Mindset/Psychology | Page 9 of 12 | Make This Your Last Time

September 12, 2020July 29, 2023 - 8 Comments

How to Handle Bar Prep Stress

“Why do things have to be so hard?”

Maybe right now you’re feeling like the future is uncertain and you’re stressed and you’re screaming on the inside and blah blah blah.

Rule 1: Bar prep sucks.

Rule 2: You’ll have to deal with even worse things if you pass the bar.

Picky clients, taking on legal responsibility for everything, unlimited vacation days that never actually happen because of billables that everyone hates, etc. I’m about to faint just thinking about this.

Tired of learning? You’re going to become a professional learner and problem solver. The bar exam doesn’t test a lot of relevant skills, but it does test your ability to learn and work with different things.

Wow! Thank you for pointing out our harsh reality. Give me back my dreams and excitement right now.

But I’m not saying this to paint a grim future. You could be “stuck,” but you don’t have to feel stuck.

September 6, 2020April 2, 2021 - No Comments

“We’re all in this together”?

What do you think of this…

“We’re all in this together”
“You’re not alone”
“With everyone gathered together, we finally stand a chance against the final boss”

All very good? I guess?

Feeling like you’re part of a crusade against “them” can be uplifting and inspiriting.

I don’t say these things out loud, but I’m basically guilty of it. Trying to make the prepping process more palatable for you. Feeling like I did something helpful when you tell me things like “I needed this today.”

But I have mixed feelings about letting comforting words wash over you like a warm shower TOO much. The bar exam is considered difficult for a reason.

And you know me… I live in practical reality. The more you make the exam a priority (see MTYLT rule #3), the more I’m willing to help. I don’t JUST want to tell you what you WANT to hear.

Here’s what you NEED to hear instead:

August 15, 2020May 23, 2021 - 5 Comments

Bar Preparation Is Emotional Preparation: How to Turn Your Emotions into Something USEFUL

The bar exam might be the dryest subject on the planet, but it’s also full of emotions.

Joy when you pass. Sorrow when you fail. Frustration, hopelessness, anxiety, and overwhelm in between.

Naturally, this can be a new and unique life challenge!

The thing is, these feelings are all temporary.

When you pass, you’ll celebrate for a day or two. You’ll probably forget how much you struggled and despaired. You’ll start to worry about other first-world problems like how to get sworn in, or finding and keeping a job, keeping clients happy, and so on, as life goes on.

You might even excitedly thank me and say that you’ll do anything to repay me, that you’ll give me feedback, that you’ll donate essays… then never respond again when I ask for a simple writeup. The high will wear off very quickly.

That doesn’t mean these powerful emotions you’re feeling now are useless while they’re happening. How do we leverage them (especially in the times of corona)?

July 18, 2020August 28, 2020 - No Comments

Feeling Stuck and Burned Out with Bar Prep

It seems like time is continuing to expand along with the universe—agony stretching as bar examiners keep pushing exam dates back like a girl who isn’t really into you.

Isn’t more time good, though?

What do you do when you’re frustrated with your progress?

Are you even acknowledging the frustration, or are you actually dismissing it?

I was having a conversation with a coaching client for the California Bar Exam. Here’s an excerpt:

**For non-CA takers, each CA essay is scored out of 100 raw points. 65 is considered on track to pass the exam and a target benchmark. 70 is solid. An 85 is rarely obtained.**

To summarize, here are his issues:

Practicing essays takes too long
He feels he wastes time by overwriting the analysis
He wants to write in his own way and limit the analysis

What would be your feedback here? Think about it before I share my suggestions on getting clearer on an approach you may be taking as well.

May 22, 2020July 11, 2020 - 2 Comments

How to Focus on Bar Studies While Stuck at Home in Quarantine

It’s hard enough to focus when there isn’t a cloud of coronavirus covering the planet. Or all the hubbub about what the exam will be like. Or wondering when it’s even going to be.

The stress of adjusting to “the new reality.” Dealing with uncertainty about the bar exam. Running out of yeast for your new bread machine.

You’re at the brink of feeling burned out before the exam is even happening.

First of all, if we’re quarantining, we should be thankful to have a place to stay and a refuge from everything going on outside (even if we’re forced to coexist with our housemates).

But it may be frustrating to not have a quiet place to focus if your go-to study place is suddenly gone. We’re stuck at home. Libraries are closed. Daycares are closed. Coffee shops don’t let you linger around.

Being productive in your bar preparation has become more challenging than it’s ever been.

How do you get into that flow if where you live is the only place left to study?

The two biggest killers of focus and concentration are external distractions and your energy.

Address each by designing your environment and optimizing your sleep as follows: