Mental Concentration And Mental Focus For Superior Test Scores

A Few Suggestions For “Getting In The Zone” and Accessing “The Flow State” To Boost Your Test Scores

Whether you are in High School, College, in the Military, or in some Profession where you find yourself faced with big exams to make the next grade level, degree level, qualification level, or pay grade rank, your ability to perform well mentally DURING THE MOMENTS YOU ARE TAKING YOUR EXAMS is just as critical to your success as the time you spend studying.

Numerous and desperate pleas for help have been pouring into me over the past few months from people in many countries regarding their making – as they term it – “silly”, “stupid”, “brainless” errors and mistakes when taking very important tests; errors and mistakes due, for the most part, not to lack of knowledge, but to an increasingly panicky feeling during the test itself, accompanied by such nervous symptoms as “breaking out into a cold sweat,” rapid heartbeat, jumbled (confused) thoughts, chaotic self-talk, and an inability to either break an unproductive state of “HYPERFOCUS” or get control of their attention to direct it to what matters and hold it there in order to work out a problem to completion.

Their stories tell me just how much such mistakes are costing them, and I know how much MORE the problem will cost them in the future if they don’t get a handle on it.  I’ve got one swell fellow who has achieved some great things as an Engineer, but his ambitions for the future have brought to light just how vital it is for him to resolve his test-taking issues if he wants to reach the level of management in his company he really desires.

When I hear of these things, my heart really goes out (mainly because I’ve been there and gone through that), and I’m always pleased to let people know that performing well on tests after you’ve done the proper studying can be accomplished using the same types of SIMPLE mental ‘ATTENTION SKILL DRILLS’ employed by top professional athletes who are required to demonstrate extraordinary abilities when the game is on the line.

When incorporating Flow State (“Getting In The Zone”) skills into your toolkit of cognitive abilities for maximum mental and personal performance, there are three aspects of strategic brain training to consider, and they are the Mental Concentration, the Mental Focus Aspect, and the Physiological Aspect:

The Mental Concentration Aspect

It is very simple.  You MUST have some level of conscious, willful, instant-access control over your attention.  You MUST be able to direct it onto specific targets and hold it there, a facility that you will acquire through practice.  The targets you choose are there to help you detach your mind from distractions and displace an unproductive mental state with one wherein you can act with accuracy, competence, and relaxation.  Attention Control Training is your key, here.

You MUST be able to direct your attention onto any target – around your environment, around your own body, and onto your own THOUGHTS and FEELINGS!  You MUST be able to wield attention like a camera, able to widen it and narrow it; make what you perceive through its lens crystal clear or even be able to make it fuzzy in the case of things you don’t want to distract you (sending such stimuli into the background of perception).

One of the reasons why you must have these basic skill levels is that you can literally shatter a panicky mental state by simply paying attention to the fact that you are being assaulted by it, then consciously directing your attention to perform a specific action using a practiced target – a tactic which can automatically render the worrisome state impotent to affect you further.

The Mental Focus Aspect

Your life has to show that you’re serious about winning the prize and you MUST prepare yourself to perform well.  That means you must study effectively.  To do so, you may have to go to the library to get your hands on a ‘SYSTEM’ that teaches effective study habits.  A life-saving system I purchased years ago is entitled, Where There’s A Will, There’s An ‘A’, by Professor Claude Olney.  You can take a look at that system at the website  (http://www.wheretheresawill.com/) or search for it at Amazon.com where you can get it for a decent price, or bid on it at Ebay where you can get it for a steal.  Whatever you do, find a SYSTEM of study rather than just rely on your old habits that may be contributing to your problem.

When you’ve got yourself a good system, you MUST arrange your life to lessen the amount of distractions you engage in socially and in your environment.  You MUST make successful test taking a PRIORITY if you know that it will make a major difference in your level of personal accomplishment.

In line with mental focus skills, you need to ensure that you have actually made higher test scores a GOAL; that you’ve…

• Written it down
• Given yourself a time-line
• Determined the nature of obstacles you need to overcome
• Listed solutions for every obstacle, including PEOPLE who can assist beating those obstacles!
• Devised a plan of massive action to get it done
• Noted all the rewards you’ll get when you successfully make it all happen
• Arranged for somebody to support, motivate, or lift you up you in case you stumble!

The Physiological Aspect

You MUST be able to instantly release tension from your musculature and relax your body.  You’ll find this increasingly easy to do as you train your attention.  You’ll be able to broaden your attention to monitor your entire body, then narrow in on tension points and loosen muscle tension as you deepen and slow your breathing; after which, you can readjust your attention to take care of any additional tension points.  As your practice results get better, you will be able to literally release ALL tension instantly, in one motion, as you control your attention and breathing.

Combining the Mental Focus, Mental Concentration, and Physiological aspects into one skills set, you will be able to step into any situation – taking a big test, giving a major speech, making a profitable sales presentation, or engaging in a competitive sports event – with poise and confidence in your ability to perform your best.

T. Lavon Lawrence, NCMFTT. Lavon Lawrence, NCMFT
Brain Training Expert & Author
The NEURO-SCULPTING!© Mental Fitness Training Studio
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