Amanda wrote…
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I wanted to let you know how much I love your podcast. So informative and a great way to listen and review on my way to and from work each day. I am so nervous about my PANRE. I took my first PANRE through the Pathway and miss that so this will be my first sit down test since the PANCE. Any suggestions? I work full time and have kids and will be in the process of moving house in April/May and trying to fit studying into each day is tough. Any suggestions would be helpful.
I have scheduled my exam for June. I am hoping this will be enough time to prepare.
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For you younglings, Pathway II was a system where you could take your PANRE as a take home test. Pretty cool if sitting in front a computer for 4 hours to take a multiple-choice test sounds terrifying. Unfortunately, that went away a few years ago.
First thing I want to point out is that everyone is nervous. You’re not alone.
Now, to the bigger point in this email.
I work full time and have kids and will be in the process of moving to a new house in April/May, so trying to fit studying into each day is tough. I have scheduled my exam for next June. I am hoping this will be enough time to prepare.
I know people are busy. But, moving the month before your exam with 2 kids and full-time job is CRAZY.
Here are 5 things NOT to do the month before your exam:
1) Move
2) Get married
3) Get divorced
4) Start a new job
5) Have a baby
I’ve heard from people who are doing 2 or 3 of these right before their exam.
Any one of these things takes a ton of emotional energy. They wreak havoc on your emotional reserves.
Picture this: everyone has a well of emotional reserves. It is filled with nice clean water. It’s made of neatly stacked stones and a little roof with a little bucket. You dip into that well when you don’t get enough sleep. Or when you take an exam. The well replenishes itself when you take time to breathe or when you sleep 8 hours at night. It’s a nice balance.
Moving with children takes your emotional well of fortitude and smashes it to pieces. Not just draining the well but knocking over the little roof and bucket. And then using a bulldozer to fill it in with dirt.
At some point months down the road, you begin to dig the well again and then fill it back up with emotional reserves.
Taking a 4-hour exam that you HAVE to pass takes a huge amount of emotional and mental energy. Going in with an empty well is not a good idea.
Some people set themselves up this way on purpose. It makes a nice excuse if you fail. “Oh well, I’m not dumb I just was busy, yeah, busy and I didn’t have time to REALLY study. Yeah, yeah that’s it. If I had really studied, I could have passed.” (The problem is now you have to prove it.)
If you were with me last week, you know about Carol Dweck and the fixed mindset. Being super busy is a great place for fixed-mindset people to hide.
Life is busy, but you have to take your exam sometime. It’s hard. I know. I hear from people all the time who are struggling. I struggle.
Give yourself 2-3 months where you can focus on the exam and make it your number one priority. Tell everyone you know that you are taking this crazy test and it will make you nervous, grumpy, and nuts for the next 2-3 months. Ask them either for help or to leave you alone.
Give yourself some space and emotional rest because you’re going to need it.
Starting Monday, I’ve got some fun things coming. A little Christmas in July. Stay tuned.
Brian Wallace
P.S. I’ve gotten a bunch of emails from people asking where they can get a hold of The Final Step. At the moment, you can’t, but one of the days this week I’m going to make a few copies available. Keep your eyes peeled and you might just get a crack at it.