The right approach
When most people first begin studying for the bar exam (and I was no exception), the magnitude of the information that one needs to learn is so overwhelming that it is easy to become highly stressed.
In fact, it is understandable that some form of panic initially sets in.
The important thing is to realize that hundreds of thousands (millions?) of people have passed the bar exam. Most of them are very ordinary people. You can do this.
Furthermore, you cannot view bar exam study as drudgery or a form of punishment. It is simply the needed means to achieve a goal that you have set for yourself.
The benefits of such an outlook are, at least, three-fold:
- learning is much easier when you are enjoying yourself (or at least you are not constantly whispering to yourself, “this sucks”);
- it is much easier to recall information learned while in a positive, focused mental state; and
- when learning is easier, you can complete your studies in less time and have more time for friends and family, thus decreasing the feeling of drudgery weeks of study can induce in the mind and soul.
Visualization
Visualization is the mental picturing of an outcome or situation for the purpose of both learning from the envisioned outcome or situation and learning to influence that outcome or situation. There are two types of visualization: negative and positive.
Negative visualization is the process of visualizing an undesired outcome in realistic detail and then analyzing what can be done to avoid the outcome or to recover from it. Negative visualization is especially helpful in the reduction of fear and anxiety. An honest and complete use of this negative visualization will assist hugely in calming you for your bar exam experience. This exercise is fundamental in the creation of a Bar Exam Mind.
- Click here for my detailed post on negative visualization.
Positive visualization is a technique where you use your imagination to create clear images, ideas, and feelings of something you want to occur in your life. You focus on these images, ideas, and feelings until they become reality and your goal has been met. In other words, you are using your thoughts to affect the outer world. Positive visualization breaks down all internal barriers that might otherwise act as roadblocks on your way to successful passage of the bar exam.
- Click here for my detailed post on positive visualization.
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If you would like to learn more techniques for combating fear, anxiety and stress, use the search box in the sidebar or check out my book: Bar Exam Mind: An strategy guide for an anxiety-free bar exam.
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P.S. -- Want a FREE copy of my Bar Exam Mind audiobook?
You can get a free copy of my audiobook when you sign up for a free trial at Audible. Get the details by clicking here.
