Articles – Stephanie Burns

Articles I've Written

Here you will find articles, most of which focus on aspects of goal achievement, learning and teaching. I’ve pulled together the articles from the old website that are still read widely. You’ll just have to excuse old references! Over time as new articles are added, I’ll be sure to notify you. I just have a commitment to write a few books before then. Enjoy.

Some Interesting Ideas About Goal Achievement

If you have a long list of goals or tasks you successfully and repeatedly avoid, even though you’ve done all the good goal setting and planning courses, then this article will give you a new understanding.

Bad Feelings can be very good for Motivation

For anyone who has found that sometimes the positive benefits of achieving a goal fails to motivate you. This article discusses how focusing on the positive benefits of achieving a goal may not be compelling enough to motivate your behaviour in the present time.

Given the story to this article is embedded within, I thought I’d share this photo of my friend and martial art teacher, Master Eddy Kaliboti

Life Exerts Itself

For anyone who has confronted unexpected events impinging upon the actions they are taking toward their goals (such as, illness, travel, work commitments and so on) and as a result the goal has been abandoned.

Great Real-time Motivation Strategies

By Paul Hankin. For those looking for a few good quick strategies to apply when you just can’t seem to get going. This article is contribution from one of my past students.

Baxter Moves Closer and Stays Longer (part 1)

By Pam Potter. For anyone who finds that FEAR or ANXIETY is standing in the way of achieving their goals. The best way to illustrate how the strategies in Stephanie’s book Move Closer, Stay Longer can be applied to any learning/goal situation where fear emerges as an issue.

Baxter Moves Closer and Stays Longer (part 2)

Lots of people read about Baxter’s adventure learning to swim and asked for an update. Pam, Baxter’s Mum obliged.

If You Can't Remember It, You Didn't Learn It

For anyone involved in a new learning situation, or who plans to soon re-enter a new learning situation. This article is appropriate for students of all ages.

Why is Taking Notes So Important in Learning

For anyone who regularly takes notes in conferences, meetings, or while studying. Notes serve an important purpose in the area of learning and remembering.

How to Learn from Text Information From The Web

For anyone who is finding it difficult to be efficient with information on the Internet. Also, for those using the Internet for content this may help how you think about your design.

Principles versus Goals

For teachers of all stripes. There are times, when we as teachers, throw away our principles in order to achieve our teaching goals. In these instances we can harm the confidence of our students.

The Silly Bridge

For anyone who finds their goals and efforts are negatively affected by what other people think, be that Mum or friends or colleagues.

My Horse Bites

By Pat Parelli (annotated by Stephanie Burns, Ph.D.) For all trainers, teachers, managers, parents! Oh, and all dog, parrot and horse owners (you know, those pets with attitude!).

Learning about Human Behaviour from Natural Horseman Pat Parelli

For all teachers and learners. From 2000-2005 I worked with the Parelli Natural Horsemanship organisation. This experience working with instructors and student horsemen deepened all aspects of my understanding of human behaviour in the context of learning.