How to motivate oneself for success

Preparing for exam is a stressful time. There is nervousness and rational exhaustion experienced. However, it does not mean you must stay away from your determination.  The ability of motivating oneself for success involves streamlining the progress, thereby improving the grades and study level to stay positively motivated.

Anyone wishing to achieve that is desired need to be motivated to give competitive exams and to succeed means there is a need for dedicated studying. The aspirants get de-motivated as they try maintaining balance between exams and study.

How motivation helps?

·         Motivation works as the strongest pillar in your success

·         Motivation increases your willpower to study

·         Motivation hauls you to put in the right direction the efforts

·         Motivation increases your intellectual ability

·         Motivation promotes your self-confidence

·         Motivation stimulates brain with positivity

·         Motivation controls strongly your negative thoughts

Eventually, Motivation triggers the efficiency and helps in accomplishing the best outputs. Here are some valuable tips to stay motivated.

1. Manage a ‘To Do List’

 A to-do list is a real backup to get details quickly about your level of performance. Studying with a managed to-do list means you are less stressed with the exams load. You can be strategic and aware about the next target. In fact, following the to-do list calms your anxiety down. Aspirants can ease in the subjects adhering to the to-do list regularly.

2. Exercise Daily

This is an amazing way of enhancing motivated for exams. Yes working out keeps you motivated. In fact with regular exercise, the depression and stress rate lowers and the positive attitude is maintained. With exercises, your body release endorphins that reduce your stress and promote a positive feeling. Aspirants appearing exams may do these exercises and enjoy benefits such as:

·         Reduced stress

·         Boosted self-confidence

·         Better sleep

·         Reduced depression and anxiety

3. Keep Away Negative Thoughts

 Thinking and getting overwhelmed due to negative thoughts is wrong, especially while you are getting ready for exams. It is natural to feel nervous or depressed. Bear in mind, negative thinking affects your concentration and also reduces the tendency of performing well in exams.

Here are few tips to keep away from negative thoughts during exams:

·         Observe thoughts consciously with meditation.

·         Balance activity everyday by spending time on activities such as hanging out with friends, playing games and studying. It helps in avoiding negative thoughts.

Besides, all above ways to stay in high spirits, you can also interact with other students appearing for the exams, this is not only help you in staying motivated but also help in knowledge exchange.

Entrance exams & reason/s behind the Reasoning Test

Vertical ability and logical reasoning cover important parts in most entrance exams. These are the common sections in exams that are competitive. It also means to score well; you must concentrate on the reasoning and language skills. There is a need to solver question regularly and also learn different approaches to similar questions. The actual exams may have a typical pattern, but there is a need for a different and systematic approach towards seeing a problem and solving it.

How important is practice?

The entrance exams are written for CLAT, MAT, ACT, BMS, Engineering, Medical, and lots more. Logical reasoning plays a crucial role in the entrance exams. The logical reasoning here is at a high level, which requires practice and persistence.

The thread of dedication to prepare for logical reasoning is apparent in the entrance exams. There is a need to give BBS/BHM/BBA entrance exams as well. The questions may relate to topics such as Insert the missing character, Odd one out, Blood relations, Arithmetic reasoning, Logical games, Coding decoding, alphabet/number test, spatial/visual reasoning, series completion, etc.

Reasoning tests

Verbal and numerical reasoning tests are psychometric two types of tests implemented to get the right candidate for a job position. The need for verbal and numerical reasoning includes:

Numerical Reasoning Tests

A numerical reasoning test gives recruiters an understanding of your analyzing and interpreting ability to know about various questions. Employees must ascertain to draw logical and reasonable results. A numerical reasoning offers insight and the tests help in assessing your mathematical knowledge. It helps to evaluate the way to reach a decision.

Numerical reasoning is based on figures, data and many more analyzing results. The analyses and interpretations must be done effectively as a part of the job and it must be an informed decision. Being good with numerical reasoning reveals that:

·         You possess the ability of identifying issues relating the business processes.

·         You know to draw logical conclusions and also are aware about logical alternatives.

·         You have the ability to implement solutions

·         You have the ability to progress through data and figures, monitor business results and make graphs based on analysis.

·         You can think critically, communicate estimates, correct analyses, and solve problems.

Verbal Reasoning Tests

These also include the complex one such as reading thinking on logical grounds, conveying results, drawing conclusions, understanding professionally and handling it effectively. Having verbal reasoning skills reveals:

·         You can point out issues and come up with logical reasoning

·         you have the ability to work on collateral and business reports

·         You can articulate problems and bring it to the notice of concerned people

·         You have the ability to decide positively and resolve bringing the solutions.

Keeping these points in mind, get yourself into the practice mode, so that when you make attempt for any competitive exam you don’t need to face the disappointment. Good Luck!

Engineering? Medical? No? Then what else?

Students in late 80s wanted to be a doctor or an engineer. Mostly, engineering students pursue their masters in engineering and /or do some business management course to get a well-paying and prestigious career. However, there are plenty of career options offering amazing scope for non-medical and non-engineering aspirants.

Young graduates and students exploring jobs should remember that any organization or company hiring technology or engineering students, also need business development staff and sales staff, operations executive, service teams to handle legal, finance, and other teams, besides customer support to make a company fully functional. 

Everyone is intelligent and talented when they study what they are passionate about.  Skills and talent is not restricted to any particular education sector. To become perfect in anything practice is important. Intelligence revolves around perception, total knowledge, expertise, skills, and attitude.

Some of worthwhile options for Non-Science students are

·         A non-science student can find lucrative choices such as Lawyers, business analysts, financial consultants and many more. There are abundant of choices based on the course you take after your 12^th standard.

·         Choosing an educational pathway is based on two things, abilities and attitude.  After 12^th, means it is the right age when you are creative and most vibrant. The steps and decisions at this time determine your future.  Take the psychometric tests and get the score to get a guideline to choose a proper career.

·         Considering non-medical and non-engineering fields such as studying arts and commerce fields, there are several options to pursue further studies such as Hotel management (BHM), Business Studies (BBA), Law etc.

·         Law is a popular career choice and many aspirants consider the BBA with LLB or BA with LLB after class 12. Traditionally, specializing in criminal or civil laws is also a nice option. Now-a-days, students who have studied law have various other options such as the Corporate Laws, Patent Laws, Cyber Laws, etc. Many people also consider independent practice as Legal Advisers. There are opportunities in lots of these sectors and there is a robust growth recently. However, there is a need to clear CLAT and AILET exams to qualify as law entrance exams.

·         A BMS/BBA graduate can get into functional areas such as sales, marketing, consulting, finance, and IT-MIS.

The list is not limited to only these options, there are many more choices based on the personal preferences of the aspirants. But the journey begins with the end in mind. You need to decide your career path way in advance, so that you can start the preparation for the competitive exams accordingly.  

Going the competitive way

Students preparing for government jobs, UG entrance exams or even for admissions in India or abroad for various courses, may face major questions from General Knowledge. The General Knowledge topics assist in scoring good marks in lesser time. This helps in performing group discussions and interviews.

Major Areas Covered Are:

The syllabus of General Knowledge is so vast that there is a need for a proper planning, keeping the focus in an organized manner to solve over 90%.  The competitive exams questions for Banking, BMS, BBA, and AILET are based mostly on important topics covering the General Knowledge section such as:

·         Physical Geography

·         Everyday Science

·         Indian and World Geography

·         Awards and Honors

·         Current Affairs

·         International Organizations

·         Indian Polity

·         Indian Economy

·         Indian and World History

·         Miscellaneous General Knowledge

How to Prepare General Knowledge

Read Newspapers regularly

Inculcate regularly the habit of newspaper reading. It is recommended to go through more papers including the business paper.

Without fail go through papers related to English and economics to catch up with useful news and you can go through The Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Hindu, Business Standard, The Telegraph, etc.

Regularly going through newspapers makes life simple in taking in the General Knowledge. Staying updated is the best and you are sure to stand apart from the crowd.

Must watch programs

There is a need to watch the current affairs programs and debates on News channels. This is a good option to watch daily the news channel. Also watch news programs once a day to know the current scenario. Choose appropriate time to watch BBC, CNN, Zee News, NDTV, ET Now, Times Now, etc. Develop a habit of watching breaking and highlighted news regularly.

Take Exam Notes

Make notes that you believe is important as per the examination perspective so that records is available ready for the exam day.  You have zeal; pen down the key points and remember better. A lot of activities take place across the globe and so one should know that memorizing everything is not easy.

Internet

Avail and make use of Google, YouTube, and Wikipedia, the best online teachers. Make use of the current affairs and research General Knowledge. Join the coaching classes for Competitive exams that help in memorizing current affairs. Join Facebook groups and also other networking sites to stay updated with current affairs.  The competitive exams need the applicants to stay alert about daily activities and there is a need for regular practice.

There are so many ways to keep yourself updated with general knowledge, however in order to crack the competitive exams successful, you need to work on your aptitude and analytical skills.

Watch this space for more information on getting ready to competitive exams.

Brush up on your English skill

Every morning starts with a message in today’s era and it has become a necessity. One must have strong base of English to communicate. English is the most used language and there is a need to keep pace with the world. However, to match the expectations of the society means a lot of work is involved. Besides, Verbal and written English also play an important role in career progression such as preparation of Competitive exams. 

                                             

English means memorizing endless number of hours and a list of idioms, vocabulary, and grammar, falling in the right place. So, How to brush up on your English skills so that you get to express yourself is important to understand.

Here are the ways to implement this practice and to get around mastering English language:

Apart from the basic ways of listening, reading, and speaking, here are a few positive steps that can help you to improve English skills:  

1. Speak, Speak, and Speak:

There is a need for one to be confident while speaking. Bear in mind making mistakes is not an issue as no one is born talented. You can learn from mistakes. The more you speak, the better you master.

2. Listen to News:

There is an inbuilt skill in listening to the news. It brings out in each article the best. It is a plus point and brings out the best advantage based on your listening capability. This adds to your communicating skills.

3. Use Google translation:

If you are unsure of a sentence or a word, make use of Google translation. It offers the best solution. It is instant, quick, and simple to use. Entering a word is enough to have endless options available within seconds.

4. Read in front of the mirror aloud:

Reading aloud is the best companion and it helps on speaking before the mirror. Anytime you feel less confident, boost your confidence. Read aloud before the mirror and improve your communication skills.

5. Learn a new word:

Dedication in learning English or communication skills must be such that you should learn daily a new word. Emphasize on new words learning in all the ways and the best place to find new words is through magazines, newspapers, and more.

6. Slow the pace of talking:

Slow down the talking speed so that you are understood by all. Talk slowly and you will be understood by people. They will be ready to listen. In fact, some may know a lot, may possess tremendous knowledge, but venting out may be a barrier. Dealing with it tactfully certainly helps. There are no quick-fix solutions; it requires a lot of effort and time to master a skill.

If you are serious about building a flourishing and successful career in any field, then being well-versed with English is an important milestone.

Why CLAT?

In the recent years 'Law' has occurred as one of the best career options. Studying Law offers several opportunities to the person. The advent of the National Law Schools, the kind of education and domestic and international campus placements they offer each year testaments this fact. Degree in law is much afar from being an advocate and practicing in the court of law. Studying Law brings your many more progressive career opportunities.

If law is something that appeals you and you aspire to have a career into it, then you need to enter a reputed institution which offers world-class education and placements. For that, you need to get through the entrance exam of CLAT.

What is CLAT?

CLAT stands for Common Law Admission Test which is a centralized legal entrance examination. The exam provides the opportunity to the aspirants to join any of the 18 premier law colleges across India. Besides, CLAT scores are also accepted by many other education institutes and public sector institutes.

CLAT is an aptitude test with Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ). It is a 200 marks examination that needs to be completed within 2 hours. The multiple choice questions are divided into five sections. English grammar and comprehension (40 marks), General knowledge and current affairs (50 marks), Elementary Mathematics (20 marks), Legal aptitude (50 marks) and Logical reasoning (40 marks).

For every correct answer you get 1 mark and for every incorrect answer .25 mark is deducted.

WHY CLAT?

CLAT opens the gateway for you to join some of the best Law institution, which in turn is grand opening towards rewarding career in Government and private sectors.

Here are list of some of the lucrative career paths for a law graduate to choose from

Civil Litigation Lawyer: Specialized in civil laws such as taxation laws, excise laws.

Criminal Lawyer: Specialized in criminal laws such as IPC, Evidence Act and other penal laws.

Government Lawyer: Works for the government and in close coordination with the law prosecution.

Legal Advisor: independent consultant offering services to corporate firms, with regards to the legal obligations, duties, and legal relations with other firms.

Legal Analyst: Analyses laws pertaining to the sphere of the company and its operation.

Legal Journalist: Covers crime news, legal proceedings in courts, arbitration courts and international courts.

If you have inclination towards information technology, you may also consider entering an interesting field of Cyber Law. 

So the possibilities are limitless, but the journey begins with cracking the CLAT.

If you are planning to prepare for the CLAT, then the right time to start preparing for it right now.

Preparing for competitive exams: A DIY

In order to get entry to the lucrative and prestigious job market, especially in the government sector, you need to crack the Competitive Exams. The task requires sustained dedication and focus over a period extending several months. Sometimes you may also feel the necessity for high-quality specialized coaching for the competitive exams.  This is certainly not a must, though trained and experienced faculty/mentors do help to clear doubts and show you the way forward. Still, highly motivated and determined aspirants can surely prepare for these exams totally on their own.

All you need to have is a clear focus and planned routine of study.

So, here is a DIY (Do it yourself) guide for the preparation of Competitive Exams.

1. Plan Well

If you don't know where you are going, chances are that you will go nowhere. A proper plan means you are half way done. Find out the schedule of exams that you are attempting, so that you can begin to prepare well on time and appropriately assign the required time.

2. Check the syllabus required to study for exam.

So you know when a certain exam will take place. But do you know what you are expected to prepare? Clearly, familiarising yourself with the syllabus is the next step. Accordingly, arm yourself with the most-recommended books, notes and other resources. Go over the syllabus thoroughly, and cover every aspect of  it in detail, including every chapter or topic mentioned. It is quite possible that you may encounter a few things which you are unable to understand or get a hand on. For that you may require help from someone, maybe a close friend or relative.

3. Shorter, concentrated bursts of Study 

Studying till the last minute may lead to stress and enervation. So, do proper time management and allocate the required time to each subject. While, formulating your study plan, arrange the examination syllabus and measure how much time and effort is required for each section. Students should give extra time to weaker areas on regular basis rather than in one go.

Excellence is a habit. A little a day goes a long, long way! Research has it that if you do something everyday without fail for 21 days, then it will become a habit. Exam preparation should be a habit, a part of the daily routine of an aspirant. If you are one, then you don't have a choice.

Remember, Schedule + Practice = Success

4. Solving previous exam papers and Mock Papers

Practicing previous year papers and sample papers can be of great help. This will help you in gaining the idea about the pattern of the exam and at the same time it will also help in improving your analytical skills and speed to attempt the exam. Rome wasn't built in a day. Practice hard. Practice long. Practice till you get it perfect...in every possible way.

5. Motivation - Keep it high!

Keeping yourself motivated is as equally important as studying hard. Draw motivation from mentors, seniors and family members. Interact well with your seniors to get the stimulus and guidance from them. Besides, try to study the interviews of past toppers in competitive examinations, you might get some important tips and instructions there. And then there are some beautifully motivating books and quotations and videos. Use them all. Use anything but stay on a high and keep frustration and depression at bay.

6. Refer to sources for more information

Knowledge is power. Look for the latest information on the web, newspapers, periodicals and even books. Additionally, there are several groups and forums on the net from where you can get some new and exciting ideas to study. You may also be able to form a group of people who are preparing for the same exams and regularly exchange information and comments on that platform. This is a classic example of constructive engagement, a 'win-win' situtation where everyone benefits. Too many cooks may spoil the broth, but surely a small and active group can only be of help!

If you still need help in preparation for Competitive exams, it is advisable to join professional coaching to support your individual effort. Whether you do self-study or take coaching, the idea is to crack the exam and get your desired job.