Fred, Adult College Student
Fred, An adult with a history of academic failure and low self-esteem returns to school
Hear Fred's Story
In this video, Fred reveals a lifelong struggle to regulate his day-to-day life, leading him to believe “I wasn’t meant to be in school.” Learn how coaching transformed Fred to an A student with the tools he needed to manage his demands and rise through the ranks of his chosen profession.
Read more details about Fred’s coaching results below.
Problem
Fred’s lack of confidence in his abilities to succeed in an academic setting prevented him from acquiring the necessary skills required to find a more fulfilling and higher paying job.
Low Self-Esteem
Fred’s low self-esteem and pattern of failure in school cemented his belief that he would never be successful or find fulfilling work.
Chronic Procrastination
His tendency to procrastinate and engage in avoidant behaviors led to high anxiety levels and only served to fuel his negative self-talk.
Poor Study Skills
Fred’s lack of study skills and strategies needed to succeed in a demanding vocational program was a constant reminder of his past failures and a significant obstacle to moving forward.
Solution
Fred and his coach worked to develop his study skills and create structure around initiating and following through on academic tasks.
Create Structure
To conquer Fred’s pattern of procrastination and avoidance, the first thing Fred and his coach set out to do was create structure in his day around doing schoolwork as well as meeting personal responsibilities.
Develop Study Skills
Fred’s coach taught him best practices for using a calendar to keep track of deadlines, how to take notes, predict what would be on exams, extract the main ideas from his required readings, create study aides for upcoming exams, break projects down into small manageable chunks, as well as successfully manage his time so all academic and personal obligations were met by their respective deadline.
Action Plan
Fred also used a daily action plan containing the tasks he agreed to complete and the specific days he agreed to complete them. Fred would mark his progress towards completing tasks in the action plan on a daily basis, a process he found to be highly motivating.
Accountability
Using the action plan created multiple layers of accountability as Fred would hold himself accountable for what he agreed to and allow Fred’s coach to act as his accountability partner.
I became a standout student to the point that other students in my program looked to me for guidance and support. - Fred
Benefits
- Due to his long history of academic failure, the biggest challenge for Fred was overcoming his belief that he could not succeed in an educational setting. Despite low self-belief, Fred was a great candidate for academic and ADHD coaching because of his commitment to improving his circumstances and openness to receiving help.
- The structure Fred and his coach created for him to conquer procrastination proved very effective. While Fred still had time to play video games, it was controlled by the support he and his coach put in place and was not dependent on self-regulation or self-discipline.
- Teaching Fred the study skills he had never learned in school and then coaching him on how to implement them gave Fred confidence for the first time as a student. It was amazing to see Fred’s reaction when he received his initial grades and the A’s he earned on almost every exam and assignment.
- The realization that his newfound academic success was not a fluke but the result of a reliable and repeatable approach only improved his belief in himself. It made further success that much more reachable.
- During the last semester of his certification program, Fred and his coach worked together to help him land a coveted internship.
Results
Fred’s significant improvement in self-confidence allowed him to successfully complete his vocational program and earn a well-paying job where he is valued and respected.
Growth Mindset
Fred’s new growth mindset and support from his coach allowed him to experience phenomenal and immediate results.
Increased Excellent Grades
Fred could not recall having ever properly studied for a test and possessed little to no study skills before working with his coach. However, Fred never earned less than an A in any of his courses throughout the 2-year certification program. Fred became such a standout student that other students in his cohort looked to him for guidance and support.
Career Promotion
While many of his classmates struggled to find internships, Fred landed a desired internship, ultimately leading to a permanent position. Fred continued to demonstrate his value at work which resulted in him being promoted to a management position in under a year.
Increased Confidence
He currently earns a good salary in a job he loves and is very much respected. Fred not only believes in himself as a student, but his success as a manager at a rehabilitation facility has given him the confidence to take on significant challenges in every aspect of his life. Fred continues to make behavior changes through work with his coach. He has seen significant improvements in multiple areas of his life, including sleep, exercise, and nutrition.
Newsletter
Subscribe to our blog
