Through out history there are examples of prominent thinkers describing the two brain theory.
Ego/ Super Ego
Conscious / Subconscious
An idea that resonates with me (and has helped me crush tests since I was a wee lad) is the framing that Dr. Maxwell Maltz puts on this idea in his book psycho-cybernetics. He speaks of it more like a conscious mind (you) and a super computer you have access to (subconscious).
That super computer is goal striving machine. It also needs to be programmed and fed data.
This isn’t exactly ground breaking at the moment but stick with me.
You drive to work. The first time it’s hard. You’re not sure where you’re going. Fully conscious.By the end of month you hand off driving to work to you super computer. You tell it “take me to work.” And it does. It’s so routine we don’t even notice it. (Crap, I hope all the lights were green because I didn’t see any of them on the way in)
You feed it the data ( a month of driving) and then you set the goal (get me to work) and it did the rest.
I do exactly the same thing when I take an exam. I feed data into my brain. Then on test day the most important thing to me is that my supercomputer is in tip top shape and I get out of it’s way. I set the goal of passing the exam and then just about shut of my conscious mind. I disappear into the zone and before I know it the test is over.
You know how people always say don’t go back and change your answers? Most of them intuitively know it’s better, but they don’t know why. It’s because the first choice was chosen by your supercomputer which has sifted through thousands if not millions of data points and patterns and come to a conclusion. It does a better job than your conscious mind if you let it.
When I say take the day off before your test. When I say study The Final Step. I’m saying get your supercompueter primed and ready to go. Get it filled up with data (the right data) and then get it rested.
I never take extra time to reread questions, I never change my answers. I read the question I answer it. I move on. In school was the first one done 99% of the time. I didn’t get the highest scores, but they weren’t anything to sneeze at either.
I’m telling you this to illustrate a point. If you’re using your conscious mind and persevering over answers your killing your chances of doing well. First, you’re taking way to long to answer the questions and you will run out of time. Second, you’re second guessing leads to less correct answers.
Let go a little bit. Start testing out the power of the supercomputer, and if you’ve used it before start using it more. You’re going to love it.
Get started using your copy today: The Final Step
\