GMAT Strategy

There are many ways of getting into 'the zone' and each person will get the best effect when they figure out what approach is the most personally effective. There are some overall strategies, which I can bring up here.

Taking time to slow down and observe, without judgment or self awareness/criticism, is what all exceptional performers do: they understand that their best performance comes when they are just being present, and responding to whatever the moment requires of them.

If it is a basketball player, they are one with the ball, if it is an artist, they are one with their 'canvas' and 'medium', if it's a religious leader, they are one with making a connection to the divine. And for your 700-800 GMAT Jedi Scorers? S/he is focused on each and every question, process and able to make clear connections between the skills he/she has amassed, the process to solve a math or verbal puzzle. Like any pro, they've mastered the skills and the mind/emotions/psychology that comes from any 'great' game. All are at one with what they are doing and one with the Now, present moment.

First, think about a time when you DID feel you were in 'the zone.' For many people it might be one, or many of these experiences:

playing a game
playing a sport
making art
making music
at a concert/listening to music
hiking
at the beach
with a friend
being intimate
performing
reading
watching a movie
problem solving
at a spa
cooking
eating
working on a project
Prayer
Yoga
meditation

There are many, many more.

Needless to say, you enter the zone, naturally, several, and even many times a day, whether you realize it or not.

The problem most of us experience, with regard to getting in the zone intentionally, is that we are distracted by a million other things on an almost constant basis. The more we allow unwelcome thoughts to enter and take hold, the more we create a habit that is not serving us on the GMAT (or other tasks that require high functioning/being present)

To avoid minor intrusions, or at least put them at bay, decide on an appropriate time and duration of your study/diagnostic, and find a quiet place that is comfortable. You can also find music or our concentration audio helpful (One of our CDs has binaural beat technology to help with concentration - - it is one of the six CDs of our GMAT audio program)(more on that later).

To get into 'the zone,' I'd recommend

(1) Fire your inner critic

(2) Set your intention. (You might want to write this down.)

(3) Then take 5 deep breaths and just follow the sound of the air movement.

(4) Engage in retraining your brain, for change.


Fire your Inner Critic

You need to be at peace (or the best peace possible) with anything that might be annoying, frustrating, anger-provoking, humiliating, embarrassing, or fears of inadequacy, failure etc., any 'baggage' or 'critic' that you can think of. This is a no baggage zone. Stow it. We want NO baggage when you go into the test.

If you think this is challenging you can chart where your mind goes. Keep keep a piece paper or small notebook by your side as you do your homework or diagnostic. Answer questions and/or review as you normally do, only this time, listen to your mind each time it pays attention to your conscious mind/chatter/mental judgements, (the part of you that wants recognition and attention) instead of the math or verbal question, itself.

Here are some typical thoughts you might have:

“Why do I always take so long on this?
Why do I always make careless mistakes?
Why can’t I get remember the larger idea/identify what the question wants/distinquish the 'GMAT' makers answers? "

Don’t attempt to stop your mind; or to answer; simply listen in. Even when you mind shifts it's attention to whether you got an answer right or now, or how you're scoring write down these thoughts.

The greater part of your this thinking is involuntary and automatic, and where the 're-training' comes in.

This shift comes (1) when you're bored with your pity-party (2) you use mental tools to get yourself over the hump (that getting bored with one-self can take a while.)

Set Your Intention and Take 5 deep breaths....

Then,

Re-train and Re-calibrate your Mind

There are several ways to do this, many of which are on our audio program - - however, an easy one to do without any
accoutrements, is to think of a time/activity when you felt in the zone. THEN relive it. Simply that. Give yourself 2 minutes at first, then 5 then 10 minutes. Do this at least once a day.

There are other supportive materials out there, and our audio program is one of them. On our website, you can listen to a sample. This half hour taste will demonstrate several of the over 30 exercises that will help with retention and recall, focus and concentration, confidence, and relaxation (and more).

You can use the sampler, though, for relaxation or focus...but it doesn't have a complete exercise on it.

you can get directly to the GMAT sampler by going to: https://testprepny.com/pages/products_gmat.htm

(We're also offering 10% discount to BTG forum users. Just type in BTG, and we'll take care of everything on the backend (we'll have to refund you the difference.))

If you follow these suggestions and do this 'program' be sure to let me know how it goes!

Zone-Fully-Yours,