kms in 1 hour 59 minutes”.
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And once they create and craft their goal - they work backwards to where they are currently at the moment.
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Top notch students have a long term strategy where they are, where they wish to go and they even know why they want to get there.
2. Long Term Plan I have yet to meet a student who just planned out his future for one year. But I have met many Top notch performers who have clearly stated a long term strategy. For instance students have a clear cut goal of what their future is going to be like I will take up science stream with specialization in 123, from there I will pursue a career as a doctor who will specialize in XYZ, from the University of ABC. And after that…..”
It is never a 6 months or 1 year goal. Never. It is always a career plan that is carefully and intelligently crafted for a lifetime.
3. Backup Plans There is a certain thrill that comes from having an outlandish goal and achieving it. And don’t we all love to have a underdog success story! However, smart & practical people know that there is always a possibility that they may fail. So even though the student (or competitor) goes Kamakazi with a “Do or Die” attitude in heart, there is always a smart strategy being kept alive in their mind - that is in case failure comes knocking on their door. So that is where not just Plan (A) is in effect, there is always a Plan (B) kept secretly intact. And if Plan (B) doesn’t work, there is a Plan (C).
4. 100% Family Support
If there is one criteria I feel is exceptionally important - it would be this one. You cannot - just cannot succeed in your goal to become a Top Student if you have an environment that doesn’t support your goal.
Imagine trying to study in a noisy house where everyone is watching TV or having fun with their friends. Almost every Top Student I worked with - the Mother, the Father and the entire family was behind the youngster. You need this kind of support every single day - day-in and day-out.
I have literally known parents who wake up with the young child in the morning (at 2am) prepare his/her breakfast and then go to sleep. At 5am drive the child to extra classes. After classes, the child is taken to school. En the breakfast is given. Once school is done with - again the child is picked up and brought home. Once at home - lunch, a 1 hour nap - and back to studies. And after that a break - rest and then back to studies with another tutor. Finally dinner and sleep. Throughout the entire schedule - the parent - both the Father and Mother ensure that the child is being supported towards this one goal.
*5. Consistency * You can not and I mean CANNOT achieve Top Notch Status if you are not consistent. It is not about taking the book for one day - reading it for 18 hours and thats it. Day after day after day the student takes up his book to study, learn, research and focus completely on his goal - to become Number 1. And there are some whom I have known to be consistent towards their goal for 12 years - which calls for incredible consistency.
6. Total Immersion & Obsession If you want the 1st step and only step among everything else towards being a Top Notch Student - it would be this one ingredient. The level of Immersion (being involved and into something) and the amount of Obsession (Crazy Focus) with regards to their goal in life is beyond human.
I remember meeting this young girl (South Indian) at my residence. Her parents had brought her to me with regards to preparing her for a Presentation. No matter what I asked her - even casually, there was only one answer, one priority, one focus - she wanted to be Number 1 in her college with the highest marks.
When I asked her what her hobbies were, when I asked her what she did in her spare time and even when I asked her what she liked - there was only one answer - To succeed in her goal of being the Number 1 student. Even though I felt it was a bit extreme - but I was blown away with the intensity and her focus. And mind you - by speaking to her for a few minutes - I knew 100% she would achieve her goal no matter what.
So if you want to be a Top Notch student - this element is paramount.
7. Smart Choices of Friends Here is a Pop Quiz for you - Choose one.
- Do you think a Rank Holder will spend time with Rank Holders who are focused on their goals of achieving Number 1 status in College, those who are studious and who love studies OR
- Do you think a Rank Holder will spend his time Dropouts, youngsters who are addicted to substances, those who have no interest in Education or in being the best?
Which one do you think makes more sense?
Remember - Mix Hot & Cold water and what do you think happens? Keep someone healthy with a bunch of unhealthy people - what do you think will happen?
Keep this much in mind - Bankers hang around with Bankers, Scientists hang around with people of science, Bikers hang around with other fellow Bikers and Marathoners hang around with people who run Marathon. So what kinds of people you think Top Students would hang around with? In fact - ask yourself - What kinds of people would the parents of such Top Students would allow their children to be surrounded with?
8. Smart Choices of Execution I get tons of ideas sent to me every single day on how to achieve a goal or a business or a new venture. And I always tell them one simple thing - Ideas are worthless. Execution is everything. For entering into the elusive world of being called a “Top Student” - its not just theories and plans that are focused upon - the execution of these plans are studied, researched and implemented. That is why some of the parents end up at my doorstep because they are searching for that ‘something new’ or that something ‘extra’ which will push their child towards success.
So you must have ‘action’ and not just theory if you are looking to be a Top Student. And that action should be implemented not only by the Student but by the Parent also.
9. The Power Habits How many times did you check your smartphone for notifications? How many hours did you study? What time did you wake up? Which professor did you consult today? How many classes have you attended during the year?
I have personally noticed that Top Students do not have any habits or engage in any activity that takes them out of their zone or away from their goals.
You are a creature of your habits. And you cannot achieve any success in any endeavor if you do not have powerful habits. And Top Students have Powerful Habits.
10. Self Evaluation Feedback Loop How would you know if a supplement offers you the benefits it says it delivers? How would you know if an exercise is truly helping you become better, faster, stronger and more competitive? How would you know if the new coach you appointed is the right coach for you?
You evaluate it through a test or you check it through constant & acute observations.
Top notch Students constantly have tests and exams to know where they stand, how much they understood, what did they understand, where they weak points are and where they need to improve on. And it is not just one time but every single week and every single month that such tests are undertaken.
The reason for this - they are very clear about the pace, the speed and the performance they are looking for. And just as if you had a terrible or miserable performance throughout the year during the trials - you cannot become a star suddenly on the day that it truly matters - in the same way Top Students ensure they are 100% battle tested every single moment.
11. Sacrifices I recently watched the Indian Movie Dangal (Dangal (film) - Wikipedia ) A very powerful and inspirational sports biopic staring Indian Superstar Aamir Khan where he narrates the story of how Mahavir Singh Phogat (played by Aamir Khan) ensures both his daughters become India’s first world-class female wrestlers.
You should seriously watch the movie in its complete entirety. An exceptionally powerful movie. What I really loved about this movie was the depiction of how sacrifice was clearly shown to be the underlining factor that pushed this family and these two girls to achieve their dreams.
I personally had moments of tears when watching this movie because it was so real. So the point I am trying to make here is - without sacrifices - truly heartbreaking and intensely blood churning sacrifices - you cannot - just cannot achieve success. Or for that matter become A Top Notch Student.
12. The Extra Mile Even though I am not a Top Student where Academics is concerned, I consider myself a Top Student where my field of work is concerned which is Personal Branding, Communication & Peak Performance. And this has lead me from my simple humble beginning as an School Dropout Toilet Cleaner who started his career with nothing and no money - to being the World’s Best at what I do today - Personal Branding. And even though I am a South Indian with a South Indian accent - I have tutored and trained World Class Speakers.
So how is this humanly possible?
It is possible because I followed one simple principle in life: “Never let anyone out prepare you” If someone was practicing their speech 10 times, I choose to practice mine 100 times. If someone committed to 100 drafts, I would ensure my speech would go through 3,000 drafts. If I learnt that the industry standard while preparing a speech was 30 days before the actual speech performance - I would prepare my 365 days before the planned date. Such was my extreme planning, preparation & commitment.
I never ever ever let anyone out-prepare me. And that is why I achieved success more than anyone else.
If you can wake up and workout when the world is sleeping, if you can sacrifice all the pleasures of a good life just for your goal, if you can say no to others when everyone is calling you to have a good time because you need to focus on your goals - you my friend will achieve immortality.
13. Diet, Breathing & Meditation This may sound like a rather weird or unheard of combination. And to be honest, even I didn’t know this ingredient existed - however, once I started interacting with top-notch performers - I realized this was a very powerful component to the movers and shakers of our generation.
Most of the high performance achievers at Harvard, Yale & the top Ivy League schools are very particular what they eat, how much they eat and when they eat. Its not like they do not eat burgers, pizza’s and fries - but the majority are very particular about what they eat. And most of them eat to live - and not live to eat. Because end of the day - they have to get back to ‘work’.
Where Breathing & Meditation is concerned - most of them given the amount of work they do - ensure they are able to reset their system and get back into the zone of work. And that is why they always spend time either Exercising light to ensure health and yes, Meditate to ensure their minds are fresh and powerful.
There is nothing like having a powerful body and powerful mind as the ultimate combination.
14. Routine I have stated this in almost every answer possible and nearly all successful have this particular ingredient - a Routine.
If you haven’t read the routine I follow - here is the link:
To achieve that level of success - you must have a routine. Without this - forget it.
15. Professional Coaching & Mentoring Sometimes I wish someone had told me how important this particular factor was - I really really really wish I knew this. Because had I known how powerful and impactful this particular aspect was towards success - I would have begged - literally begged my parents to get me a mentor.
Almost ALL and I mean ALL successful people have mentors. If you have a mentor, with everything else being equal - your chance to success increases at least 1000% more than the person who doesn’t have a mentor.
Need I say more?
16. Money Talks In the end - if there is one trait that is the most unfair and most painfully obvious - it would be this one - Money. Without money, you cannot get yourself into a world-class educational institute, you cannot get yourself world class facilities, you cannot get yourself a world-class mentor and you cannot get yourself into a world-class environment. Sad as it sounds - you need money to help you make more money. And without this - you will never - and I mean NEVER be able to achieve your dreams - at least easily.
Yes, there have been students who have been awarded scholarships, but then again - how many do you think can boast of this rare privilege? And if you are looking forward to enter in Harvard or some top notch institute - do you see it being a cake-walk?
You need this valuable resource. And it is only those who have planned for this day will be able to access and take advantage of the opportunities that present itself. Given the amount of competition, the number of people who want to succeed and the limited number of chances available - the person who has the money - will be able to take advantage than the person who doesn’t have any.
So I hope these pointers gave you some insight into what goes into being a Top Student. Let me know what you think about it in the comments section below. Would love to hear from you.
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