The Role of Mindset in Exam Preparation

Your actions determine whether or not you reach your goals... but focusing ONLY on taking obvious actions is not the highest leverage strategy. Two layers of preparation lead to higher rates of success. The surface layer of preparation is basic and obvious. For example: Setting your alarm and your running clothes out the night before Meal prepping Rehearsing your presentation But a deeper layer of preparation is less obvious and more powerful. It's preparation for your brain. For example, if you have a presentation coming up, how about: Journaling about the presentation Setting an intention for your presentation Naming what you will believe about yourself as you execute your actions Before: Creating your presentation Rehearsing your presentation Delivering the presentation This deeper layer of preparation is easy to do, which means it's also easy to skip. But these mindset steps will exponentially elevate your leadership. Personally, I shift in and out of doing my mental prep. I'm only human. But when I do the prep, the outcome is always, always, ALWAYS better. I challenge you to pick one goal you have for this week and do this deeper layer of prep. STEP 1: Journal about it for two minutes. Freewrite anything that comes to mind. Clear your mind. STEP 2: Set an intention for one minute. What do you intend for this process? How do you want to show up? STEP 3: Finally, pick one sentence to believe about yourself as you execute your process. It could be as simple as "I am focused." What do you think? How do you prep your brain to meet your goals? #successmindset #selfawareness #intentionalaction

If I could go back in time and give myself ONE piece of advice related to the bar exam, this is what it would be...👇 Stop saying to yourself... "I HAVE to pass." "Everyone expects me to pass." "I don't want to let anybody down." This pressure causes you so much stress and anxiety. And when you feel stressed and anxious... ↪️ You procrastinate. This pressure isn't conducive to productive study sessions. You avoid studying at all costs. You clean your space, do a load of laundry, or nap. And you can't think clearly. You don't absorb what you're studying. If you know this pressure isn't serving you, ↪️ Why are you doing it to yourself? Think differently about the process. Take the pressure off. I know, it's easier said than done, but it's possible. You control your thoughts. Your thoughts don't have to control you. ✅ Here's what that looks like... "I'm doing this for me." "I'm proud of the work I've put in." "Whatever happens, I am ok. I am safe." "This is just another stepping stone to cross." P.S. Share in the comments what it looks like for you! 💖

**Shifting Beliefs: Are You Really Ready, Willing, and Able?** How many times have you blamed your lack of progress on external factors like horoscopes, personality tests, or even fate? What if the real obstacle isn't cosmic but rather something within you? It's time to shift our focus from external excuses to internal solutions. Pause and rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 5: Are you Ready, Willing, and Able? Let's break down what each term truly means: **Ready**: This is your mental, emotional, physical, and resourceful preparedness. But are you truly available in these areas? Being mentally ready but emotionally unavailable can create a disconnect that hinders progress. Ask yourself: "Am I emotionally available to take on this challenge?" **Able**: This is your tactical preparedness. It's your skill set, your toolbox for action. But remember, being able doesn't mean you're automatically ready or willing. Ask yourself: "Do I have the skills needed to achieve my goal?" **Willing**: This is your emotional commitment, your drive to prioritize this goal above all else. Saying something is important doesn't necessarily make it urgent for you. Ask yourself: "Is this goal a priority or just another item on my to-do list?" The challenge arises when you're strong in one or two areas but weak in another. You might find yourself overcompensating, piling on motivational courses or extra degrees, neglecting the real gap in your readiness or willingness. Missing two? You're likely in a perpetual search mode, looking for answers you can't even articulate. I specialize in getting those who are Ready and Willing to an Able state. I can't change your readiness or your willingness, but I can equip you with the mindset, resources, and support to tackle any mission, task, or goal. For those who are R.A.W. (Ready, Able, Willing), the challenge is that the Willingness comes last. I can do very little for you if you're not willing to prioritize your goals. So, are you R.A.W. or W.A.R. (Willing, Able, Ready)? Your answer could be the key to unlocking your potential. What personal barriers have you noticed that limit your success? Share your thoughts in the comments or DM me. Together, we can break those barriers and set you on a path to success. Engage, reflect, and let's journey to success together. Your next step? Reach out. I'm here to guide you through this transformative process. #BreakingBarriers #SelfReflection #SuccessMindset #PersonalGrowth #SmallBusiness

Here's what a basic mental skills program might look like if I were working with a coach: 1. Mindfulness 2. Goal-setting 3. Confidence-building 4. Energy management 5. Self-talk 6. Preparation 7. Resilience Here's what that would look like in practice: 1. Mindfulness This isn't some airy-fairy exercise all about "letting go." This is attention training. And it only takes 12 minutes a day for maximum impact. So, set aside 12 minutes. Turn down the lights. Focus on your breath. Come back when distracted. Repeat. 2. Goal-setting Each individual on your team has something they're working toward. Honor that. You can have team and individual goals. Meet with them 1:1. Ask them what success looks like for them this season. How will they know they're making progress? What do they need to do daily? You've given them outcome, performance, and process goals. 3. Confidence-building Confidence comes from 4 sources: - Mastery experiences - Vicarious experience - Self-talk - Appraising our physiology Ask your athletes to reflect on what they've done well in the past, and how it can help them today. Ask them to catch their teammates succeeding. Have them fill out a confidence resume (https://lnkd.in/ghp6C92a) 4. Energy management You need to know when to ramp up or ramp down. Long exhale breathing = ramp down Short inhale/rapid breathing = ramp up Teach basic tools to control physiology. Teach them how to recover in short bouts in game. Teach them when to take a break. 5. Self-talk You need good self-talk to stay confident and focused. Good doesn't mean all postiive. Good means helpful. Teach them how to: - self-motivate - self-start - stay up - cope with adversity All using how they talk to themselves. Then, teach them framing. Nerves are: - Excitement - A sign you care - A sign you're determined - Enhancing your performance Changing the frame changes perception. Changing perception changes performance. Bonus: Lesson: How you talk to them will be how they talk to themselves. 6. Preparation Pair purposeful practice: - repetition - variation - representativeness With psychological preparation - Goals for the game - Competition plan - Imagery Players need a goal for each game. It gives them something to focus on. It should be something they can control. Develop a plan. What should they do if they hit an obstacle? How should they execute? Plans build confidence. Imagine success in execution. Get in mental reps. 7. Resilience No plan survives first contact. How can they respond when the chips are down? What should they actually DO to be resilient? My 2 cents: - Teach them to increase effort - Narrow focus to a specific challenge - Pick 1 behavior you can do when adversity strikes