Studying Is Like Training

With midterms just around the corner for me and many of my other readers I thought it might be interesting to start a discussion about how you make it through the long slog that is reading, reviewing and studying studying studying!

I am currently seated in my hotel room in Las Vegas reflecting back on the last 10 months of schooling I have undergone with the NTA. I began the 10 month process by not falling behind in the first place. I kept up with the reading and research all along. Then I put all the recorded lectures on my iPod and listened to them repeatedly. I made flashcards with the info I needed to know on them and reviewed them repeatedly. I also practiced the physical exam over and over on practice clients. I quizzed myself randomly to see if I could pull the info out of my brain. I studied with others preparing for the same exam.

In general I made a point of blocking off time with NO distractions to study. Actually, my daughter helped me embrace this technique. Amazingly you are much more focused when you dedicate blocks of your day to something. And then it dawned on me... studying is just like training! It requires all of the same dedication and determination and the same support.

I didn't skip any classes, just like I don't miss workouts. And I asked for support when I needed it, just like I do when I'm not seeing the results from training that I'd like to see.

I also learned from my studies that the brain likes healthy fat so I ate some daily in the form of salmon, coconut oil, nuts and seeds, egg yolks and olive oil. Just like feeding your body foods to build muscle when you are training, you have to feed your brain for studying with healthy foods that build memory.

I guess it's not so bad after all.

Wish me luck on Friday!