The other week my friend Olivia messaged me, asking if I had any advice for her before she took her bar exam the following day.
I thought back to when I sat for California and New York's exams, scratching my head to come up with something that would really help Olivia. All I could think to tell her was "believe in your own bullshit." (Pardon my language.)
So, that's the advice I gave Olivia. I think her response went something like "Are you friggin' serious Lindsay? Really? THAT is the advice?" so I back peddled and said, "It's good advice—have confidence, believe in yourself and others will believe you too. Make something up and really sell it!"
I could tell Olivia needed a little more than my sales pitch so I let her in on a little secret. I made her write it down and promise me she'd write it on her blue book before she dared to answer an essay question. It's what I wrote on my blue book when I took both exams. It's what I wrote on every blue book I used during law school and college, and it's... well, here goes:
"This is just a test. It does not measure my intellect or my ability to succeed. It is one test on one day in a life of many, and I can do this."
After I said this to Olivia I realized that it applied well beyond a test -- it applied to life, which is it's own test.
Everyday we are faced with challenges. I wondered if I believed in myself more, if I believed it was possible, would it be possible? Maybe.
What I do know is that it's much more likely to happen if I believe it so. The power of suggestion is strong. Self-fulfilling prophecies can go either way. Why not make them you your way? Go the positive way?
Say it. Believe it.
This is just life, and I can do this.
