That’s the phrase I hear running through my mind every time I set my desire to do something, and find myself getting distracted.

This too is the phrase I remember hearing the Drama Director shout when I kept messing up my theatrical lines in the production “Spunk” while in graduate school at Lehigh University.

“Focus People Focus!”

This is the phrase that I want to tattoo on your mind, for it is the root cause for low academic performance and sub par school grades. It’s also the foundational reason successful people are successful – they know HOW to focus.

With so may things going on in our society, with access to so many resources, with varying life responsibilities, and not to name all this twitter, facebook, and youtube stuff on the internet (in which I’m all on), FOCUS can be challenging for the common student.

Whether you are a high school student, a college student, online student, or an adult student raising a family while working a full-time job I have something for you.

Before I give you these essential ways to focus better while studying, here are few motivators to support my claims:

• “When you write down your ideas you automatically focus your full attention on them. Few if any of us can write one thought and think another at the same time. Thus a pencil and paper make excellent concentration tools.” – Michael Leboeuf

• “One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.” - Anthony Robbins

• “If you stay focused and right on track, you will get to where you want to be.” – Michelle C. Ustaszeski

• “The sun’s energy warms the world. But when you focus it through a magnifying glass it can start a fire. Focus is so powerful!” – Alan Pariser

Let me say this, as an academic success speaker who speaks to students at educational events, youth conferences and college events, and run an online internet business, lead a family, and author books – FOCUS sometimes is still a challenge for me, but as I reflect back, FOCUS has produced some great things in my life pertaining to my own academic success and still does today – and will for you too.

If you have issues  staying focused while studying, do this:

1 – State Your Desired Goal

When you go into any study session, if it’s at home alone, on campus at the library, or in a group session – state your goals. At the beginning of your study time, write down what you desire to accomplish during this study time. (It may seem nerdish, but the group will love you for it too)

2 – Set a Time Frame for Intentional Focus

When you make a decision to study your school work, set a specific alloted time to focus. On purpose write down, ”For the next _____ Minutes I focus on______ only.” By writing this down, this helps you to stick to the desired goal at hand and it triggers your mind to be intentional.

3 – Declare Your Reward  for Intentional Focus

Rewarding yourself is a great motivator for focusing for a set period of time. For example, you can reward yourself by simply taking 10 minutes to enjoy something you love… playing a video game, talking to your bf, chatting on the internet, eating ice cream, or whatever you desire. The key is to make sure your compensation is relative to what you achieved. After you reward yourself, then get back to focusing.

4 – Turn Off All Distractions

This seems obvious right? But i have found that distractions are the #1 enemy to you accomplishing any goal, and our goal is to focus on the school assignment. Therefore turn it all off…the TV, the iPod, the stereo, the cell phone, the internet, the tweets, the pokes, the video games, everything. Even go so far to let your family, friends, and classmates know. “For the next ______ minutes, I need to  completely focus on studying so leave me a message or I will get with you at later specific time.” (That a great voice mail greeting or facebook status)

5 – Remove Clutter and Keep Things Clean

Dr. Laurence J. Peter once said, “If a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind, what is the significance of a clean desk?”

By simply cleaning your work area or study area it allows your mind to be clear, which will also eliminate distractions.

6 – Gather Only the Resources You Need For Studying

This is self explanatory but I must stress to only have in front of you everything that you need for one specific subject. If it doesn’t relate with the class you are studying for, remove it completely from your study area.

Want more info on how to properly create a study area then click here. If you want to see the two main reasons for the bed, then watch this video, cause studying is not one of them.

7 – Read Through All Your Written Notes From Beginning to End

To maximize most of your study sessions, start from the beginning reading all of your study notes aloud, and highlight the areas that you will need to spend more intentional focus time on. Make sure you don’t stop but continue to move forward with your notes, then review those trouble areas.

7.25 – Read Textbooks and  Other Resources, Work Problems, and Review All Notes To Enhance Comprehension

Here’s where you spend the majority of your study time. After doing the above 7 steps with discipline, you will find that as you go through this step your retention of information will be better, because you are now completely zoned in.

As a follow up to this article, I will give you some ways to better focus while in class. Until then you can see here for more study tips, from note taking, reading, listening in class and even how to properly C.R.A.M.

As I echo my Drama Director. “Focus People Focus!”

1. Set Your Academic Goals and Review Them Everyday

Dreams don’t come true – Goals do. Before next summer rolls around again, what academic goals do you want to achieve?

Set academic goals to achieve, write them down and post them in a place where you can look at them everyday. You should first sit down with your family and discuss the desired goal and then set your academic goals. Make those goals positive, personal, and in the present. Then, write down your goals and make them visible in four key places: (1) the bedroom, (2) the bathroom, (3) the kitchen, and (4) in your notebooks.

Click here for a MP3 download on how to set and achieve academic goals.

2. Develop a Daily Routine

Now that you have determined your goals you must develop a plan to achieve them. Come up with a systematic routine that you can follow every day to achieve your goals and write it down. Include necessities like breakfast time, dinnertime, fun time, chore time, sleep time, social time and of course study time. Remember, when you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

3. Study During Peak Performance Time

Identify the period of day when you are most alert or “wired up” outside of school. This should be the time YOU study. Traditionally, the pattern for *study time* has been right after you get home and change out of your school clothes or right before dinnertime. (Remember school clothes, church clothes, and play clothes?). After spending 6-9 hours in school, it may be wise to incorporate naptime or refresher-time before studying. Studies have shown that students perform poorly when they are mentally tired, drained or unfocused. Whatever time you are most alert outside of school, make that your study time. I guarantee you will see an increase in academic performance.

4. Schedule Weekly Family Chat Sessions

Make sure you have weekly family chat sessions or what I like to  call Family Love Sessions. Take this time to discuss school crushes, fashion trends, music, insecurities, and future plans. Family is a key element to achieving your goals because they will assist you when you need it. This is also a great time to develop better relationships. (An alternative to this is setting time with a mature friend, mentor or adviser).

5. Change the Flashing 12:00 on Your VCR

You should already know that television can steal your time and productivity. You do not have to stop watching television in order to achieve your academic goals but watching during your peak performance time can hinder your progress. So brush the dust off your VCR or learn how to use a DVR and watch your favorite shows during your non-peak performing times. Use all the new technology to your benefit and don’t ever allow television to steal the precious hours you have available during the day.

6. Isolate Your Study Chamber and Keep It Holy

The kitchen has a specific purpose, the bathroom has a specific purpose, and your study chamber has a specific purpose. You should not eat dinner in the bathroom and you should not shower in the kitchen. There are also things you should not do in your study chamber. Your study chamber should be a specific location where only one thing happens – STUDYING.

Click here to get a few tips on setting up and establishing a productive study chamber.

7. Uncover all Fears and Stinking Thinking

Believe it or not, FEAR is the one thing that can destroy academic performance. Most term it “anxiety” and as a student you experience it during tests, when you are embarrassed around your classmates or when you feel unprepared. Despite setting goals and studying, FEAR can completely destroy your efforts. It can also cause you to become unfocused and think that you will fail and not reach your goals. Always remember this, FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real – FEAR is not real. Whenever you experience anxiety or may be fearful, remember you do not have to, because failure is only appearing to be real, it is fake. So in school or in life, never FEAR!

7.25 Declare Your Greatness

Your mouth has the power to create so establish positive confessions and declare them aloud daily. Since our words frame how we think and feel, say only the best. Don’t commit academic goal suicide by speaking negative words, thinking negative thoughts, and having negative feelings. Talk your way to achieving your goals.

Feel free to share and forward this to your friends and colleagues.  Leave me a comment below, and let me know what you got from this article.

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Kantis Simmons is an Academic Success Coach that help college students and high school students stay in school, enjoy school and pay for school. With his 7.25 Academic Success System, he presents live presentations to students and parents. Acclaimed for earning 3 degrees and more that $300,000 of scholarship money, Kantis can be reached at http://www.KantisSimmons.com. If you want more academic advise to help you or someone you know succeed in school, subscribe to get his FREE “Gameplan” newsletter and instantly get a 7-Day academic success E-course FREE.

——————————————–

1. Set Your Academic Goals and Review Them Everyday

Dreams don’t come true – Goals do. Before next summer rolls around again, what academic goals do you want to achieve?

Set academic goals to achieve, write them down and post them in a place where you can look at them everyday. You should first sit down with your family and discuss the desired goal and then set your academic goals. Make those goals positive, personal, and in the present. Then, write down your goals and make them visible in four key places: (1) the bedroom, (2) the bathroom, (3) the kitchen, and (4) in your notebooks.

Click here for a MP3 download on how to set and achieve academic goals.

2. Develop a Daily Routine

Now that you have determined your goals you must develop a plan to achieve them. Come up with a systematic routine that you can follow every day to achieve your goals and write it down. Include necessities like breakfast time, dinnertime, fun time, chore time, sleep time, social time and of course study time. Remember, when you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

3. Study During Peak Performance Time

Identify the period of day when you are most alert or “wired up” outside of school. This should be the time YOU study. Traditionally, the pattern for *study time* has been right after you get home and change out of your school clothes or right before dinnertime. (Remember school clothes, church clothes, and play clothes?). After spending 6-9 hours in school, it may be wise to incorporate naptime or refresher-time before studying. Studies have shown that students perform poorly when they are mentally tired, drained or unfocused. Whatever time you are most alert outside of school, make that your study time. I guarantee you will see an increase in academic performance.

4. Schedule Weekly Family Chat Sessions

Make sure you have weekly family chat sessions or what I like to  call Family Love Sessions. Take this time to discuss school crushes, fashion trends, music, insecurities, and future plans. Family is a key element to achieving your goals because they will assist you when you need it. This is also a great time to develop better relationships. (An alternative to this is setting time with a mature friend, mentor or adviser).

5. Change the Flashing 12:00 on Your VCR

You should already know that television can steal your time and productivity. You do not have to stop watching television in order to achieve your academic goals but watching during your peak performance time can hinder your progress. So brush the dust off your VCR or learn how to use a DVR and watch your favorite shows during your non-peak performing times. Use all the new technology to your benefit and don’t ever allow television to steal the precious hours you have available during the day.

6. Isolate Your Study Chamber and Keep It Holy

The kitchen has a specific purpose, the bathroom has a specific purpose, and your study chamber has a specific purpose. You should not eat dinner in the bathroom and you should not shower in the kitchen. There are also things you should not do in your study chamber. Your study chamber should be a specific location where only one thing happens – STUDYING.

Click here to get a few tips on setting up and establishing a productive study chamber.

7. Uncover all Fears and Stinking Thinking

Believe it or not, FEAR is the one thing that can destroy academic performance. Most term it “anxiety” and as a student you experience it during tests, when you are embarrassed around your classmates or when you feel unprepared. Despite setting goals and studying, FEAR can completely destroy your efforts. It can also cause you to become unfocused and think that you will fail and not reach your goals. Always remember this, FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real – FEAR is not real. Whenever you experience anxiety or may be fearful, remember you do not have to, because failure is only appearing to be real, it is fake. So in school or in life, never FEAR!

7.25 Declare Your Greatness

Your mouth has the power to create so establish positive confessions and declare them aloud daily. Since our words frame how we think and feel, say only the best. Don’t commit academic goal suicide by speaking negative words, thinking negative thoughts, and having negative feelings. Talk your way to achieving your goals.

Feel free to share and forward this to your friends and colleagues.  Leave me a comment below, and let me know what you got from this article.

——————————————–

Kantis Simmons is an Academic Success Coach that help college students and high school students stay in school, enjoy school and pay for school. With his 7.25 Academic Success System, he presents live presentations to students and parents. Acclaimed for earning 3 degrees and more that $300,000 of scholarship money, Kantis can be reached at http://www.KantisSimmons.com. If you want more academic advise to help you or someone you know succeed in school, subscribe to get his FREE “Gameplan” newsletter and instantly get a 7-Day academic success E-course FREE.

——————————————–

For more on this subject matter of taking notes, see  http://playingyouragame.com/note-taking

If you think about most of your day, the majority of your time is  spent listening. Listening to your professor…listening to a lecture… and listening to the class conversation. Listening consumes most, if not all, of your day in the classroom.

So how effective are your listening skills? For more infor about visit: http://playingyouragame.com/listening-skills

I just recently shot a crazy video, giving you a sneek peak on some of the things I listen to:

If you can not see the above video, you can also see it on youtube, vimeo, or blip.

Then with disgust, she mentions that while she was taking her test she heard two students talking during her final exams. She looked at them, but could not understand a word they were saying – they were speaking another language.

As she sat there, another student too witnessed these two men talking during the final exams. What were they talking about at this crucial time? They were cheating!

Should they turn these  students in or should they let this pass?

“Tell or don’t tell? That is the question!

In my first year at Georgia Institute of Technology, I came to better understand the importance of honor.  There was a situation that took place during my first semester that I had never experienced before. I was taking an engineering test in a class made up primarily of international students. The professor was not present. During the exam, I heard a foreign language spoken in the classroom. To this day, I have no idea what was said, but I know there should not have been any talking during the test. I assumed that a few students were cheating, but I blocked the thought out of my head.  Unfortunately it happened again during another test, except this time I heard papers being passed around. Despite the evidence, I again let the situation slide. 

When it happened a third time, I wrote an unsigned letter to the department head and to all the professors of the classes in which I believed the students were cheating.  In my letter I expressed my observations during each test session. I specifically mentioned each instance I felt the students were cheating.  I expressed my belief that these actions were unfair to other students and that a flagrant violation to the honor code tookplace that required an investigation and possible disciplinary action. 

After a few days, the professor returned the exams and made a public comment about the letter in which I had written. He went on to express that the institution held the Honor Code in the highest regard and required that all students abide by it. In addition, the professor stated that students who were witnesses to cheating were required to report what they had observed. 

I knew about the first part of the code, but not the latter. The professor suggested that the “disturbed graduate student” come and see him to discuss the matter personally with him; thereafter, he would investigate the situation. I met with him after class in his office, and he explained to me my part of the honor code; to report violations by confronting the student personally or informing the professor of the alleged infraction. When he had finished speaking, I told him of my observations. 

After two semesters of investigating and keeping a thorough watch on the alleged violators, these students were caught red-handed. The professors finally realized that what I had observed and reported was obviously true. 

Is cheating something that you witness, but don’t say anything? Do you let it pass like so many do?

I encourage you to walk in honor, even if situational ethics say it is okay to “sneak a peek” or plagiarize something. 

Honor is doing what’s right when no one is looking. Honor is directly related to one’s character. It defines who you are, when you are all alone without any classmates or supervision. So what does your character say about you? Are you the student that occassionally goes the extra mile to get the anwers for the test from your peers. Or are you the student that spends time writing the answers to the exam on the palm of your hand? Maybe you are the “techie” cheater, who knows how to program the answers and study notes in your cell phone or scientific calculator?  If you are one of the above, I encourage you today to cut the nonsense out. Stop living a dishonorable life, and make a decision today to walk in integrity. “God don’t like ugly” is what my elders use to say.

PS: My friend, did the honorable thing. She notified her teacher by writing a huge note to her professor ON HER EXAM. 

So what will you do? Tell or Don’t Tell?  Let me know what you think about this?

Then with disgust, she mentions that while she was taking her test she heard two students talking during her final exams. She looked at them, but could not understand a word they were saying – they were speaking another language.

As she sat there, another student too witnessed these two men talking during the final exams. What were they talking about at this crucial time? They were cheating!

Should they turn these  students in or should they let this pass?

“Tell or don’t tell? That is the question!

In my first year at Georgia Institute of Technology, I came to better understand the importance of honor.  There was a situation that took place during my first semester that I had never experienced before. I was taking an engineering test in a class made up primarily of international students. The professor was not present. During the exam, I heard a foreign language spoken in the classroom. To this day, I have no idea what was said, but I know there should not have been any talking during the test. I assumed that a few students were cheating, but I blocked the thought out of my head.  Unfortunately it happened again during another test, except this time I heard papers being passed around. Despite the evidence, I again let the situation slide. 

When it happened a third time, I wrote an unsigned letter to the department head and to all the professors of the classes in which I believed the students were cheating.  In my letter I expressed my observations during each test session. I specifically mentioned each instance I felt the students were cheating.  I expressed my belief that these actions were unfair to other students and that a flagrant violation to the honor code tookplace that required an investigation and possible disciplinary action. 

After a few days, the professor returned the exams and made a public comment about the letter in which I had written. He went on to express that the institution held the Honor Code in the highest regard and required that all students abide by it. In addition, the professor stated that students who were witnesses to cheating were required to report what they had observed. 

I knew about the first part of the code, but not the latter. The professor suggested that the “disturbed graduate student” come and see him to discuss the matter personally with him; thereafter, he would investigate the situation. I met with him after class in his office, and he explained to me my part of the honor code; to report violations by confronting the student personally or informing the professor of the alleged infraction. When he had finished speaking, I told him of my observations. 

After two semesters of investigating and keeping a thorough watch on the alleged violators, these students were caught red-handed. The professors finally realized that what I had observed and reported was obviously true. 

Is cheating something that you witness, but don’t say anything? Do you let it pass like so many do?

I encourage you to walk in honor, even if situational ethics say it is okay to “sneak a peek” or plagiarize something. 

Honor is doing what’s right when no one is looking. Honor is directly related to one’s character. It defines who you are, when you are all alone without any classmates or supervision. So what does your character say about you? Are you the student that occassionally goes the extra mile to get the anwers for the test from your peers. Or are you the student that spends time writing the answers to the exam on the palm of your hand? Maybe you are the “techie” cheater, who knows how to program the answers and study notes in your cell phone or scientific calculator?  If you are one of the above, I encourage you today to cut the nonsense out. Stop living a dishonorable life, and make a decision today to walk in integrity. “God don’t like ugly” is what my elders use to say.

PS: My friend, did the honorable thing. She notified her teacher by writing a huge note to her professor ON HER EXAM. 

So what will you do? Tell or Don’t Tell?  Let me know what you think about this?

1. Ask the Instructor.

When preparing for test be aggressive and ask the instructor what to expect. Ask questions like… “What material will be covered?” What should you concentrate on?”, “Will the test be objective or essay?”

2. Look up past copies of exams or quizzes.

Take the time to search out old exams if they are available in the library. Also check with other students who took the class the previous year or semester. These tests can give you an idea of what your exam may be like. Use them as a study tool, but don’t rely heavily on them.

3. Predict.

Try to predict test questions beforehand. Prepare answers to those questions, and use it as another study preparation tool.

4. Review your notes.

Schedule time to go back and review all your notes and highlighted sections of your text again. Don’t try to re-read the entire text, but review the most important information.

5. Get in the bed

Get a good night’s sleep every single day of the test week. Rest gives the brain and body time to rejuvenate and Play its “A” Game, but most importantly it gives your mind time to digest your studies.

6. Eat lightly.

Along with eating lightly before an exam, also do some non-strenuous exercise before the exam.

7. Make up your own test.

Put yourself in the shoes of your professor, and make up your own tests. After making up a mock test, spend time answering all the questions from your mock test. This will give you the opportunity to get into test-taking mode and allow you to review the most important information.

7.25  Approach the Test with Confidence

If you put in the preparation, believe that you can succeed. The #1 downfall of  most students is self-doubt, thus leading to a lack of confidence. Therefore after putting in the proper preparation, don’t allow your internal ipod to speak doubt and failure. But  walk in confidence, speak confidently,abd approach the test with confidence. You CAN ace all your tests.

Understanding how to prepare for test or exams is a vital academic skill that every student must develop.

Yes reviewing your class notes regularly can make studying for exams easier and more efficient, but here are some other key ways that you can prepare for those exams. These may seem easy and simple, but they are very effective.

7.25 Ways to Prepare for those Tests

1. ASK THE INSTRUCTOR – When was the last time you just walked into your teacher’s office and asked, “Excuse me instructor? What shall I expect on the test? What material will be covered? Will the test be essay or objective? and What should I concentrate on when preparing?” Now what is the worst thing the teacher can say? NO, I’m not telling?

2. LOOK UP PAST COPIES – I can assure you that what you are being tested on is not the first time it is in exam form. So check with your library or older student to see if old exams are available. This can give you a general idea what of what to expect on the test. But please don’t rely heavily on this, it’s just for your preparation.

3. MAKE YOUR OWN TEST – From everything your instructor has talked about, put yourself in the shoes of your instructor and make up your OWN test. put down on paper ten good questions you think would be great test questions, and answer them.

4. REVIEW YOUR NOTES – Go over and reread all highlighted sections of your text again. Don’t re-read the entire text, just highlighted areas that are also in your notes. If possible, mkae up test questions from these hihlighted notes as mentioned above. If you are still having challenges taking good notes, then review the academic survival skill on note-taking.

5. CALL A STUDY GROUP – Have a  true “TEST PARTY”. Gather 5 people or less, and form a circle. Going one by one, have each person ask a potential test question to another person in the circle. Individually this will help you prepare your answers, and see how others answered the questions in the game. At the end of the game, discuss among your classmates all the correct answers and why.

6. GET A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP – Sleeping is so amazing. It refreshes the body and refreshes your mind to think strong and clearly. In a previous post on Sleeping your Way to better grades. I go into more detail of why sleep is so important to your academic success.

7. EAT LIGHTLY – this is really simple, but really needed. Don;t bog your tummy down with greasy foods, but eat something in the morning that is living (fruit vegetables, pure juices). This will help get your “test motor” running. Similar to putting dirty gas in your car. Get it?

7.25 HAVE A WINNING ATTITUDE – this alone has caused so many people to fail that i must address it. However you invision your self, that will you be.  if your inner voice is saying you will fail or that youa re not prepared – then in most cases you will. As a cheerleader is to a football team, you must be to your inner mindest and attitude. After preapring and properly studying for the exam, cherr yourself up and tell your self that you can Play YOUR “A” Game and ace this exam. I believe you can, and YOU must believe you can.

Well there it is..there’s some simple things you can do to pass those exams and tests. I would love to hear how you have done. Leave me a comment or email me at info(at)playingyouragame(dot)com.

If there are other key ways you suggest preparing for test, then leave me a comment below and let me know what works effectively for you.

Kantis Simmons is a college speaker, youth motivator and the author of  Playing Your “A” Game and other resources. He is acclaimed for receiving three college degrees but didn’t pay a single penny to receive them (Which is equivalent to $400,000 in scholarship money). Visit http://www.kantissimmons.com to see how his academic expertise and keep it real style can help bring value to your students and  your next event. Also subscribe to his free newsletter the GAMEPLAN for secrets tips on academic success, scholarships and special updates at http://www.playingyourAgame.com

One thing that is apparent about every football game is that both teams come with a STRATEGY to beat their opponent.The determination of the winner is based solely on who carried out their strategy with the least amount of mistakes.

When it comes to academic success, preparing for test, succeeding as a college or high school student; studying is a skill you must develop This skill will definitely help your daily regimen

Here are some simple guidelines you can use to better your reading-studying strategy, as well as make the post of your time spent studying.

BEFORE YOUR READ

Before you read the text book or chapter in the textbook which is assigned for your class, make sure your do the following:

• READ the chapter title and introductions
• READ all subheadings and topic sentences
• READ the bold face words and italicized words
• READ the chapter summary and any review questions

AS YOU READ

During your study time, as you are reading the text or chapter, make sure you add these to your strategy:

• Pay attention to all main ideas and supporting details
• Pay attention to graphs, charts, or any illustrations
• Pay attention to what you read. Evaluate the content. Do you agree with it? Does the material answer the questions about the subject?

AFTER YOUR READ

Once you have completed your reading and applied the strategies above:

• Think about what you,ve learned. And verbally (speak aloud) summarize the content of the material. This will improve your retnetion.
• Identify and note in points you don’t fully understand so that you can bring those questions up in class to your professor or instructor

Having a study strategy is key to winning and Playing your “A” Game in the classroom. Some other things you can do to improve your study strategey is to change some bad habits you are currently doing, improve your memory retention techniques, and get better sleep. Having these study skills and more like it will definitely improve the grades you are currently getting.