27 smart ways to achieve excellence: Do the best you can and be the best that you can be -- Be proactive as you start your day -- Start your day with as simple prayer -- Keep your priorities straight -- Start each day doing the things you ought to do -- Set reachable goals -- Think and write about the best way to spend the day -- Pursue your goals with an ardent desire and passion -- Act TNT- "act today not tomorrow" -- Focus your energy on your studies -- Make your studies your daily responsibilities -- Study harder than anyone else -- Do your homework on time -- Sharpen your mind by reading -- Evaluate and upgrade your school performance -- Find balance in all aspects of life -- Minimize the use of electronic gadgets -- Develop your skills and talent -- Develop a right attitude -- Invest in your personal development -- Learn to be decisive -- Learn to be flexible -- Develop mental toughness -- Have the courage to do what is right -- Never call yourself a failure -- Decide to be unstoppable -- Believe that you can do it and you will -- 5 active approaches to learning: Be curious and inquisitive: Fall in love with learning -- Never stop asking questions -- Decide to be a lifelong learner -- Learn to think critically: What it means to be a critical thinker -- Critical thinker vs. negative thinker -- Why you need to learn to think critically -- Defining critical thinker -- The 5 benefits of learning to think critically -- Nurture your mind: Make reading a habit -- Take charge and fill your mind with the right stuff -- Take responsibility for running your own mind -- Work on changing your thought patterns from negative to positive -- Cultivate your mind with right thoughts and great ideas -- Pursue personal growth: Be open to change -- Seek continuous personal improvement -- Be willing to pay the price for growth -- The three disciplines -- Keep your focus right: Understand that focus is vital to achieving goals -- Realize that focus is the key to stay motivated -- Fight to keep your focus right.