Staying Motivated in Sixth Form

Sixth form is said to be the most important stage of one's academic career. From opening doors to universities, apprenticeships, and work experience opportunities, it is that invisible bridge that links your education with your future. It is immensely nerve-racking to think that your future can really depend on the actions you make in two short years. The pressure of being a high performer is exhausting, and staying motivated is the hardest part of the battle. I am not here to tell you what you may already know or feel, but to say I understand it too.

At the start of sixth form, I was bursting with motivation. I had new subjects that I was excited to learn about and an underlying sense of independence. As time went on, the more work piled up, the more tests clustered together in the same week, and the more exam preparation was discussed, the more overwhelmed I started to feel.

I confided in my mum, and she told me that a loss of motivation does not equate to laziness. The effort I had already put into my work proved that I was not lazy, but perhaps looking at things from the wrong perspective. She then asked me what my "why" was. At first, I was confused, but she explained that it meant the thing driving me towards my end goal.

What is your why?

So I want to ask you: what is your "why"?

Ask yourself these questions:

• What do I want at the end of my sixth form journey?
• What am I working towards?
• Is there a reason why I am on this journey?
• How can my work so far influence my future?

If you struggled to answer any of these questions, I want you to think about goal setting.

Setting SMART goals

Are your goals specific? Are your goals measurable? Are your goals achievable (not in the sense that they are too big, but in terms of the steps you can take now to achieve them)? Are your goals relevant? Are they time-bound (for example, can I finish my homework by 3pm on Wednesday)?

Thanks for reading and participating in my posts! This is me signing off, S.C.