smh... student motivation hints

What if you could treat all the challenges of life as a fun opportunity to win, to compete, to play around and learn from failure to try again and again. Games are not always won, but you keep playing and you don't give up, and you have FUN too! What if all aspects of life could be like this?

words matter. when we use the word SMART, we usually say someone is smart... it implies a fixed mindset, that talent matters more than effort: DEAD WRONG. we can live and GROW with a growth mindset when we understand actions, behaviors, habits, decisions are SMART. find the smart strategies, the smart skills, and start ACTIONS you take to improve. use the word smart correctly to change your belief...

learning is repetition, this is the way of living things. do it more and more and eventually it becomes memorized, habit. reminders are necessary for all people all the time, so give yourself reminders, look for them, find the people that remind you, the things that remind you to be positive, motivated, productive, BETTER. 

i assumed this kid was just always productive and positive, turns out she's MADE her life great from her own hard work and EFFORT. Sports taught her the benefit of failure and power of teamwork. AND TO ENJOY CHALLENGES???

So proud of this transformation, he's making huge changes because he realized that slacking off and catching up is really stressful, and being busy with success is much better. Amon has made massive changes by working with a partner and deciding not to make his mom mad. 

making changes for yourself is the best feeling in the world. amberly comes on the pod to talk about her amazing transformation, and how focusing on the positives keeps her motivated. also! having partners to keep you accountable makes everything easier, and more fun. truly one of my most inspiring student success stories. 

When you are playful and curious in low stakes scenarios, you are learning, growing. As a beginner, a student, you are accepting failures and learning because you recognize perfection is overrated. By cultivating a playful mindset with everything in life, you get better at viewing all things with a growth mindset. Rewiring your brain to allow for more and more rewiring means you can do anything, a...

Listen in for a personal and honest update with a student who knows her weaknesses and WORKS on them! No one has to be at their best 24/7, but the more you communicate with the people you work with (teachers!) the better the relationship can be for everyone!

your mind is money, spend it wisely, because you become what you pay attention to. What you CHOOSE to PAY attention to is an investment in future you. you have control if you choose to take it.

This student is at a low point due to absence, but she's really good at catching up. in fact, she LOVES the feeling of being productive. But how can she make sure she is PROUD of herself for the amazing work she is doing? and how is dopamine impacting her life...

checking in again with this dude cuz he has made some SERIOUS moves in the right direction, in fact I'll call it a 180. youtube videos and grandpa's mattresses turn out to be pretty big inspiration, listen in for some seriously motivating words. 

This is the longest episode by far, and for a reason. Words cannot express how important and impactful this person is to me. Listen in.

These teammates are quite different, and each one helps the other in this game called life, with their jobs called being productive students! And doesn't it feel good?? Find how these two balance responsibilities and seek to address the struggles in school. 

When you NOTICE what you are doing and the causes of your emotions and actions you begin the process of making the positive changes you want in life. This is the concept borrowed from cognitive behavioral therapy that puts YOU and your brain in charge of your life!

practicing basketball for 4 hours a day, inspired by his mother to always get it done and WORK for what you want in life, listen in to this episode with a student that knows how to work AND relax.

Two of the best TA's I've ever had sit down to discuss how their families and sports shaped their work ethic and leadership. These two are going places, and they have some very simple habits that keep them positive and grinding no matter what. 

when you reconnect with a former student who has made HUGE growth, the conversation is filled with dopamine. listen in as I check in on the progress of this inspired journalist honestly open up about his growth and fixed mindset. 

This teacher is one of my greatest inspirations and collaborators, he and I bounce radical ideas about revolutionizing education with a complete reimagining of what it means to learn, do science, and teach the next generation.

understanding how and why our genes have brought us to be HARD WIRED to be lazy can help us overcome those lazy urges.

when you're driven and hard working and successful, what could you possibly still have to work on that's MORE IMPORTANT? listen to this episode to see how this family and future motivated student needs to create an automatic habit for the future.

You have NO IDEA how many amazing jobs there are out there that fit your passion! Listen as I discuss how school gives you options and how to explore your passions and introspectively discover your SOFT skills to find what's meaningful and inspiring for you. Then in the end, Halley explains how she balances work and rest, a necessary soft skill acquired through more self-examination.

this lifelong coffee drinking puerto-rican learned how to write with his left hand in ONE WEEK because he likes going fast. and because of that, he just might be the next elon musk. listen in to this incredible story that will surely motivate you.

some serious wisdom from a student who has made a long journey from negativity and anxiety to positivity and happiness, even amongst the negative. he says he's learned a lot from me, but you will hear that I learn a lot more from him. This is why I love my job. 

wow, listen to the journey of this amazing student who is constantly trying to figure out how to learn, improve, progress, and grow for her long term goals, but it ALSO FEELS SO GOOD in the short term! There is so much gold in this podcast you might think we rehearsed it or read a script but we SWEAR this was entirely authentic, organic, and improv. enjoy!

there's always 2 categories: the things we want to do that we actually DO, and the things we want/need to do that we don't... but the only problem is thinking that those 2 categories are good or bad. acceptance of the fact that there will always be things in both categories is acceptance of the balance of life. life moves in phases, and if we accept that, we can work to ride the waves, but also re...