It’s a common struggle among students to lose motivation as the end of the year draws closer. This makes getting good grades almost impossible because motivation is one of the biggest deciders of grades. It can become very difficult when you genuinely want good grades, but have just run out of motivation to work for them.I have met unbelievably smart people who just don’t motivate themselves enough to get good grades.
Bottom line= motivation is the first step to good grades, no matter how “intelligent” you are.
Here are a few techniques to make sure that you keep those motivation levels high!
Have goals
Have clear goals when it comes to your grades. For every test and exam, you should know the grade that you are aiming to get. Many students aim for “a pass”- which is not a goal. If you are not specific with your goals, you will struggle to reach them.
Here is a free printable worksheet that you can use to make sure that you are setting specific goals for every one of your assessments and meeting them.
The goals that you set may seem very big and unreachable, but they will quickly become easier when split up into smaller tasks. For example, if your goal is to get 80% in your next biology assessment, you could break up your tasks something like this:
Now that looks a lot more manageable than just “get 80% for your test”!
Know why you want to reach your goals
If you don’t know why you want to reach your goals, why would you ever be motivated enough to work for them? Make sure that the reasons for setting your goals align with something that is important to YOU.
Here are some examples of BAD reasons for setting goals:
My parents want me to get 80% for my next test
I want to look good in front of my friends
I don’t know, it would be cool to say that I got 80%?
I need an 80% to get into the university that my parents want me to go to
And here are some example of GOOD reasons for setting goals:
I need an 80% average to get into the university that I want to go to
I want a high average because I want to look good for the workplace I really want to get into
I want to prove to myself that I can do it
Motivational quotes
Okay I know motivational quotes can sound cliche, boring and a bit nerdy, but hey- if it works it works! Sometimes all you need is a motivational quote to start your day to make it run very differently than it would have otherwise. In year 12, I made a little flip book with a motivational quote on every page. Every morning when I woke up, I would flip the page to a new quote and read it before getting out of bed. This helped me stay focused and motivated throughout the day, and it will do the same for you! I’ve compiled 31 motivational quotes so that you don’t have to! You’re welcome.
Look after yourself
No one can work all day every day with no breaks- so you shouldn’t expect yourself to either! If you feel especially tired on one day, take it off! Have a bath or go for a run (or a nap) and just catch up on the work tomorrow. On days that you are working, make sure to take regular breaks and have good snacks. If you feel that the pressure is too much and you are struggling to cope, don’t be afraid to go and talk to your school counsellor or a teacher that you really trust. Your wellbeing will always be more important than the grades you get at school.