Simple Ways to Become a Good Test Taker
Public Safety Promotional Exams: Simple Ways to Become a Good Test Taker
Too many of you intelligent candidates fail your respective police or fire promotional exams. Why, given that you have chosen to sign up for it and usually have the list of test sources anywhere from 2-3 months in advance? I think there may be some rather hidden reasons other than the most obvious explanation that you just didn't take the test seriously.
Of course, you will not do well on a test if you've chosen not to study, but there are some quick and easy ways you can improve your test-taking abilities. It's easier than you think to go from being a so-so test-taker to a good test-taker. Take a peek at the following ways you can improve your testing game.
Avoid Labeling Yourself:
First and foremost, you're going to want to drop that whole, "I'm not a good test-taker" thing. That label (which begins early in life) does more harm than you know! Numerous studies have shown that people who label themselves poor test takers experience more self-doubt, anxiety, and stress during both study-time and test-taking than those people who do not label themselves. Self-doubt contributes to study avoidance, pure and simple. If you believe yourself to be something, studies suggest that you will be it. Believe and you can achieve, my friends!
What We Are Talking About Here Is Self-Confidence.
Self-confidence is essential to success. A person with self-confidence generally likes themselves, is willing to take risks to achieve their personal and professional goals, and thinks positively about the future. This has many positive benefits down the road pertaining to focus and goal achievement.
Someone who lacks self-confidence, however, is less likely to feel that they can achieve their goals, and tends to have a negative perspective about themselves and what they hope to gain in life. The good news is that self-confidence is something you can improve! Building self-confidence requires you to cultivate a positive attitude about yourself and your social interactions, while also learning to deal with any negative emotions that arise and practicing greater self-care. Here are some suggestions:
1. Identify Your Negative Thoughts...
Your negative thoughts might sound like this: "I can't do that," "I will surely fail", "no one wants to hear what I have to say." This inner voice is pessimistic and unhelpful and will hold you back from achieving high self-esteem and greater self-confidence.
2. Turn Negative Thoughts into Positive Thoughts and Refuse to Be Negative.
As you pay attention to your negative thoughts, turn them around to positive thoughts. This may take the form of positive affirmations, such as "I am going to try it," "I can be successful if I work at it," or "people will listen to me." Start with just a few positive thoughts a day.
3. Be Comfortable with Anxiety and Fear
You may think that people who are self-confident are never fearful. This simply is not true. Fear means you are at your growing edge. Perhaps your fear is speaking in front of a group, introducing yourself to someone you don't know, or asking your boss for a raise.
4. Be Patient with Yourself
Sometimes you go backwards to go forwards. Gaining self-confidence does not happen overnight. You might try something new and not meet your goal. If possible, see what lessons are there. Not meeting your goal the first time around is an opportunity to learn more about yourself. Self-confidence needs to be nurtured and grown, a bit at a time.
5. Don't Compare Yourself with Others
If you want to build your self-confidence, then you have to focus on improving your own life for the better, not on making your life more like your best friend's, your older brother's, or like those of the celebrities you see on television. If you want to build up your confidence, then you need to know that there will always be someone who is prettier, smarter, and richer than you, just like there will always be someone who is less attractive, less intelligent, and less wealthy than you are; all of this is irrelevant, and what is relevant is caring about advancing your own goals and dreams.
6. Bounce Back from Your Mistakes
Not easy to do sometimes, but remember that no one is perfect. Even the most confident people have insecurities. At some point in any of our lives, we may feel we lack something. That is reality. Learn that life is full of bumps down the road. And that often these insecure feelings come and go, depending on where we are, who we are with, the mood we're in, or how we are feeling. In other words, they are not constant. If you've made a mistake, the best thing you can do is to recognize it, apologize, and make a game plan for avoiding it in the future.
7. Avoid Perfectionism
Perfectionism paralyzes you and keeps you from accomplishing your goals. If you feel like everything has to be done perfectly, then you'll never be truly happy with yourself or your circumstances. Instead, work on learning to be proud of a job well done instead of wanting everything to be absolutely perfect. If you're in the mindset of a perfectionist, then you'll only be getting in the way of a more confident version of yourself.
For a free consultation about your promotional procedures, give us a call.
Please visit our website at www.leaderselect.com
Company Founders
Co-founders Todd Renshaw and Riley Harvill have a combined 65 years of experience in law enforcement and consulting. Todd retired as the Public Safety Chief in Frisco Texas and founded Southwest Leadership Resources LLC. Riley is the current principle consultant and co-founder of The HarBeck Company, Inc. Together, they bring a development perspective to law enforcement assessment.
Give your candidates a jump-start on their leadership path. Choose LeaderSelect. It's testing for today's candidates and for tomorrow's leaders!
Riley Harvill Todd Renshaw
Riley@HarBeck.com Todd@SouthwestLeadership.com
214-557-1851 972-897-1771
