Do you want someone else or something else to determine where you will end up?
Is your growth intentional?

 We just passed the halfway point of the semester on campus.  Midterm exams have come and gone. Although students receive continual updates on their progress, the midterm provides a natural check-in point.

For the last few years I have sent my students a midterm email encouraging them to reflect on where their actions have taken them.  I would like to share this semester’s email with you (below).

As you read it, may I suggest you apply it to yourself? All of us need to take time to stop, reflect and evaluate.  If we want to grow, we must understand where we have been, what we are doing, where we are headed, and how we plan to move along the journey.  Our growth has to be intentional.

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Hi, scholars,

 With the completion of this week of classes, you can now look back on half of your semester. You have completed 8 weeks.  Please do the following at this point:

 *   Stop–Find 5 or 10 minutes and get away by yourself. A quiet room; the campus library or cafeteria; your car; a quiet park; the beach; or even the bus….someplace that you do not have to talk with anyone else.  Just time for you.

*   Reflect–Consider your dream–the reason you say you are in college. Perhaps it is closer than ever–or maybe it feels further away than ever.  Remember why the dream is important to you; why you want to do it/reach it.  Has anything changed in your life that causes you to look at the dream in a different manner?

*   Evaluate–Are you doing what you need to do to get to your dream? Have you successfully identified the non-negotiable and negotiable items on your priority list?  Are you letting other things or other people get in the way of your dreams?  Are you making choices that are sabotaging your dreams? Are you satisfied with the progress you are making?  What can you do to stay on track–or get back on track?

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 *   Ask–3 questions of yourself:

     *   What should I STOP doing?

    *   What should I KEEP doing?

    *   What should I START doing?

 *   Mentor–Find someone who can be of assistance; someone with the wisdom who can help you get closer to your dream.  Perhaps YOU can, also, mentor someone who needs your advice.

*   Commit–Once you know what you want to do–DO IT!  Remember, don’t “try” to do it. “Try” is an excuse.  Action will get you to your dreams.

You have traveled a long way this term. Do you want someone else or something else to determine where you will end up? Be proud of your efforts; be proud of your commitment; be proud of the work you will do in the weeks ahead. 

Video recommendation for the week:

See the dream…your dream…and move toward it.   Here is a short video for you to ponder:

It’s an honor to work with you….See you in class, scholars!

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And, it is an honor to have you read and share my blog.  Thank you!

Choose well. Live well. Be well—and H.T.R.B. as needed!

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post. Please share it (and any of the archived posts on this site) with friends and colleagues. You also can follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. If you get a chance, visit my Facebook page and join in–or start–a conversation (www.facebook.com/stevepiscitelli).  If you have suggestions for future posts, leave a comment. Make it a wonderful week!

Check out my upcoming November webinar on student retention.  Click here to register now for the webinar.  Or go to my website for registration information.  This webinar is part of the Innovative Educators’ webinar series.

(c) 2013. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.