Release Your Inner Drive: Everything You Need to Know about How to Get Good at Stuff

Release Your Inner Drive is a fantastically useful book, providing practical advice for students. Written in straightforward language and full of helpful graphics, it explains in tangible steps how to develop the attitudes, mindsets and habits that are crucial to success at school and in life, such as confidence, well-being, resilience, learning from mistakes and improving memory. Crucially, this advice is evidence-based and has been distilled from high-quality research in cognitive psychology and neuroscience. I have never come across a clearer explanation for students of how to handle the complexities of motivation, mindset and performance.

Jonnie Noakes, Head of Teaching and Learning at Eton College.

''Release your Inner Drive'' breaks down success into small manageable steps, drawing on science, poetry and the experience of super successful people! Students will find simple, practical guides on how to achieve their goals, covering everything from how to beat procrastination to how to make failure your friend. Teachers will be cutting out almost every page of this book to display the infographics on topics such as study skills, resilience, well-being and more!

Ellie Mulcahy- Research Associate at LKMco

This is an innovative book that distills a wide array of evidence to help find clear guidance to help students'' work effectively. Many pages of the book, and related supporting tools, are very apt for sharing in schools to help students. There are very few books that help guide young people to work effectively, in a style that is accessible, readable and useful, so in that regard this is a rare and very helpful book. The section on study strategies was particularly helpful to me working in a school.

Alex Quigley, English teacher, author of The Confident Teacher

Seductively readable and yet also impressively evidence-based, this beautifully produced book represents an exceptional distillation of research around motivation. It's a tough art to keep the message simple without straying into the simplistic badlands, or risk patronising a hyper-vigilant teenaged audience, and the authors carry this off remarkably well. Time-starved teachers will find much classroom-ready material to use here too.

Dr Barry Hymer, Emeritus Professor of Psychology in Education, University of Cumbria.

As Learning Support Co-ordinator in a girls independent senior school I find this book an invaluable resource with all the students I work with. I use it extensively with year 8 in Study Skills and have promoted it to parents and at parent's evenings. Many of them going on to purchase it for their children and wider family. Students from year 7 and above have greatly benefited from its insightful and accessible format. It is clearly and attractively illustrated and its often common sense wisdom has been the spark that has enabled students to take more active control of their learning. Information covered is broad and covers subjects like revision, use of mobile phones and the important of sleep. All the topics discussed being relevant topics for young people (and all people) today. The theme of growth mind set, resilience and metacognition are interwoven through the book and have opened up rich discussions about taking personal responsibility in the learning process. My experience has been that the book has been very well received by students and adults alike. It is presented in an easily digestible format and the inclusion of links to studies that back up the concepts facilitate further exploration. The cost is extremely reasonable. It is a flexible resource that can be dipped into time and time again or read all in one go. I cannot praise it highly enough.

Joanna Collier, Learning support co-ordinator, St Margarets School

This is a really helpful resource for students, parents and teachers who want to get a handle on the most effective ways of revising, goal-setting and handling stress. A great balance of clear infographics and research on peak performance across a range of disciplines a aspirational and reassuring in equal measure.

Mary Myatt, education adviser, speaker and author of Hopeful Schools.

Really enjoyed the book a there are some real strengths to the design alongside the wealth of tips and knowledge. I love the infographics, which offer a quick and easy way of getting the key information across.

Chris Thurston, Head of Education and Welfare at Watford FC.

Bradley Busch and Edward Watson have sifted through a wealth of insight from cognitive and behavioural psychology into our strengths and weaknesses as students a and humans a and transformed it into a helpful, usable guide. Attractive summaries are helpfully combined with clear explanations of the underlying ideas. Applying just a handful of their ideas would, I suspect, help anyone to both study better and flourish while doing so.

Harry Fletcher-Wood, Associate Dean, Institute for Teaching.

I would recommend this wonderful book, aimed at a teen audience, as both a parent and a teacher. It is packed with evidence-based (thoroughly referenced), practical tips to support our youngsters; for example, to help them make their learning more memorable or to help them live less stressful lives. The very clear graphics are a real strength of the book and allow the reader to dip in and out. I couldn't help but proffer its pages to my son, now preparing for his next set of exams. Very teen-friendly!

HAlAne Galdin, teacher and ResearchEd organiser.

Bradley and Edward have written an accessible, comprehensive guide to implementing the latest research into motivation, self-control and neuroscience to help you to get better at ... well, everything! Their book breaks down the process of goal-setting, self-discipline, coping with challenge, learning and achievement into a series of tips and tricks, rendered into easy-to-understand lists which make great resources for students, teachers or anyone trying to do that little bit better. All the key information for each topic is captured in an eye-catching single page, meaning that the book serves as a catalogue of self-help guides. But these single pages are supported by helpful detail, explaining how and why you should follow the advice. Each of the guides is sourced with detailed research from the fields of psychology, health and neuroscience, giving the reader confidence that these easily digestible chunks are much more than just platitudes or motivational slogans. Release Your Inner Drive will be a great resource for anyone involved in education and learning a or, indeed, anyone who awants to get good at stuffa.

Chris Hildrew, Head Teacher, Churchill Academy and Sixth Form.

Release Your Inner Drive by Bradley Busch and Edward Watson suggests strategies to help young people develop productive habits and offers practical tips for setting goals and taking control of where they are going and how they intend to get there. Based on the principle of growth mindset the book is clearly structured and easy to read, with eye-catching and light-hearted graphics, designed to appeal to its target audience, but also with something to offer to teachers and parents who support and encourage young people. The book prompts reflection and recommends actively seeking out and acting on feedback in order to boost confidence and enhance achievements. It emphasises the importance of resisting perfectionism and looking after ourselves by finding a healthy balance in our lives, including specific advice for controlling our use of mobile devices and social media. Useful quotations, inspirational stories and specific examples, including references to recent research, strengthen the advice offered as to how students can ensure revision is effective and examination performance is positive. The book ends with a call to action and a very useful, extensive list of references to prompt further reading.

Jill Berry, leadership consultant and author of Making the Leap.

Release Your Inner Drive provides students with an easy to use guide of top tips for improving performance at school and in exams.

Lia Commissar, Programme Manager a Education and Neuroscience, Wellcome Trust.

Release Your Inner Drive very skilfully applies well-grounded, contemporary psychological concepts to an array of achievement situations. The infographics communicate complex theory in a really digestible way, designed to help readers make sense of the mental aspects of performance, and apply thinking skills within their particular domain. As an academic and practitioner, I think the inclusion of research and references is really important and I particularly appreciated this aspect of the book. Many of the graphics are eye-catching, but also accurate, helping people to remember what they read, which helps them apply what they read to their world. The graphical way in which the content is presented allows the reader to easily understand the tools being introduced, and the theory behind the tools. Information is chunked in such a way that the reader is able to take away key pieces of information easily. The advice is not only useful for people wishing to fulfil their potential, it is also important for well-being. Indeed, many of the concepts are as much about maintaining and enhancing well-being as they are about achievement. My favourite part was Chapter 10, where growth mindset is really clearly applied. I also like the fact that the reader is given options as to how to use the book, prior to and after reading it. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in fulfilling their potential or inquisitive about how they can harness psychology to improve their performance.

Dr Martin J. Turner, Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology, Staffordshire University.

Release Your Inner Drive is an excellent guide to understanding how to improve. The authors distil a huge volume of peer-reviewed research on performance psychology and neuroscience into a number of key areas and provide simple and effective strategies to develop in each one. The book works especially well as a quick reference guide. This is a resource to keep returning to for some gentle reminders of how to regain control during times of stress. Key questions are provided throughout that can be applied in education, sport and general life.It's a book perfect for parents and teachers who want to enable children and young adults to develop the mental skills required for a positive mindset.

Nick Cooper, Director of Performance Solutions.

Brilliant book, the info graphics are informative, clean and snappy.

Pauline Oma, Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner from Lancashire assisting anyone 16+ with coping skills for anxiety

Every now and then, life has a knack for throwing a curve ball into our lives, placing obstacles, forcing big decisions, or challenging beliefs and understanding of how we view things. Add into the mix demands of life requiring that we achieve academically, fit in with friendship groups and all the technological distractions that can easily turn attention away, being a teenager is no mean feat. During this most sensitive time of our lives, it can be tricky to know who to turn to for support, advice or just to talk through pressures that are building internally, and school can actually be a sanctuary of routine, respect and reassurance that can be missing from teenage life. Teachers, parents and friends can all have a different influence on teenage life, but sometimes the will to focus and achieve needs to come from inside (an internal process). Building the internal strategies a that can build resilience and assured strategies to success a takes time, effort and a determination to overcome negative influences. In their book aRelease your inner drive a Everything you need to know about how to get good at stuffa Bradley Busch and Edward Watson have compiled a range of strategies and methods to help and support teenagers achieve in their lives, exploring routines, behaviours and ideas. Succeeding with revision is at the core of this book and the authors have significantly concentrated on ensuring access to the ideas and strategies are easily accessible. Through a series of lists, infographics, and digestible segments of advice, Busch & Watson have created an essential book for teenagers, helping steer through the daily expectations demanded through this most precarious time of life. Although not intended to be read from start to end, the book has a great mix of chapters focusing on 10 critical aspects of life that can help individuals succeed in what they are concentrating on (see chapter titles on next page) whether that be academically, or another part of life that is important. Helpfully, the focus on revision and preparing for exams is a really useful guide, and teachers could use this book to support secondary students through the plethora of exam papers they're faced with. Using the book during whole-class tutor time would allow teachers to focus on experiences of students, and showcasing the infographics could act as a great conversation starter for groups or individuals alike. Additionally, providing individuals with the book would allow private consideration of the strategies and ideas shared throughout, of which students could easily refer to helping motivate and focus their mind. Helpfully, it wouldn't be a bad gift to subtly give to your teenage child, if you're a parent, to help or guide them through the revision and exam process. Click here to read the review of aRelease your inner drive' on UKEdChat.

UKEdChat

I'm a House Master at Eton College and I gave each of my new boys a copy of Brad's book on the day they arrived. The boys are able to leaf through it, picking up advice on the many topics that interest them (or I point them towards). The book is outstanding because the advice is simple, accessible by students of all ages and abilities, straightforward and makes complete sense. It is also heavily supported by current research. Two minutes spent digesting one of the pages can lead to a lifetime of improved learning - what's not to like? I have found the posters from the book on Inner Drive's website and present them around the house and in my classroom, reinforcing the ideas.

Alex Henshilwood, House Master, Eton College

I don't believe they let my dad write a book

Oliver Watson

I worked with Bradley during the most stressful time of my life, competing in a Paralympic Games. By using a lot of the techniques in this book I have become a more successful person, not only in my career but also outside of it. I have changed the way I view failure and this is what has helped me the most. The techniques are simple but they have had a massive impact, it's almost hard to believe. This book teaches us how to get big rewards from simply changing the way we view and handle what life throws at us. For anyone looking to better themselves in some way, no matter how big or small, this is the book for you.

Jordanne Whiley, MBE, winner of 9 Grand Slam tennis tournaments and Paralympic medalist.

If anyone is looking to develop a growth mindset and generally tackle life in a more positive and confident way then this book is a must-read. Complex concepts are presented in a simple manner in order for the reader to take away key messages and apply them across a number of relevant situations. The authors must be commended on providing a unique format, allowing readers to retain important information, which underpins the effective thinking and behaviour needed in order to thrive.

Ian Mitchell, Performance Psychologist, Walesa national senior football team.