The accidental story of how I became an academic coach

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Recently, one of the members of The Extraordinaries Club asked me how I became an academic coach and if I could write a blog post and publish a podcast episode about it. I thought as it’s Christmas week, you might quite like a story rather than a ‘how-to’. It’s not a straightforward story and I […]

7 things I’d tell my younger self

It’s the season of new year’s resolutions and you may well be busy trying to pursue self-improvement goals. However, most people set themselves goals that are: a) almost impossible to fulfill (e.g. ‘get fit’. What does that even mean? How will you know when you’ve achieved it?) b) not actually terribly worth achieving anyway because […]

What’s holding you back from achieving your dreams?

It’s funny the things that hold us back from achieving our dreams. What held me back For years, I used to think that you had to be ‘chosen’ to write a book. I had dreamed of writing a book since a was a little girl, but I didn’t believe I could do it until somebody […]

How to succeed in your exams even when no-one believes in you

This week I had an email from a reader that made me really sad. It said: My Science teacher thinks that I won’t reach a C. It’s really put me down to think that I can’t pass and it’s made me give up on revising Science all together. I feel like I’m not getting any […]

Head or heart? What should I study at university?

There will be many times in your life when you have to make an agonising decision. Often your head will be telling you to do one thing, while you heart is telling you to do another. Should you go with the seemingly sensible option, or should you go with the option that inspires you and […]

“What should I do with my life?” – Three ways to answer that all important question

You’ve finished the day-to-day grind of taking your exams. You relish your freedom for a little bit. Maybe you allow yourself a few extra minutes in bed. Maybe you spend more time with your friends. Maybe you read more for pleasure. But soon your mind starts to turn to the future and that age-old question: […]