Academic Excellence in 21 Days

By Eric Nwachukwu

This book is for students who want to excel academically. The guideposts and principles contained in this book will show you why and how you will become a high-flying student. I managed the local library of Our Lady of Fatima Cathedral Catholic Church Kano for over four years as an unqualified librarian and I see different students preparing for different exams in a mediocre way. What is most shocking here is that; most of these students are mediocre students due to the fact that they lack the right approach to learning, studying and preparations required for academic excellence rather than the mere exertion of studies. The principles in this book are no respecter of persons, age, gender, race, background or your location. The results are the same to whoever would apply them. It contains the distilled essence of all that you need to know and do in your academic journey to excellence. This 21---Days course has SIX stages. Each Days message/material is divided into different sub-sections dealing with one central topic literally and in a juxtapositions context. Consequently, the reader is allowed to exercise his/her power of association and observation of ideas presented in connection to the other sub-sections and signposts illustrated in the book with the application exercises.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing Africa
• Release date: Dec 21, 2015
• ISBN: 9781482826210

Eric Nwachukwu

Eric C. Nwachukwu, is a teenage and youth expert, educational consultant, social activist, speaker, author and teacher with the mission: Reach One, Teach One (ROTO). Member of National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (ID#: 03027843).He Received the Merit Award of District 9125 of the Rotary International for school’s community service and other several awards.

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Copyright © 2015 by Eric Nwachukwu.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

www.partridgepublishing.com/africa

Contents

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Introduction

1. Yours For Grasp! (Forget The Past And Don’t Live In The Future)

2. Believe In Yourself (Connect To The Supernatural)

3. The P² (Passion Power)

4. Talk To Yourself (Change Your Thinking)

5. Predict Your Academic Excellence! (Creative Imagination)

6. Srong Inner Urge For Academic Excellence (Beyound Self-Motivation)

7. Build A Bridge And/Or Burn A Bridge (Pay The Price Of Academic Excellence)

8. Finish The Day Befor It Starts (Plan For Today)

9. Manage Your Priorities (What Are You Values? Do First Things First)

10. Pay Attention (Be Mentally Alert & On-Guard)

11. Know Yourself (1) (They Are Not Me, I’m Me!)

12. Know Yourself (2) My Learning Style Principle

13. Know Yourself (3) My Reading Style Principle

14. What Is Your Trademark? (Habit)

15. Measure Your Academic Progress (Set Goals)

16. Positive Or Negative Influence (Get Around The Right Students)

17. Academic Roadblocks? I Am Responsible!

18. You Are A Genius! (Unlock Your Brain)

19. Get Congruent! (Focus)

20. Academic Excellence Requires Staying Power (Persist And Persevere, Until You Excel)

21. When The Student Is Ready, The Teacher Appears. (Role Models)

Notes

About The Author

DEDICATION

This work is dedicated TO YOU dear reader, and;

Geraldine Ehi Onyinye Nwachukwu

Great Chikaima Abili

Oluwasemilore Favour Ladepo

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My foremost gratitude goes to God Almighty who in his infinite mercies and grace gave me the inspiration for this work.

I will ever remain grateful to my biological Dad and Mom who showed me the way to academic excellence. My spiritual Mom, Deaconess (Mrs.) I.M Ladepo and my spiritual Daddys; Padre Pio of Pietrelcina Capuchin, Pastor E.A Adeboye, Rev. Christopher Abili, Bishop Oyedepo and Bishop T.D Jakes for helping me with the ultimate guidance.

I want to acknowledge with deep gratitude, the many hands and resources God used to bring this work into print.

My special appreciation goes to Daniel Glisczinski, Associate Professor at the Education Department of the University of Minnesota Duluth for his moral, structural, and academic assistance.

To Barrister Ehi Esoimeme, Sis Catherine Ologunagba (ssl), Pst. Omisore Micheal, Deaconess I.M Ladepo for proof reading and editing the manuscript. Warmest thanks to Marian Dale my publishing consultant for her practical suggestions and helpful hints concerning the subject matter.

I will never forget Dr. & Mrs. Callistus Nwachukwu, Mr. & Mrs Hyginus, Mr. & Mrs. Jaja, Juliana, Agatha, and Amarachi

I will ever remain grateful to Dr & Mrs. Akere, Mr. Afolabi, and the entire management and staff of JSAY PRE-VARSITY who sharpened my thinking capacities through rigorous work and doing the best whenever, however, and wherever we can.

I’m also grateful to Dr. Joseph Ladepo, Arch. Laolu, Dare, Adura, Jimoh (the Landlord), Engr. Stephen (the K.K Factor), God’s time and the entire management and staff of Havilah Group of Schools, this work would not be possible without you guys.

Mr. Maxwell and the entire Team of Divine Wisdom Educational Consultants; to Change Maker, Kingsely N.T Bangwell and his team at Youngstars Foundation Youth Development Initiative and, Mrs. Irene Bangwell and the entire team at Handz and Mindz LTD. Thank you and May God Almighty bless us all. Amen.

FOREWORD

As I explore Mr. Nwachukwu’s recommendations for The Intentional Pursuit of Academic Excellence! I direct my gaze inward and reflect upon my own relationship with academic excellence.

It does not take me long to conclude I’ve spent twice as many years being a disappointing student than I have as a distinguished one. And when I consider the quality of my teaching, I’m pretty certain that despite my excellent intentions, the collective sum of my strengths and my limitations renders my teaching utterly mediocre. Excellence, in contrast, is the demonstration of outstanding achievement, the cultivation of which, for most, is no ordinary endeavor.

In my work as a teacher, I find it fascinating to be in the presence of excellence—on campus and throughout the larger community. Excellence shows itself in thought, communication, and action. Some excellence is evidence of personal mastery. Other excellence reveals deep professionalism. And another sort has transcendent dimensions. In the transcendent sort, I catch glimpses of the soul, of holiness, and of divinity. This presence of excellence is, in my view, the most profound excellence, as it serves as the daily bread that feeds our souls in efforts to do on earth as it may be in heaven.

It’s my understanding that Mr. Nwachukwu’s invitations to develop academic excellence are for this divine purpose. And so I defer to an international best selling tome that describes this purpose insightfully. The book of Philippians suggests,"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things" (4:8). I think this is what Mr. Nwachukwu is pursuing in his writings. The book of Corinthians adds "Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way" (12:31). In both cases, the purpose of developing excellence is to think, communicate, and act toward communion with creation.

Mr. Nwachukwu’s agenda, as described in the following pages, is indeed courageous, as it challenges readers to develop academic excellence in 21 days. Each day is dedicated to a component of Mr. Nwachukwu’s perspectives on intentional pursuit of excellence. Notable examples include choosing to live in the present (rather than in regrets or fears), engaging in daily learning with the power positive psychology (which cognitive scientists identify as generating positive neurotransmitters), and surrounding one’s self with conscientious peers (as the neuroplastic brain is shaped by socio-cognitive developmental factors).

For a slow learner like myself, 21 days will be just the beginning of my journey toward academic excellence. Perhaps it will take me 21 years of intentional learning. However long it takes me, indeed the 21st century is an appropriate time for us to commit ourselves to further thought, conversation, and action dedicated to excellence in whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable.

Mr. Nwachukwu’s book serves as an invitation to think about such transcendent opportunities.

Daniel Glisczinski, Ed.D.

Associate Professor

University of Minnesota Duluth

Department of Education

INTRODUCTION

Above every possessor of knowledge, there is still one more learned.

This book is for students’ who want to excel academically. The guideposts and principles contained in the pages ahead will show you why and how you will become a high-flying student.

If you are going to navigate excellently through any course in life, you must be guided. For every course or journey there are guideposts and signposts that are well-grounded on certain unchanging universal principles. These principles are no respecter of persons, age, gender, race, background or location. The results are the same to whoever would apply them. So invariably these principles are in control of the results not the choices we make. If the choice is based on mediocre principles you get mediocre results and if it is based on the time-tested naturally excellent principles, you get excellent results.

By following these simple and easy-to-apply guideposts and principles, you can move quickly from poor grades to good grades, from poor self-esteem to a healthy self-esteem, from confusion to direction and from knowing your strengths and capabilities to finding your unique strengths and talents. You can transform your experiences from a mediocre student to a high-flying student within these 21 days. What is most shocking here is that; most students are mediocre students due to the fact that they lack the right approach to learning, studying and preparations required for academic excellence rather than the mere exertion of studies. As an unqualified librarian for over four years, I have seen this mediocrity in students as they write the same exams over and over again. This book will guide you not to fall over this mediocrity study habits and lifestyle. No student wants to fail his/her exams and your examination is not conducted with the mischievous aim to fail you. The only one thing lacking is the systematic approach towards the preparation for the exams. So the guideposts exposed in this book you are about to read will deliver the good grades you so desire for academic excellence.

On a deeper level, the book went on to nudge you to aim for academic excellence rather than aiming for academic success looking for short cuts, cramming for exams only. What happens is that you get the degree but miss the education. Academic excellence is beyond what goes on in the classroom. So the book is about molding a young leader who has the capabilities and is well-rounded. It is about excellence—yes you get good grades, and still develop the mind, brain and competencies for good use in the real world.

My personal mission statement still remains: Reach One, Teach One, Until All Are Taught. In order to do that; this book was put to birth. It contains the distilled essence of all that you need to know and do in your academic journey to excellence. By following the guidepost principles explained in the pages ahead, you will move from an average student to a high-flying student. To grasp the application may be to meet the challenges and academic roadblocks of the moment, but to grasp the principle is to meet the academic roadblocks of the moment efficiently and resiliently and, be empowered to meet more daunting challenges of the real world as well.

For you dear reader and to all those this book have been dedicated to, this book is meant to render the help you need to get from wherever you are in your ladder of academic journey to the peak of academic excellence. For anybody seeking direction in life; these principles can also be applied to everyday living. As Cesare Pavese, the Italian writer would put it: the only joy in the world is to begin. Welcome! Let us begin.

GETTING THE BEST OUT OF THIS BOOK

This 21—Days course has SIX stages. The first three days deal with the need for personal re-orientation. Clearing and fertilizing of the land in order to plant good seeds that will germinate. It carries along the forces to help you reach academic excellence. You become ambitious, desirous, energetic, passionate and enthusiastic towards the academic excellence challenge. At this point you are encouraged to reject mediocrity and block its hold and toll in you. We will also be sharing the stories of people that allow these forces to empower them to intentionally pursue academic excellence throughout their life time.

The second stage, Day 4 to 6 deals with the need to have the right perspective,