Tips for Managing Exam Pressure

If you're taking the bar exam tomorrow and you're saying to yourself things like...I don't know if I've done enough. Or wondering...What if I choke? Then this post is for you. Remember that negative self-talk leaves you feeling nervous, anxious, and scared. And when you are nervous, anxious, and scared, you can't focus or think clearly. 👉 You don't want to carry this energy into tomorrow. If this is you, I understand. The same thing happened to me once upon a time. It's a big exam. And we are human. But it wasn't until I turned things around on the negative self-talk front that I finally passed. If you know negative self-talk makes you feel nervous and anxious... ...Will you choose to continue doing it? Is there ANYTHING else you can do to turn things around? Here's what I know about taking and passing the bar exam in 3 different states... The LESS negative self-talk, the BETTER I performed. 👉 Negative self-talk does not lead to better results. Here's what you can do to turn things around: 1. Listen to a guided meditation on a loop, especially when you can't sleep. 2. Call the most positive person you know to give you a pep talk. 3. Walk outside briskly while listening to music. 4. Recite positive affirmations. 5. Practice yoga. 6. Breathwork. 7. Journal. 8. Pray. As you can see, it takes work. Things don't turn themselves around. So manage your negative self-talk, ↪️ To peak perform on the bar exam. I pray you find the peace and calm you need to seize every opportunity to rack up points!! You are prepared.

If you want to manage stress and perform under pressure, you've got to cultivate one psychological characteristic: Resilience Here's how Olympic champions do it, and you can, too: This model is from Fletcher & Sarkar, 2012. They broke down resilient responding by asking 12 Olympians about performing under pressure. These Olympians said that, under stress, these are the things they needed to manage the pressure and perform: 1. Positive personality Being open to new experiences, innovative, and optimistic seemed to help the Olympians see the stress adaptively. They also proactively trained their mindset, so that any negative experience was easier to deal with and staying positive came naturally. 2. Motivation The Olympians were driven by multiple forces: - Passion - Achieving more - Social status - Being their best As a result, challenges became opportunities to act on those motives. If you want to be more resilient, have multiple sources of inspiration. 3. Confidence For the best athletes in the world, confidence came from: - Preparation - Experience - Self-awareness - Imagery - Coaching - Teammates This confidence helped hem believe they could win, and thus a stressor was simply an obstacle to overcome - nothing more. 4. Focus World-class athletes stay dialed into themselves and their process. They don't worry about what other people are doing or outcomes they can't control. In the case of resilience, this helps everything feel controllable and manageable, and as a result, respond better. 5. Perceived social support If the Olympians felt supported, by teammates, family, and coaches, they responded more resiliently to stress. That's true for all of us. Social support boosts our sense of what we can handle. It makes us feel like we're in it together. If you add these 5 factors together, you tend to respond to stressors as a challenge, instead of a threat. That challenge response leads to a better psychological and physiological response. That leads to better performance. If you want to do that for yourself, then, here's what you can do: 1. Identify your values and goals - boosts motivation 2. Mindfulness - boosts focus 3. Social cohesion - build deeper connections to those around you 4. Take risks - boosts creativity and innovation 5. Ask for feedback - boosts self-awareness 6. Reflect on past success - boosts confidence 7. Gratitude journal - boosts hope and optimism There are more, of course, but this is enough to get started.

The most successful people aren’t necessarily those who avoid pressure—they’re the ones who handle it without getting stressed out. Pressure is inevitable on the path to success. It’s a sign that you’re pushing your limits and striving for greatness. But while pressure is a necessary function, getting stressed out is optional. Think about this: Every time you take on a challenging task, pressure mounts. It’s your body’s way of preparing you to perform at your best. But stress? That’s a reaction you can control. Here’s why embracing pressure, without succumbing to stress, is powerful: 1. Growth: Pressure pushes you out of your comfort zone, fostering growth and development. 2. Resilience: Learning to handle pressure builds mental toughness and resilience. 3. Achievement: High-pressure situations often lead to significant accomplishments and breakthroughs. When you view pressure as a positive force, you change your mindset. It becomes a motivator rather than a burden. You start to see it as a catalyst for reaching new heights. Stress, on the other hand, can be managed. Here’s how: - Mindfulness: Practice mindfulness techniques to stay calm and focused. - Prioritization: Break down tasks into manageable steps and prioritize what’s most important. - Self-care: Ensure you’re taking care of your physical and mental health to maintain balance. Remember, pressure is a part of the journey to success. It’s a sign that you’re aiming high and pushing boundaries. But stress? That’s something you can choose to manage. Embrace the pressure. Let it drive you to achieve more. But don’t let stress take control. Stay focused, stay balanced, and use pressure to propel you forward. Success requires pressure, but stress is optional. Choose wisely, and watch how far you can go.