When most of us were in High School we were graded based on our academic ability. The high achievers were put in Set 1 while the strugglers were put in Set 5.

The ridiculous thing is decades later, people still carry these labels and the students in Set 5 still feel less able despite becoming lawyers, directors, and business owners.

Many times, my students tell me ‘I am rubbish at Maths’ or ‘I can’t write proper sentences’ and it is because they still regard themselves as they were at the age of 14.

We can all reinvent ourselves with dedication and self-discipline. Every day, you have 24 hours to invest in what you want to be good at – it could be maths, written skills, fitness or learning a new language.

You don’t have to be the quickest at grasping concepts. Perhaps, you are one of those people who take a bit longer to learn something. That is perfectly ok. We are all different. There is nothing to stop you from excelling in a specific area.   

Life does not have to be race. Many of my students have families and I encourage them to be more realistic with their exam aspirations. Being a great Mum or Dad is more important than passing your exams quickly.

Start looking at yourself with fresh eyes and day by day create the skills you want to have. If you are planning on doing Advanced Tax in December or March, I recommend you purchase Advanced Tax Condensed and make a head start. You need to deal with at least 30 separate technical areas to pass the exam and this book will really make the difference.