WHAT ARE “SIGNS OF A WINNER,” ALEX?
Here’s some advice from a Kaplan instructor who won big on Jeopardy!™ In the green room
before the show, he noticed that the contestants who were quiet and “within themselves”
were the ones who did great on the show. The contestants who did not perform as well were
the ones who were fact-cramming, talking a lot, and generally being manic before the show.
Lesson: Spend the final hours leading up to the test getting sleep, meditating, and generally
relaxing.With what you’ve just learned here, you’re armed and ready to do battle with the test. This book and
your studies will give you the information you’ll need to answer the questions. It’s all firmly planted
in your mind. You also know how to deal with any excess tension that might come along when
you’re studying for and taking the exam. You’ve experienced everything you need to tame your test
anxiety and stress. You’re going to get a great score.
Continue to spend your time patiently thinking through your answers; it’s going to lead to
better results. Don’t mistake the other people’s sheer activity as signs of progress and higher
scores.
Keep breathing! Weak test takers tend to forget to breathe properly as the test proceeds.
They start holding their breath without realizing it, or they breathe erratically or
arrhythmically. Improper breathing interferes with clear thinking.
Some quick isometrics during the test—especially if concentration is wandering or energy is
waning—can help. Try this: Put your palms together and press intensely for a few seconds.
Concentrate on the tension you feel through your palms, wrists, forearms, and up into your
biceps and shoulders. Then, quickly release the pressure. Feel the difference as you let go.
Focus on the warm relaxation that floods through the muscles. Now you’re ready to return
to the task.
Here’s another isometric that will relieve tension in both your neck and eye muscles. Slowly
rotate your head from side to side, turning your head and eyes to look as far back over each
shoulder as you can. Feel the muscles stretch on one side of your neck as they contract on
the other. Repeat five times in each direction.