Mentally strong students were not born with this ability. They have trained their strength. Mostly subconsciously and over a longer period of time. But what they did, you can do too.
And for starters, it’s enough if you don’t do the following nine things. Orient yourself to the habits of mentally strong students:
#1 They Don’t Beat Themselves Up
Many students are very self-critical and judge themselves harshly when they fail. This strictness sometimes goes so far that they downright beat themselves up and badmouth themselves. And that takes an incredible amount of energy. There is no better way to destroy your motivation.
Mentally strong students, therefore, make sure that they do not devalue themselves. Although they also practice self-criticism and reflect on their own actions, they do not allow themselves to slip into a self-made negative spiral.
#2 They Don’t Wallow in Self-pity
Self-pity paralyzes you and doesn’t get you anywhere. Rather than withdrawing and constantly asking “Why me?” try to take an active role. As long as you feel sorry for yourself, you cannot tackle your problems, and you get stuck in your situation.
You force yourself into a victim role and use your negative thoughts to reinforce this feeling. Accept your current situation, try to learn from it, and develop a kind spirit of optimism. Instead of ducking your head, think, “Now more than ever!” or “Let’s go!”.
#3 They Don’t Blame Others for Their Problems
Mentally strong students take responsibility. When they mess up or something doesn’t go according to plan, they don’t blame others; they look to themselves for the cause. Not to discredit yourself for it (see above), but to learn from it and do better next time.
It wasn’t the professor’s fault that the exam went so badly – one’s own learning behavior could have been better; it’s not the 8 o’clock class that’s making you so tired—you could have gone to bed earlier. Don’t blame others for your problems. Take responsibility because only then can you solve your problems.
#4 They Don’t Repeat Their Mistakes
Mistakes are part of studying. If you don’t make mistakes, you won’t make a good student. But you only take something out of your wrong decisions if you draw the right conclusions and don’t make your mistakes a second time.
Have you lost sight of the registration deadline for your exam and therefore have to throw your semester planning overboard? Learn from it and make sure you don’t make this mistake a second time. Before your last exam, were you under a lot of time pressure and didn’t manage to study everything in peace? Start earlier next time and never miscalculate again. Resolve not to make a mistake a second time.
#5 They Don’t Stick to False Plans
If you want to study successfully and be reasonably relaxed, you need a plan. But if your plan is bad, eventually your whole study will be bad. Mentally strong students know this and regularly question their plans. They don’t get unsettled by this; they just check whether the common thread still fits their current life situation.
Therefore: Plan your studies. But if your plan doesn’t fit anymore, throw it away and make a new one. Changing your plan is much better than chasing unrealistic goals that will wear you down in the long run.
#6 They Don’t Complain All the Time
Do you know those people who constantly bitch about something and spread negative vibes? These people not only drag down their surroundings and create an oppressive atmosphere, but above all, they harm themselves.
Mentally strong students don’t complain. They do not see themselves as victims but as people acting independently. You are active and can accept and deal with any situation that is not optimal at the moment. They grab things and change them in their favor. They don’t complain; they do.
#7 They Don’t Waste Their Time on Small Things
Most of your student life is wasted on trifles and unimportant things. And do you know why? Because you don’t know what you want. Your priorities aren’t clear, and that’s why you get carried away. You then prefer to hang on to your smartphone or watch some series instead of worrying about the next milestone in your studies or your best friends.
Mentally strong students don’t do that. They always know what is important to them and focus their full energy on these areas of life. You are present and live in the here and now. And because of that, they are much more efficient with their time without having to try harder than the rest.
#8 They Don’t Expect Quick Wins
You won’t become a happy student with straight A’s overnight. With a single night shift, you can, at best, pass a simple test, but the sustainable success that makes you feel good over the long term requires staying power.
Your studies are not a sprint. It’s a marathon. And you will only win this marathon if you stay on the ball and adjust your expectations accordingly. Therefore, focus on long-term successes and stop focusing on short-term goals.
Lastly
Probably the last and quite possibly the most important thing we want you to remember is that mentally strong students don’t fool themselves into thinking that they can take on the world by themselves. Yes, they get help and employ academic ghostwriting, and so should you whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed by your studies.
