One Human’s GRE Experience — How I maintained my determination throughout my studying process (Part 6)
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A big reason why I was able to maintain determination for 2+ years was because the GRE meant more to me than a grad school requirement. I saw the test as an ability to grow my focus and discipline. I remember reading the book “Deep Work,” by Cal Newport, during my GRE study. In the book he talks about memory athletes. He discusses how people are able to memorize the order of a recently shuffled deck of cards. He then explains that gaining that ability improves a person’s ability to focus. Once a person has completed that task and improved his / her / their ability to focus, that ability can be deployed against other tasks for improved results. After reading about this challenge, I didn’t learn how to memorize a deck of cards. However, I was galvanized to crush the GRE. I knew that achieving a score in the 320s would require me to improve my concentration. I had also recently listened to a youtube video where the speaker had enthusiastically stated: “the reason why most people don’t succeed has nothing to do with their IQ levels. It’s also not that they don’t work hard. It’s that they don’t work hard enough, long enough. If you work hard and stick with something, I guarantee you will succeed.” The amalgamation of these two inputs led to an output of a decision: “I will study for as long as it takes until I reach a 320something.” Some things to note about my ability to make this decision:
- I was in a job that I loved and wasn’t planning to use grad school to switch careers. Rather, my plan was to use grad school to enhance my existing career skillset
- I read several self improvement books to help me keep my will strong. It was my way of “surrounding myself” with people who don’t give up
- I thought the GRE was fun. I believed (and still believe) that studying for the test was making me a better reader, enhancing my ability to concentrate, and serving as a catalyst to adopt healthier habits. I enjoyed the fact that there was score that so transparently and brutally told you whether you had improved or not. I wanted to see that number go up. I wanted to climb the mental mountain.
Now that I’ve shared my journey, I’d like to wrap up this blog post series by wishing you luck on your GRE climb.
