The New England Patriots have been the most successful NFL franchise the last ten years. One phrase the team believes in is, “Don’t believe the hype,” as evidenced by it having been posted throughout their stadium. Despite all the media hoopla and extravagance surrounding what this team accomplishes, the players in the locker room are constantly reminded not to get caught up in hype and animation surrounding what it is they set out to do each year. Instead, they are to remain focused and follow their second motto, “Do your job.”
This is exactly the model to follow for your bar exam prep:
Don’t believe the hype. Do your job.
I’m sure your entire law school career, you were told how frighteningly scary the bar exam is. You heard all the negative statements, the half truths, and whoopty doopty surrounding the bar. Yes, the bar is challenging, but as you’ve heard by now,
“Life is 10% what happens and 90% how you react.”
It’s all about attitude and mindset.
The same holds true for the bar exam. At the end of the day, despite all the talk about the bar, it still is just an exam. What will get you through is a good prep plan or program and focusing on the task at hand. Don’t let the exam live above you. You are meant to be here and supposed to pass the exam. It’s not that fun, but it’s really not that bad either.
Rather than engage in the conversation about the bar and all the ‘woe-is-me’ talk, focus on doing your assignments. When you hear a ‘woe-is-me’ conversation, move away. ‘Woe-is-me’ is for the ESPN analysts and Monday morning quarterbacks who like to analyze, re-analyze, and over-analyze.
You are a player on the field. Focus on your work. When you slip up, acknowledge the mistake, laugh at it, know what you’ll do next time, move on, and erase it from your mind. This is what distinguishes ‘greatness’ from ‘goodness’ – attitude.
Give it your best, don’t believe the hype, and do your job.
Good luck in passing your bar exam!
“This name appears on the pass list.”
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
diggin the metaphor :D i miss your NFL blog.
Most of the times i visit a blog I notice that most blogs are amateurish.On the other hand,I could honestly say that you writting is decent and your website solid.
Thank you very much!
Mindset has been the single biggest thing holding me back on the test, going all the way back to the first time I took the test. The first time I got caught up in how badly I was scoring, how little I was remembering, and how much I had to do. I wound up understudying because I let myself get further and further behind. The same problem has happened over and over again. It wasn’t till I passed a test that I realized that all of my focus had been on the magnitude of the task and that none of it had been on the actual law. I had to learn to be in the present moment, thinking only about the law.
Now I’ve gotten the bad habits so entrenched that even knowing this I still have big challenges preparing for and passing one of the most difficult bar exams. But you are right. Don’t Believe The Hype is a good place to start.
Thanks for the comment. And check this out on goal setting. It’s been very helpful for others, it’s the next step after not believing the hype:
http://ipassedmybarexam.com/2010/11/30/goal-setting-your-way-to-passing-the-bar-exam