How do you keep motivated?

lx621146

I'm scoring in the low 160s. I'm going to take June 2016 for sure this time since it's probably the only time I can commit 60+ hours a week

I'm trying to get 5+ more points in the coming 18 weeks.

1) It's arbitrary but does anyone have advice for how to stay motivated and not postpone again?
2) What do you do when you're not studying? (e.g. 30 mins treadmills/walking during breaks )

jdawg113

As far as staying motivated it's really just doing everything you can to push yourself to keep it up, maybe try looking into schools you really want to go to that needs that higher score to push you to get that score.
as far as when you're not studying, just be yourself, relax, watch some tv or a movie. Go hangout with people. It is important to relax your mind while taking a break. Especially when you are further out from the test. I would include a little more break time the further out you are and decrease it bit by bit as you get closer in order to try and avoid burnout

Pacifico

Exercise, meditate, eat well, sleep well, and don't study 60+ hours per week or you will burn out.

Focus on the end goal: becoming a lawyer, and whatever you want to do with that.

2RARE2CARE

I truly think 60 hours a week is unsustainable. You will definitely burn out within 2-3 weeks even if you're highly motivated, imo. I think it's more about staying consistent at 25-30 hours a week for a longer period.

mimimimi

I don't think it matters how much time you put in/how many problems you do. I was only able to study for at most 4 hours a day. What kept me motivated was that I was able to see my progress:1) I could see a problem more clearly. 2) I could attack a problem faster 3) I would not be distracted by secondary information... etc. Also, using LSAT logic in analyzing arguments in real life was fun too. Keep it up! You will get there.

stepharizona

I would have to agree with mimimimi that progress is great motivation. I did not do it when I first started studying got the LSAT, but keeping a log of all of the questions you miss and then getting them right is very satisfying. Its also motivating to help other people on message boards. The confidence you gain from finally being able to explain something translates directly to confidence on the test.

hazelnut13

I'm in a very similar boat as you. I am scoring high 150's and I was actually going to apply for Fall 2016 but decided to postpone due to my LSAT score.

I agree with most of the other comments on here about the 60 hours being a bit too demanding on your brain.

You need some time to keep it fresh and at its best.

What I've learned is that there are off days and there are on days. Sometimes I can study all day and feel super fresh, focused and productive. Sometimes, it just ain't happenin'.

Good luck!

MrSamIam

1) Put on my UCLA Law shirt that a buddy gave me. That way I know that if I don't get in, my friends and family will give me a hard time for the rest of my existence. That and I remind myself that I busted my butt during UG, and that throwing away my GPA is not an option.

2) Run, go to the gym, etc. I started going to bed an hour early. That way I can wake up 1 hour earlier than usual, hit the gym, and not count it as "wasted time." I also do small projects around the house. So, I may study for 1-2 hours, and take a 10 minute break to work on whatever project I have set up.

stepharizona

There is an older thread that has a lot of great suggestions as well, check it out here: https://7sage.com/discussion/#/discussion/comment/34448