Self-study
Does anyone have advice on how to get more comfortable with getting questions wrong while studying?
I know mistakes are part of the process, but I still find myself getting really frustrated or discouraged whenever I miss questions. Maybe it's because I'm a perfectionist, but it derails my focus and makes it difficult to keep moving forward.
How do you mentally reframe wrong answers so you don’t spiral? And how do you balance holding yourself accountable without being overly harsh on yourself during prep?
Any mindset shifts or study strategies that helped you build resilience would be really appreciated.
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9 comments
Hi! I'm sure many of us can relate. The people who are most often attracted to studying law are high achievement oriented. I find that the LSAT is both a rigorous test on logical reasoning AND emotional regulation. Here are some questions that could potentially help you reflect:
Is a mistake equal to a state of being? We can sometimes feel like failure is absolute and defines us. "When I make a mistake, I fail. Therefore I am a failure." This can cause significant negative emotions. Our mistakes start to become a part of our identity.
What hidden expectations are there? Sometimes we perceive mistake as too costly. "If I make a mistake, then my likelihood of failing increases. If I fail the LSAT, I will never be successful in life." Or something along those lines. The higher the stakes, the scarier each mistake looks!
Do you believe you can change? This one is tricky, but sometimes we conflate our current skills with our potential skills. "If I made X amount of mistakes in the past, then I will make equal X amount of mistakes in the future." This is not reflective of how learning and growth works. Acknowledging that we're pretty terrible at predicting our overall best performance is a step towards epistemic humility (we don't know what we don't know).
The LSAT is scary. It is the magic number for scholarships, the secret code for T14 placements, and the number we obsess over for months on end. It helps to remember that the LSAT is a test that is verifying a very narrow skillset. It is not a test of intelligence. It is also a test for a very specific career path. There are many people who fail the LSAT and do very well in life. There's also people who ace the LSAT and do terrible in law school.
Feeling this way is very normal! I've certainly had my "omg can i even read????" moments while studying. Accepting the uncertainty, the discomfort, and showing yourself more grace goes a long way.
I stillllll get frustrated on getting stuff wrong and get worried that I won't lock in something when test day comes but...
I don't have much in-depth advice but something that has been comforting me is saying to myself.
"I am getting things wrong today, so tomorrow/test-day I can get it right". 🥹💙
I've been a perfectionist but for some reason this saying has made me say that my perfection should be for test day... and messing up is gonna be the thing I have to do to get to that perfect day...because test day is the important day, not messing up today. 🫂✨
I think taking breaks or finding helpful ways to lock in mistakes so they don't repeat has been a big hurdle but also the biggest thing that has helped me lately. Don't be afraid to take your time on reviewing wrong answers. looking just at one wrong question for a bit can help you get 5 more in the future right!
you got this! and good luck on your studies ✨
questions you get wrong can be a potential learning opportunity. There is a reason why you got the question wrong. If you figure it out, then you are a step closer to your target score. I try to think of the reason/s I got the question right or wrong in the first place.
I'm not here to give advice, but I am here to say that I experience the same exact thing! I actually feel a little better knowing I'm not alone in this. As a perfectionist, it's very discouraging for me not to excel on this test as quickly as I would like. I keep reminding myself that eventually I will get better with time. I see it as progressing in lifting weights; it will take time and mistakes to get to your ultimate physique (aka your dream score). Bogging myself down with frustration will only slow me down from the bigger picture: getting into law school. We will get better, hang in there!!!