MAGIC OF APPRECIATION

For those who don’t like study...!

                                

One day I was sitting in my office. One of my students came and started complaining, "X teacher always scolds me only regarding study. He usually ignores other students but why all the time it's me?" He just keeps arguing. That boy of around 14 was not ready to accept his mistake.

I started talking to him,

"First of all, let's accept it here - you don't want to study. Yes, you would say you want to, but you don't want it enough, definitely not more than you want TV and the Internet. Right?"

"But it’s not only you. It’s about all teenagers like you. “He felt relieved.

Now that we have discovered that you do not have enough motivation to get up and hit the books, let's proceed to understand why?

Ask yourself, “Are the textbooks boring? Am I studying something I don't have the aptitude for? Am I being forced to take a degree I do not want? Is it too difficult?"

Then I said him, “For all these questions and more similar ones, you can find the answers by discussing the issue with concerned teacher or a family member you are comfortable with or with those who takes active interest in your growth and development."

Further, a fundamental question must be asked to yourself - "Is it ok if I don’t do study at all ? My finances, family background, ancestral property, parents' occupations etc. Will survive me whole life? If the answer is a 'YES', then perhaps you would be better off doing something else.

If the answer is NO then we come to the conclusion that you do need to study, then following are the steps.

1. Get off the support.

The fact that you need to study but don't want to means that life isn't pressurizing you yet. Your parents are looking after you, and everything is laid out in front of you. Get off that support. Ask your parents to take conscious efforts to expose you to the harsh realities of life which will push you into doing all that you need in order to secure your future. For example, suspend your Internet connection, cut off the TV cable, and de-activate your data pack. Or alternatively, if you don't want to take the extreme measure as it might affect other family members, take up the responsibility of paying for all three.

2. Reframe your friend circle.

Reach out to those scholars in your class you never spoke to, and start studying with them. Invite them over, or visit their homes. Make sure they are extremely focused and motivated before you make them your best friend. You can also discuss with them whatever you have studied; that will be a good revision.

3. Discipline yourself.

To be sincere in study once or twice is easy. But hammering your mind with priorities, focus, determination and very high standards is extremely difficult, but you need to start somewhere, and the best time is now.

4. Set a routine with diversified activities.

Play a sport or a musical instrument every days. Everyday. Make it a part of your routine. It will develop habit building attitude in you and then you can build everything, including studies, around it. To build habit will take a long, long time, but keep attempting, and be strict to yourself about it.

5. Reward yourself.

While you discipline your mind, make sure you keep yourself happy as well. The ultimate goal of everything is a productive, meaningful and a wholesome life, and if you are going to be miserable throughout, it is worthless. Every time you achieve a small goal or move a step ahead in motivating yourself to study, reward yourself in a limited manner, and appreciate yourself. Nothing is more motivating than self-confidence and self-appreciation.