Just Kick Some Goals and Have Fun

In recent weeks I have caught up with a number of clients whose children were just about to take their HSCs and were low on exam confidence and it got me thinking about how can we foster confidence in children and adults alike when faced with the oftentimes, confidence challenging setting of the examination hall.

Exams can be some of the most anxiety provoking performance contexts that we meet as children and indeed as adults too. Understandably so, as our performance in these moments can shape future directions.

The conversations had me reflecting on some of the people that have shaped my career and some of the tips that these early mentors gave to me as a child which helped me in exams. One stood out in particular and so I thought I would share that today.

I vividly remember an early chemistry teacher that I had who talked to me about exams and suggested that I think about exams as an opportunity to “just kick some goals and have fun”. He went on to explain that the purpose of the time in an exam was just to “see how many goals you could kick before the final whistle”.

As I think about it now, this advice stuck with me and shaped how I approached these moments. If I break it down I realise that this simple piece of advice played a few important roles in terms of my mindset in those settings:

1. It focused my mind on my potential rather than my gaps.

If the teacher had said “don’t look down” or “try not to make any mistakes” it would have made me feel self-conscious and potentially underperform. By focusing my attention on kicking goals I was able to enjoy the process and focus on small successes along the way.

2. It reminded me that this was meant to be fun.

There is much research on the benefits of positive emotions in enabling us to think broadly. By making this fun association it enabled me to be playful around the exam context and not be limited in my thinking which is a common issue when we feel anxious.

3. It provided me with a pivot.

Naturally in any performance setting, unhelpful thoughts and emotions can creep in. That is a normal part of being human. The key to performing well in these moments is not that these thoughts and emotions pop up but more the speed at which we are able to pivot and refocus our attention on productive action. I found this reframing really useful in pivoting quickly and refocusing attention on the task at hand.

The key with performance in any context is to it is to have a solid set of pre-, during- and post-performance rituals. In researching available resources on the topic of exam confidence I found some great material from Deakin University in Australia and I have included some of their suggested pre-, during-, and post-performance rituals below:

Pre-Performance

• A good study routine and adequate preparation are essential factors in becoming confident for exams. Nothing can replace being well prepared.

• Ensure a balanced lifestyle with leisure activities built into your timetable. Make sure you get adequate sleep and eat well.

• Thinking positively and challenging you negative thoughts about your ability to perform in exams.

• Introduce relaxation exercises into your daily routine. By practising relaxation you can develop a sufficiently strong relaxation response to counteract the physical symptoms associated with any excessive anxiety.

During-Performance

• Practice relaxation techniques.

• Leave a difficult question and go on to one you know better.

Post-Performance

• Focus on positive aspects about the exams and don’t get caught up with other people’s negative thoughts.

You can extend some of these practices to leadership performance in the workplace and having a strong set of rituals is fundamental to anyone looking to develop and grow as a leader in performance settings.

What rituals do you have that enable you to step into challenges with confidence and perform at your best?

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