Personal Development Archives - Page 21 of 30

Think Again Book Review | 19 Lessons + Actionable Ideas + Quotes

Blog, Books, Mindset, Personal Development

What lessons can we learn from “Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know” by Adam M. Grant?

As always, I also included amazing quotes and a few actionable ideas to help you get the most out of this book review.

Still, there is much value left inside the book, so definitely read it for yourself to not miss out on anything!

Reading Experience

I LOVED this book!

“Think Again” was not only interesting to read but also funny at times and even contained one or two plot twists that had me stunned.

I simply loved how the book balances theory with real-life stories.

All in all, great to read! In fact, not just great but even important to read. The more people start to think again, the better the world could be.

Lessons

1. It’s not only ok to change your mind but even important to do so

“Intelligence is traditionally viewed as the ability to think and learn. Yet in a turbulent world, there’s another set of cognitive skills that might matter more: the ability to rethink and unlearn.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

“Changing your mind doesn’t make you a flip-flopper or a hypocrite. It means you were open to learning.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

I used to be and, to some point, still am reluctant to voice my opinion on anything but trivial matters because I know that I’m far from an expert and could change my mind any day.

In fact, I’ve ended up doing things I once very passionately declared on never doing (i.e., studying law, having my own business).

I used to feel incredibly awkward around admitting that I’ve changed my mind. As if changing your mind is something bad and shows a lack of decisiveness.

But “Think Again” has finally crashed that limiting belief of mine and encouraged me to do what I’ve always been drawn to do: changing my mind and evolving my opinion with each new information presented.

Now, I am allowing myself to change my mind, and I also make sure to question beliefs that have been the same for a long time.

Actionable Idea

Give yourself permission to change your mind frequently. Of course, you shouldn’t change your mind five times within one evening when your partner asks you what you’d like to eat.

But allow yourself to think again on less trivial topics like what career you want, how you can study most effectively, what car you should buy, what your next apartment should cost, or who you should vote for.

Take out your journal and write about an opinion you’ve come to form recently.

Why have you formed this particular opinion?

What facts or feelings don’t align with this opinion?

Why could someone decide to have a different opinion?

Start a list on which you note every opinion of yours that you find yourself clinging to fiercely.

2. Don’t mistrust the urge to correct an answer

“I’ve seen it in my own classroom year after year: my students’ final exams have surprisingly few eraser marks, but those who do rethink their first answers rather than staying anchored to them end up improving their scores.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

This again hit it perfectly on the head for me. Like many students, I’ve had the experience that I end up falsely ‘fixing’ what was once right every time I try to correct an answer on a test.

Adam M. Grant points out that even though most students claim to have made that experience, statistics actually prove the opposite to be true: Most corrected answers are from false to the right and not the other way around.

I’m assuming that falsely correcting something is especially painful. Those instances stick in mind for longer than positive cases.

Whatever the reason, I’m going to make sure not to blindly stick to my first answer out of fear for losing points through altercations.

Actionable Idea

If there is time left during your next exam or test, take a moment to think again.

This doesn’t need to result in you changing your answer. Just stay open to the possibility of coming up with a better solution at second thought.

3. Sticking with a belief is easy

“We favor the comfort of conviction over the discomfort of doubt, and we let our beliefs get brittle long before our bones. We laugh at people who still use Windows 95, yet we still cling to opinions that we formed in 1995. We listen to views that make us feel good, instead of ideas that make us think hard.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

The best and most convincing facts are not automatically going to change your mind.

In fact, you will most likely find yourself clinging desperately to your current belief.

Don’t beat yourself up when you start to notice this tendency.

Simply being aware of it is the first step of breaking free from it.

Actionable Idea

Take stock of the most important opinions that shape your path in life.

Did you form this opinion through hard thinking, or have you ignored new information in favor of sticking to your old view?

4. What we know today could be irrelevant tomorrow

“The problem is that we live in a rapidly changing world, where we need to spend as much time rethinking as we do thinking.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

Suppose you’ve anticipated the day of your graduation in hopes of never having to study again. In that case, you are going to have an unpleasant awakening.

You will never excel in your career field if you don’t update your beliefs regularly.

New discoveries are being made rapidly. They get released into the world through books, studies, articles, conferences, courses, and more.

These information could make your job much easier and help you reach an ‘aha’-moment.

They could also challenge everything you’ve believed so far and render your current work obsolete.

However painful it might be, successful people know that they have to stay on top of these things, or soon their success will be history.

Actionable Idea

Create a routine of exposing yourself to new information and rethinking or unlearning your past knowledge.

You can’t do this in every area of life. That would overwhelm you.

However, you should have this routine of updating your knowledge in the field you’ve chosen for your career.

For me, as a law student, this means staying on top of new legal regulations and reading recent verdicts.

As an online business owner, this means keeping my eyes open for new trends and algorithm changes on the platforms that I use. Also, to always try to find something new and unique to do.

5. Think like a scientist, not a preacher, prosecutor, or politician

“When we’re in scientist mode, we refuse to let our ideas become ideologies. We don’t start with answers or solutions; we lead with questions and puzzles. We don’t preach from intuition; we teach from evidence. We don’t just have healthy skepticism about other people’s arguments; we dare to disagree with our own arguments.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

Don’t go around promoting your opinions, dashing out arguments to prove wrong, or trying to win over an audience.

Instead, start with a theory in mind, develop hypotheses and use experiments to test them.

6. To Think Again we must fight confirmation bias and desirability bias

“Thinking like a scientist involves more than just reacting with an open mind. It means being actively open-minded. It requires searching for reasons why we might be wrong—not for reasons why we must be right—and revising our views based on what we learn.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

“When you form an opinion, ask yourself what would have to happen to prove it false. “
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

Every time you form an opinion, you should be aware that you might be biased by what you already believe and by what you’d like to happen.

To fight these biases, effectively seek out information that contradicts your opinion instead of ignoring them.

Find the strongest arguments of your opponents and consider them genuinely.

If you can see why they might convince some people, but you are still holding on to your opinion, it is not out of bias anymore.

Always ask yourself what new information would change your mind. If you stubbornly say ‘none,’ then you should worry about being biased.

A truly open mind is always open to thinking again in light of new information.

7. Don’t learn to affirm; learn to grow!

“After all, the purpose of learning isn’t to affirm our beliefs; it’s to evolve our beliefs.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

You should never approach learning solely to affirm your current opinion.

Rather use learning as a chance to make a new, more accurate draft of your current views that brings you closer to the truth.

8. Become aware of what you don’t know

“If knowledge is power, knowing what we don’t know is wisdom.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

“You can have confidence in your capacity to learn while questioning your current solution to a problem. Knowing what you don’t know is often the first step toward developing expertise.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

It’s always been mind-boggling to me how so many people, not exclusively but especially in politics, act as if they are experts.

By contrast, I often start sentences with ‘I’m leaning towards …‘ and end them with ‘but that’s just my opinion now, I might change it with more information.‘

I believe that in a world as rapidly changing as ours, we need to abandon the belief of ever knowing everything about a single topic.

It is pretty much impossible to ever know everything, which is why I have alarm bells going off in my head every time someone acts like an expert.

On the other hand, people who openly admit their lack of knowledge and their awareness of it are deeply impressive.

You get to decide if you want to present yourself to the world as a fake know-it-all or a humble student.

9. The least competent people are the most likely to overestimate themselves

“When we lack the knowledge and skills to achieve excellence, we sometimes lack the knowledge and skills to judge excellence.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

This is known as the Dunning-Kruger effect.

Maybe you’ve even experienced it yourself once or twice in school or college.

At the beginning of studying for an exam, it sometimes seems totally manageable. You are overly optimistic about knowing everything there is to know in no time.

Fast forward some study hours later, you panicked, realizing that there is soooo freaking much to know, and you’ve barely scraped the surface!

But don’t let this make you paranoid every time you do feel confident in your knowledge!

I think it is safe to say that if you’re worried about not being competent enough and only now, after a lot of effort, you’ve started to feel confident in your competency, that this effect doesn’t apply to you.

10. Humility is crucial to think again

“Humility is often misunderstood. It’s not a matter of having low self-confidence. One of the Latin roots of humility means “from the earth.” It’s about being grounded—recognizing that we’re flawed and fallible.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

“You can be confident in your ability to achieve a goal in the future while maintaining the humility to question whether you have the right tools in the present. That’s the sweet spot of confidence.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

Humility is a by-product of the awareness of your lack of knowledge.

Without humility, you won’t open your mind to new information, and therefore you won’t be able to evolve your opinions.

Learn to be confident in your ability to learn yet humble about how much you know!

11. It’s time to say thank you to your imposter syndrome

“The first upside of feeling like an impostor is that it can motivate us to work harder.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

“Second, impostor thoughts can motivate us to work smarter. When we don’t believe we’re going to win, we have nothing to lose by rethinking our strategy.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

“Third, feeling like an impostor can make us better learners. Having some doubts about our knowledge and skills takes us off a pedestal, encouraging us to seek out insights from others.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

Imposter syndrome is often treated as an enemy of success. Yet “Think Again” raises the question if it might actually contribute to success.

I believe that this is the case as long as your default reaction to feeling like an imposter is not freezing.

Let this feeling be your motivator to put in more effort, learn more, and overall improve yourself.

Imposter syndrome can be your personal tough-love coach that’s swinging the whip behind you. So use it for all it’s worth!

12. Don’t wait until you are confident; take action first, and confidence will follow

“We don’t have to wait for our confidence to rise to achieve challenging goals. We can build it through achieving challenging goals.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

This is such an IMPORTANT lesson if you want to live an extraordinary life.

It is relatively easy to just follow the path society has laid out for you. But if you want more than that, you have to find the guts to step away from that path and out into the unknown.

It’s easy to tell yourself that you’ll do it next week or month, or year when you are more confident.

But the truth is, the quickest and most reliable way to build confidence is to just jump straight into the experience.

13. Find joy in being wrong

“They’re determined to reach the correct answer in the long run, and they know that means they have to be open to stumbling, backtracking, and rerouting in the short run.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

Failing is the measurement of learning. If we don’t fail, we haven’t pushed ourselves enough.

If you practice questions for your upcoming exam and get them all right, you feel good about yourself. If you get them wrong, you become aware of a hole in your knowledge and learn how to answer them better next time.

We shouldn’t fear being wrong or failing because, with each failure, we get one step closer to succeeding.

Actionable Idea

Make a conscious effort to pat yourself on the back for being wrong and making mistakes.

As long as you don’t brush it under the table, you can learn from it, which will make you a better person all around.

14. Don’t let your opinions become your identity

“Who you are should be a question of what you value, not what you believe.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

This is a powerful idea that has made quite an impression on me.

Our identity is a very important part of us, and we naturally become fiercely protective when it gets threatened.

Suppose you let your opinion become your identity (i. e., I am a democrat/republican, feminist, minimalist, etc.). In that case, you hold onto that opinion with all your might.

You close yourself off towards opposing opinions and refuse to think again because that could endanger your whole identity.

As “Think Again” teaches us, though, evolving our opinions is important. So don’t tie your identity to them.

You will notice that life becomes a lot easier if you stop identifying with your opinions and instead openly admit to being wrong or changing your mind in light of new information.

15. The more often you think again and try again, the better you will be

“The best forecasters went through more rethinking cycles. They had the confident humility to doubt their judgments and the curiosity to discover new information that led them to revise their predictions.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

We all know the saying that practice makes perfect.

But did you know that changing your mind more often can make your predictions more accurate, as well?

“Think Again” introduces the reader to forecaster contests that are being held worldwide (I had no idea something like that existed! Isn’t it fascinating?!).

The contenders have to predict the outcome of certain events like, for example, elections.

The answers are given in percentages depending on the likeliness of the event in the forecasters’ eyes.

Over the months leading up to such predicted events, the answers of the forecasters get recorded.

By analyzing these records, scientists have found that the best forecasters rethought their original answer more often than average forecasters.

If you are open to thinking again, you take all kinds of different information into consideration. You are willing to try out different approaches to the topic, and through trial and error, you can achieve more hits than someone who sticks to their first idea.

16. Embrace and encourage constructive conflict

“Agreeableness is about seeking social harmony, not cognitive consensus. It’s possible to disagree without being disagreeable.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

“In fact, when I argue with someone, it’s not a display of disrespect—it’s a sign of respect. It means I value their views enough to contest them. If their opinions didn’t matter to me, I wouldn’t bother.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

I get it. There are too many examples in our lives of destructive conflicts that lead absolutely nowhere except pain and misery.

No wonder we might try to avoid conflict altogether.

But this avoidance can rob us of inspiring and productive conflict as well!

The constructive conflict between open-minded people, who don’t turn their opinions into their identity and are willing to think again, can lead to truly life-changing realizations.

Challenging each other in a genuine and non-judgmental manner can push everyone into rethinking their opinions, finding flaws, and discovering new ways of thinking about things that might even strengthen their own opinion even more.

So don’t dismiss every type of conflict, for there is gold to be found in the constructive ones.

17. To change someone’s opinion, common ground is more important than the number of arguments

“We won’t have much luck changing other people’s minds if we refuse to change ours. We can demonstrate openness by acknowledging where we agree with our critics and even what we’ve learned from them.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

“A single line of argument feels like a conversation; multiple lines of argument can become an onslaught.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

An interesting lesson learned from debating contests is that the most successful debaters don’t have more good arguments.

Instead, they choose a few good ones and focus the rest of their time on truly listening to their opponent and trying to find common ground.

It’s less of a fight for victory and more like a dance that’s supposed to benefit both.

Next time you want to convince someone, put a bigger focus on the common ground between you instead of actually trying to convince them.

18. Persistence is not always the answer

“There’s a fine line between heroic persistence and foolish stubbornness. Sometimes the best kind of grit is gritting our teeth and turning around.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

This is a very tricky lesson, as we can rarely be entirely sure when to apply it.

I’ve been working on my business for a while now without making an income. Does this mean I should turn around and find something else? No, that’s not what my heart is telling me.

But considering that question has opened my eyes towards the possibility that I might want to turn my back on certain strategies I’ve been applying.

I get it; it gets harder to turn your back on something the more effort and time you’ve put into it already – especially if you are ambitious and stubborn by nature.

But if your degree is making you miserable, turning your back on it after 3 years of effort is better than staying miserable throughout your whole career.

Actionable Idea

When encountering hardships, you should always stop for a moment and be honest to yourself.

Are you being rightfully persistent or stubbornly foolish?

Take your journal and write down your thoughts. The more you practice listening to your intuition and tuning out all the outside noise, the easier it will be to answer this question truthfully.

19. Happiness shouldn’t be your goal

“It’s left me thinking about happiness less as a goal and more as a by-product of mastery and meaning.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

“At work and in life, the best we can do is plan for what we want to learn and contribute over the next year or two, and stay open to what might come next.”
– Adam M. Grant (Think Again)

“Think Again” mentioned studies that prove that depending on your definition of happiness, chasing it could actually result in making you less happy.

Of course, we all want to be happy. But happiness is not an emotional state we can be in 24/7. The more you obsess over happiness, the more your emotions will fluctuate to create the natural balance of all things.

It is much easier and rewarding to put your main focus on other goals that bring happiness along with them automatically.

There is so much more goodness in Think Again, but I had to keep this list limited somehow.

I highly encourage you to read the book for yourself; it’s definitely worth it!

What was your favorite lesson, and how did you plan on implementing it into your life?

I’m curious to hear from you!

Sophie

Limitless Book Review | 11 Lessons + Actionable Ideas + Quotes

Blog, Books, Personal Development

Are you ready to become Limitless? Jim Kwik teaches us how in his book, that sums up decades of experience as a brain coach.

Reading Experience of Limitless

Limitless was a great read.

It was full of valuable insights and exercises to immediately implement this knowledge without being too long.

In the book, Jim Kwik gives the reader a link to a page to further free resources that are useful as well.

And lastly, the book Limitless ends with a long list of book recommendations.

Lessons

1. You need to align your mindset with your goals

“If our mindset is not aligned with our desires or goals, we will never achieve them.”
– Jim Kwik (Limitless)

You can’t look down on something and at the same time expect to achieve it yourself.

If you think money is the root of all evil and rich people are bad, you will most likely never do the necessary action to acquire wealth.

If you see A-student as annoying know-it-alls or teacher’s pets, you won’t care for how they study and therefore never improve your own study technique and results.

A contrary mindset will always make you self-sabotage yourself. And life is not fun if you are your own enemy, so align mind and actions.

2. Experiencing boredom is important

“There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that if we never let our mind wander or be bored for a moment, we pay a price—poor memory, mental fog, and fatigue.”
– Jim Kwik (Limitless)

There are a million and one ways to avoid being bored in our world. There is always something interesting to watch or hear at the swipe of a finger over the screen.

When was the last time you had to wait in a line or waiting room or bus station that you didn’t pull out your phone to pass the time?

Every time we do that, we are practicing being distracted. And as with every practice, the more we do it, the better we get.

Now think about the many, many hours you’ve been practicing the art of being distracted.

Are you really that surprised that you can’t focus for long periods and that you get fidgety?

Actionable Idea

This one is very easy.

The next time you have to wait somewhere without anything to do, do not pull out your phone. Simply spend time with your own thoughts and observe your environment.

It sounds easy, but your hand will always twitch towards your phone almost unconsciously if you are so used to distraction.

3. Stop externalizing your memory

“Forcing yourself to recall information instead of relying on an outside source to supply it for you is a way of creating and strengthening a permanent memory.”
– Jim Kwik (Limitless)

“Memorization is discipline for the mind.”
– Jim Kwik (Limitless)

Do you know the movie “Wal-E”?

Do you remember how humans got all fat and couldn’t move because their muscles were so weak after relying on their comfortable transportation chairs all their life?

What do you think will happen to your memory when you don’t use it much but instead write everything down elsewhere?

If you are still in school or college, you can count yourself lucky because you still have to train your memory fairly.

However, once you get your degree and don’t have to memorize anything for tests anymore, you have to be careful not to let your memory rot to waste.

Actionable Idea

Make the conscious effort – and yes, it does feel like an effort. That’s why so many people choose easier ways – to memorize things.

You can start with birthdates, addresses, and phone numbers.

Next, you can memorize your shopping list.

Or simply find something new to study without it having to lead to a degree. You could study the stars and planets just for fun, for example.

If you want to know how to remember best, check out the book Moonwalking with Einstein.

I’ve got it listed on my Reading List for Personal Growth.

4. You can decide to change the way your brain works today!

“As I stated earlier, the brain is capable of being molded and shaped, meaning that at any point anyone can decide to change the way their brain functions.”
– Jim Kwik (Limitless)

This is probably one of the most uplifting lessons I’ve ever learned.

How great is it to know that you can improve your memory! That you are not stuck with whatever you have!

You can also improve your focus. All you need to do is to spend conscious effort training your mind.

Actionable Idea

Take some time each day for brain exercises.

This could be a 5-minute meditation session in the morning.

Or you could download one of the many mental exercise Apps and play the games 10-15 each day.

You could also integrate more healthy brain foods into your diet. Some of them are walnuts, salmon, blueberries, and avocado.

5. Remembering means connecting new information with what you know already

“Neuroplasticity, also referred to as brain plasticity, means that every time you learn something new, your brain makes a new synaptic connection. And each time this happens, your brain physically changes–it upgrades its hardware to reflect a new level of the mind.”
– Jim Kwik (Limitless)

“In learning, when you fail to remember something, view it as a failure to make a connection between what you’ve learned and what you already know, and with how you will use it in life.”
– Jim Kwik (Limitless)

“This is the key to memory and all of learning: In order to learn any new piece of information, it must be associated with something you already know.”
– Jim Kwik (Limitless)

This lesson from Limitless has changed the way I look at learning.

Have you ever studied two subjects, and one is just so much harder for you to grasp than the other?

That is most likely because you can’t connect the information and other memories with the other subject.

That’s also why it is easier to learn new information about a subject once you have a solid basis of knowledge already memorized.

Memorization is all about connecting information with each other in a gigantic web of connections.

6. Study effectively with the rules of primacy and recency

“The effect of primacy is that you’re more likely to remember what you learn in the beginning of a learning session, a class, a presentation, or even a social interaction.”
– Jim Kwik (Limitless)

“The effect of recency is that you’re also likely to remember the last thing you learned (more recent).”
– Jim Kwik (Limitless)

This is another reason why many students’ big gramming sessions are far less effective than they think.

Instead of cramming, break your study sessions apart and spread them out.

But careful! Once we exit a focused state, it takes us quite a while to get back into it.

So don’t make your study sessions too short and the breaks too long.

Actionable Idea

Use a Pomodoro timer for studying.

Take care to not get distracted in your breaks!

7. Knowledge can stand in the way of learning

“When learning something new, we tend to assume we understand more than we do about that subject. What we think we know about the topic can stand in the way of our ability to absorb new information. One of the reasons children learn rapidly is because they are empty vessels; they know they don’t know.”
– Jim Kwik (Limitless)

Humility is important for learning.

We learn best when we an eager to get rid of our lack of knowledge.

If you think you already know the most important things, you won’t put much effort into learning new information.

That’s a dangerous state of mind to be in!

The less you know how much there is to know, the more you are prone to overestimating your knowledge.

Actionable Idea

Be careful to keep your humility.

Every time you think something along the lines of ‘I know that already,’ alarm bells should go off in your head and make you think twice.

8. Learning is state-dependent

“Remember, all learning is state-dependent. Consciously choose states of joy, fascination, and curiosity.”
– Jim Kwik (Limitless)

Remember that one episode from that one series you were obsessed with as a child?

How come you can still remember mundane things that you never tried to memorize years later, but you have no idea what your teacher was talking about last week?

One big reason for this is the state you were in when you were confronted with the information.

While watching your favorite series, you were probably excited and couldn’t wait to see what happens next.

In class, you might have been bored and stared at the clock waiting for the lesson to end.

We learn much easier when we are in an upbeat state.

Actionable Idea

Don’t wait for motivation to strike you! Take action and create it.

The reasoning you won’t be able to study effectively because you lack motivation is a lousy excuse.

Motivation is not something you have but something you do.

You are, to a large extent, a master of your emotions. You can decide to stop wallowing in self-pity and instead raise your vibe and get stuff done.

How you get motivated is very individual to you. My go-to advice is listening to happy music, watching motivational videos, and pinning inspirational Pinterest pins.

9. Learning effectively is less about quantity and more about the intensity

Most students learn by repeating the same information over and over and over and over again until it is punched deeply enough into your brain that it sticks.

Unsurprisingly, this time-consuming study technique creates problems once you have greater amounts of information that you need to get into your head.

Don’t understand me wrong; repeating information in certain intervals that work against the forgetting curve is important.

However, ideally, you only use this repetition for information that you’ve already got memorized.

The memorization itself should be based on intensive studying.

You can read the same information again and again without it sticking.

Effective memorization feels more effortful than listening or reading. That’s why we often avoid doing it.

It’s much easier to turn your flashcard around and read the answer instead of searching your brain for the things you remember first.

Study in a way that feels intense and exhausting. If you feel too comfortable doing it and you can sing along to songs simultaneously, you’re wasting your time.

It’s just like your workout that won’t be as effective when lifting 1kg weights 100 times as lifting 10kg weights 10 times.

10. Speed reading is a superpower

In a world where mountains of new information get released each day, the person that can quickly absorb information has a great advantage.

Therefore speed reading can be a superpower in our informational age.

You are not stuck with your current reading speed. With practice, many people manage to more than double their pace without losing comprehension of the material.

Can you imagine what it would be like to breeze through books, textbooks, and articles in half the time?

How much more productive would you be?

Learning how to speed read is definitely an investment of your time that will pay off tenfold!

11. Don’t just think outside the box; ignore the box altogether

You often hear the advice to think outside the box to solve a problem. But what can be even more effective is to ignore the box and all its preconceived notions altogether.

Let’s say you want to get better grades, but no matter how much effort you make, you can’t seem to do better.

Thinking inside the box could be you searching for more opportunities to study and putting in more effort.

Thinking outside the box could be that you change your study strategy in addition to studying hard.

Now, if you ignore all your beliefs about studying up to date, you could ask yourself, ‘what if I didn’t need to study hard at all? what if I could actually study less AND get better grades?’

Do you see how these three different ways of looking at the problem could bring other solutions?

Limitless encourages us to think in outlandish ways and to break out of the virtual barriers we’ve set ourselves.

Many of our world’s best inventions are the result of such outlandish thinking.

That’s it for the Limitless lessons. Of course, the book contains many more, but I’ve narrowed it down to these eleven.

If you like this book, you should most definitely check out Jim Kwikset Podcast. He has a whole mountain of great bite-sized episodes full of valuable insights.

Very often, he interviews experts, who got me interested in a few great books and courses.

It’s honestly one of my favorite Podcasts.

Until next time!

Sophie

How to Stay Calm During Finals | 11 Tips to Confidently Ace your Exams

Blog, Personal Development

As an aspiring A-student, you need to know how to stay calm during your finals. Don’t worry, I have your back!

I’m going to share with you 11 tips on how to stay calm during finals.

1. Don’t just use these tips for Finals time!

The first thing you need to understand is that stress management is not a skill that you should just pull out of your hat in dire situations.

Many of us experience stress regularly without being aware of it, and by the time we notice it, it has often reached such a high level that even our health starts acting out.

Handling stress is an all-year-round job and a skill that you should nurture throughout the years, whether you are in school, college, have a job or even retired.

Learn how to stay calm in different situations.

Learn what helps you live a balanced life.

Exercise, drink plenty of water, improve your sleep, keep track of your health, have a social life, take breaks and laugh a lot.

The better you feel outside of finals season, the easier it is for you to stay calm during the exam hustle.

2. Intentionally design a study strategy

The most powerful and obvious way to stay calm during your finals is by knowing the material.

If you know you’ve got all the knowledge necessary easily under your belt, then what’s there to be nervous about?

To make sure you study everything you need for the exams, you need to devise a study strategy. This is done intentionally.

If you simply start studying something without having an overview of the road ahead, you are almost playing a game of chance whether or not you’ll know everything in time.

Creating an effective study strategy is not always easy. It takes lots of trial and error and partly depends on the subject you’re dealing with.

In my law studies, it took me three and a half years to feel like I’ve finally figured out the right strategy to optimally prepare myself in time.

The starting point for you should be to regularly look at your study technique and ask yourself if you can do it just a bit more efficiently.

I also love to watch study tips YouTube videos.

If you’re interested in what I’ve learned over the years, you should check out this:

3. Affirmations, affirmations, affirmations

Alright, I can practically see you rolling your eyes at me.

I know affirmations always sound like some cringy esoteric practice that’s more hyped than useful.

But I’ve found that practice and the right affirmations can truly help ease one’s mind.

Every time I can feel nervousness starting to rise, I now almost automatically start thinking affirmative thoughts on repeat in my head.

It really does help, so try it out for yourself!

4. VISUALIZING exam day!

THIS is my new weapon in the fight against exam anxiety!

I once read about a study that found that athletes improve almost equally as much by visualizing their practice as by actually practicing.

For me, it really makes exam day feel like something I have done a hundred times before.

I imagine myself (in the first-person view!) walking into the classroom, sitting down, getting out my stuff, turning around the exam paper, writing the exam, occasionally looking at the clock and seeing that my timing is perfect, and then finally handing in my exam with pride and happiness welling in my chest and a smile tucking on my lips.

Every time I did that, it calmed me down significantly. Visualizing puts things into perspective.

You realize that this is not some great, scary unknown but actually a very doable situation.

If you like, you can also write this out by scripting in the present tense.

5. Consider changing your music and series choices

Sometimes, if I feel really stressed, I don’t have the mental energy to listen to fast-paced music that makes me want to dance or sing loudly along.

I also don’t feel like watching series with drama, excitement, or tension in them.

Instead, I switch to acoustic or stripped songs and watch light and uplifting series like Friends or Modern Family.

6. Do the exams of the past years

Ok, so I know this will not work in every case. But depending on the subject you are studying for, the pure theory may seem immensely difficult while the actual test is manageable.

I’ve had that experience when studying for an important law exam.

After every practice exam I did, I felt confident in my skills. Yet a day later, while studying flashcards and reading new information, the doubts began creeping in again.

Since there was such an immense amount of information that I’d never be able to get into my head in time, I easily got the feeling that I was in way over my head.

But when I did an actual exam for the practice, I realized that I could answer all questions pretty confidently with the knowledge I already had.

The professor wasn’t interested in making students fail by quizzing us on a very specific corner-part of the information.

He wanted to see if we understood the system, the most important problems and whether we could modify this knowledge and apply it to slightly different cases.

Even if your practice exams only demotivate you because of their difficulty level, they are the best way to prepare you. As mentioned above, effective preparation is the No. 1 factor in feeling confident.

7. Talk to others but not too many other people!

Talking to others about your worries and doubts concerning the finals can be very uplifting.

You quickly realize that you are not alone and perhaps even better prepared than your friends.

On the other hand, if you talk to too many other students, you will always find people who know more than you.

The more of these people you find, the more insecure and nervous you will feel.

So while you should make sure to have at least one or two people to talk to, consider avoiding talking to a big crowd.

8. Have a real-life besides studying

It’s easy to freak out about an upcoming exam if it seems like your whole world revolves around it.

I get it; this might be a really important exam that could determine your chances in the job market later on.

But you know what? You’ve studied for this! You are a smart Boss Babe who reads content like this to prepare optimally for exams like the one you’re facing just now.

You’ve got this, babe!

However, even if everything were to go down to hell (which, as just mentioned, is entirely unlikely in your case), this isn’t a survive or die situation.

You are going to live on and create a successful life no matter what happens with this exam.

The easiest way to realize this is by having a life besides studying.

Don’t study all day long! Have some free time to commit to socializing, developing yourself, or even building a business on the side.

I truly have to say that my business makes my law studies much more manageable and less insane.

Even when law was difficult, I felt like I had something else to direct my attention to.

So, make sure to have a real-life and an identity besides being a student.

9. Take things off your plate

I get it. We are ambitious Boss Babes with many daily habits designed to create a successful life.

I’m very much a creature of habit and don’t like to skip things like workouts, reading, journaling, etc.

However, when the exam approaches, I like to take it easy.

It’s not even that I have less time than usual; it’s more that my mind is occupied with the exam preparation, and I just don’t have the nerve to do all of my other habits.

Therefore I allow myself to ditch one or two habits for the last week or so before the exam.

10. Anticipate stressors and reduce them

I’m going to assume you have written your fair share of exams and test in your life.

By now, you probably know most of the things that make you feel stressed on exam day.

Use that knowledge to anticipate stressors and reduce them beforehand so you won’t have to bother with them on exam day.

For me, this meant taking a test-drive to Uni two days before my exam. Because of online-classes, I hadn’t been to Uni for months, but the last time I drove there, I remembered lots of constructions going on.

So, to ease any worries about what route I could take and how soon I’d need to start driving to arrive on time, I drove there beforehand.

Best idea ever, because any worries I had about getting to Uni evaporated after that.

11. Breathe!

And lastly, if you wake up after a restless night on exam day with entirely unreasonable and sudden panic making your heart almost jump out of your chest (been there, done that), it’s important to BREATHE.

I know that breathing exercises always sound like something entirely awkward, but they can truly work wonders and help your stay calm.

Slow, deep, and intentional breathing while filling your mind with as many reassurings and positive affirmations can truly help to calm you down.

And calmness is much needed when entering an exam, so try it out for yourself the next time you find your heart speeding up, or hands becoming jittery.

Now you know how to stay calm during your finals.

Are you feeling more at ease already?

What exams do you have to tackle next? I’d love to know what you’re studying!

Until next time and good luck!

Sophie

11 tips for students to stay calm during your finals

22 Lessons I’ve Learned In 22 Years | Tips for Boss Babes

Blog, Boss Lady, Personal Development

I’m one year older and one year wiser. It’s time I share with you the 22 lessons I’ve learned in 22 years. Don’t wait as long as I have to learn these lessons!

1. Listen to your intuition

Even though I have learned this lesson so often already, I am still working on actually living by it.

I’ve gotten better already, but I still make mistakes.

You wouldn’t believe how many times I had this inkling or gut feeling that something was off, but I ignored it only for sh#t to hit the fan mere moments later.

It has happened SO.FREAKING.OFTEN!!!!!!!!!!

And each time, it is just as painful because I stupidly ignored the warning signs.

On a very interesting note – and this is something that I am still a bit wary about but gradually exploring – my intuition seems to have access to some deeper knowledge than my mind.

I know this sounds a bit crazy and very woo woo but hear me out.

I used to play a quiz game on my phone with friends.

And rather often, you get questions you have absolutely no clue about.

When I came across those questions, I noticed that if I pondered on an answer I answered falsely almost every time.

On the other hand, if I answered immediately after barely reading the four choices, I answered correctly.

I’ve noticed that in the first split second of making a decision, my intuition throws in an answer which is the correct one.

But it is incredibly difficult to make out this intuitive answer in time before my mind starts working and overshadows it with its ‘logical’ ramblings.

For me, this proves even more that I need to learn how to tap more into my intuition. Because my mind might let me down, but my instinct won’t.

2. I don’t want a 9-to-5 lifestyle

This might be the most life-altering realization on this list.

I’ve always known that I wanted to earn a lot because I’ve always felt drawn to luxuries like expensive architecture and cars.

I always expected to end up in a corporate job that pays well. I didn’t even consider that I could get money another way. In fact, for years, I was firmly against the idea of me building my own business.

Then I started uni, studying Law, and it was interesting. I could see myself having a career in that direction, although I could never excite myself for a specific job.

Then I got into personal development and, with it, entrepreneurship. Quickly I started working on building a business to have a passive income.

But it took another half a year for me to actually be sure that I didn’t want a 9-to-5.

From then on, I could only see myself working for myself at my own time schedule, from wherever I want to, with earnings that have the potential to go up into infinity and beyond.

This became especially apparent by me already living that lifestyle – kind of.

I barely went to lectures and worked mostly from home. My laptop was almost always running from 5 am to 10 pm, with me working on it most of the time.

I was basically already living the laptop lifestyle minus the financial freedom and with the baggage of time-intensive studies.

In addition to that, I kept hearing about and saw for myself employees with a lousy work ethic that spending half their workday browsing online, gossiping and ignoring incoming calls.

Suddenly, I was sure about the kind of life I want to create for myself and it didn’t include a 9-to-5.

3. Introversion is ok

For a long time, I guilt-tripped myself for not going to parties like many people my age.

Especially in my first semester at uni, there was that constant inner conflict of ‘I should go out and socialize‘ and ‘I just want to stay at home and be cozy.’

After getting into personal development and getting to know me better, I redid the 16Personalities test.

The first two times, I turned out to be an ENFJ (a Protagonist). I was happy with the result, as I was able to relate to a lot of things.

However, as I did the test again after two years or so, I ended up (twice) as an INFJ (an Advocate).

Now, if you look closely, you might be able to see the difference immediately. It took a while for me to figure out what had changed at first, but it made sense once I did.

The only difference between an ENFJ and an INFJ is the first letter – the extroversion/introversion trait.

Simultaneously, as I turned out to be an introvert, I had also felt like I had answered the test more honestly than before. Often we answer questions that trigger us more, like who we wish we were compared to who we actually are.

So after that test result, I got more curious about what it means to be an introvert because none of my family and friends would describe me as one, and as I’ve always easily made friends and get along well with people in general, I wouldn’t have either.

I discovered the Introvert Dear blog, which has tons of unique introvert content (check it out!).

I quickly learned that I seem to be an extroverted introvert (or as some call it: an ambivert), meaning that I am an introvert at heart, but depending on the situation, I am can be extroverted.

I could talk for ages about this. If you want one of those “Ha! I thought that was just me! I can so relate to that.” moments, I highly recommend you Introvert Dear.

The point here is: Once I’ve actually discovered and accepted my tendency for introversion, a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

I stopped feeling guilty so much about not wanting to go out to parties, about not liking or using social media so much, and about keeping a small circle of friends.

There is no need for me to force myself into being more extroverted as long as I don’t hinder my growth.

Now, I embrace my introversion while still pushing myself out of my comfort zone when an opportunity for growth arrives.

4. Little by little, a little becomes a lot (Jim Kwik)

I often kept holding myself back from starting something new in life because I keep thinking that I need to do it in a big way straight from the beginning.

But the truth is – as Jim Kwik reminds so often in his podcast – that little by little, a little becomes a lot.

For me, this means:

saving 5€ a month is better than nothing.
Donating 5€ a month is better than nothing.
Publishing 10-minute podcast episodes are better than waiting around until I feel comfortable doing 1h episodes.
Implementing just three foods from the cycle syncing method is better for my hormonal balance than nothing.
Reading only ten pages a day in a book is better than waiting until I have time for more pages.
Doing a Law case for uni messily will teach me more than waiting around until I feel knowledgeable enough to do it correctly.

There are honestly so many instances in my life where I have discovered the power of doing small steps.

These small steps may seem so insignificant at first. But if you keep doing them diligently every day after two weeks or a month, you will already feel so much further ahead than before.

Every journey consists of many small steps. So you might as well take the first one today instead of waiting for the motivation or ideal time to take 100 steps at once.

No matter how small, each step will teach you something that puts you ahead of those people who are waiting.

So take that step today!

I’m the kind of person who wants to share absolutely EVERYTHING with my loved ones.

Like I’m talking about ever uninteresting detail of the day and thought that crossed my mind.

So as I’ve started my journey to pursue financial freedom, it was immensely challenging at first to not tell anyone about my passion project that occupied almost every waking minute of my mind.

Ultimately, I’ve managed to do so. I did drop some hints here and there, but thankfully, nobody ever picked up on them.

The longer I’ve been trying to build my business, the more grateful I’ve become that nobody knows about it.

It makes things so much easier.

I don’t have to deal with other people’s doubts, advice, or expectations. I don’t have to explain to them whenever I decide that another investment has to be made.

I can work quietly in the background and then stun the disbelievers with my results.

And by the time that I am ready to do that, I will be confident enough to brush negative comments off much easier.

I still love talking about what matters to me and how I spend my day. But I’ve learned to consider what I should share with others and what I should be holding back for now.

In the end, it’s my life, and I get to decide how to live it.

6. Passion changes everything

Another important lesson that I’ve learned so far is that passion changes the game.

If you are passionate about reaching a goal or doing an activity, you become superhero-like.

You have seemingly unlimited energy, your confidence soars, and you are as resilient as a cockroach.

There are multiple areas in life where I have noticed this behavior from myself:

I’ve been working for over a year now on clearing my hormonal acne the natural way. And let me tell you, I am relentless!

I’ve tried so many different things already, done a tone of research, and I always have a new strategy at hand should the current one not deliver.

I will master it; there is no doubt in my mind!

The same goes for my curly hair journey.

I am ambitious to turn my curls into gorgeous silky hair that vibrates health.

I’ve been doing lots of research and tried many different things over the last four years, and there is no stop in sight.

I actually have fun trying out all these different things and figuring out what works for my unique hair.

Personal development has quickly become another passion of mine. Not a day goes by without me consuming at least some kind of content to grow into a better version of me.

I am more than willing and even excited to spend money and time on this topic despite most people shaking their heads at the endeavor.

And lastly, in my business, I am showing real resilience!

Despite having already invested more than I ever thought, money and time-wise, I would not give up on achieving financial freedom.

Hell, the word giving up has never even for the tiniest fracture of a second crossed my mind.

This endeavor is worth spending an eternity on!

Passion is a game-changer. It makes life so much easier.

7. There lies power in embracing my feminine energy

You don’t have to do things the masculine way. Success doesn’t need to be attained solely by hard work, sweat, and more hard work.

Sure some of that is necessary, but it doesn’t have to be just hard work. Us women can achieve the most stunning results by working in alignment with our feminine energy and taking messy inspired action.

I’ve learned that I can have more success and enjoyment when I step back and focus more on my energy than pure action-taking.

8. Just because something is common doesn’t mean it is normal

This is such an important lesson that we all should be reminded of more often!

Just because millions of women suffer from PMS doesn’t mean it’s normal.

Just because most people hate Mondays doesn’t mean that’s normal.

Just because most people can’t wait for retirement doesn’t mean that mentality is normal.

Just because something is common doesn’t mean you have to experience it as well. It shouldn’t keep you from trying to improve a situation and live a more optimal life.

Ignore what the majority is doing. Work on curing your PMS and create the job of your dreams that makes Mondays enjoyable and from which you never want to retire.

Make life what you want it to be and not what is common!

9. There is more to education than academics

For most of my life, I didn’t question the education system much.

I’ve always been the kid that loved school. I wasn’t an A student, but I loved learning and studying and just having something to work towards.

After I finished school and started uni, I discovered personal development, and suddenly my outlook changed.

It became very quickly apparent to me that the education system is massively lacking. It neglects to teach children so many important skills to prepare them for the future.

Instead, it teaches them what has worked in the past, hopeful that they can build a good life upon that foundation.

Personal development and entrepreneurship have taught me that there is so much more to this life than I had ever thought while in school.

And I quickly realized that I would be foolish to rely on a rigid education system to prepare me for a fast-changing world.

So now I take my education into my own hands.

I still pursue my law degree, but at the same time, I read books, listen to podcasts and purchase courses that will change my life for the better.

I’ve decided to take over the reins in my life and educate myself.

10. Fears are the threshold to the next level

There is no up-leveling within your comfort zone. If you want to reach the next level, you have to be willing to push yourself.

Therefore whenever you are scared of something, you should be excited because it’s one of the surest signs that doing it will help you up-level.

11. Self-Worth = Net Worth

Your net worth is a reflection of your self-worth.

And it’s not enough to say that you are worthy just because you are human. That might be true, but that also means you deserve just as much as everyone else.

If you want an extraordinary net worth, you have to feel extraordinarily worthy.

If you don’t feel like you deserve a 6-figure income and a luxurious lifestyle, you will not behave like someone of high value, and as a result, people won’t treat you like it either.

You won’t apply for that job or offer your services for a high price because you don’t feel worthy.

Low self-worth is not going to attract a high net worth.

Therefore, I’ve made it part of my morning routine to name one thing each day that makes me worthy.

It doesn’t matter how mundane it is. The important thing is for you to always be aware of your worth.

12. Money And Emotions Should Not Go Together

Positive and negative emotions can have a bad effect on your finances.

If you are fearful, nervous, embarrassed, or greedy, you will cling to your money as tightly as possible. This will prevent you from investing your money wisely, and therefore, you will struggle to ever get out of the rat race.

If you are overly excited by your current income, you will spend more money than you should, and you will quickly end back where you began without being much closer to leaving the rat race.

This is, of course, all very simplified, but you can see this principle in work in the stock market, where their emotional actions rob many investors of their money.

Ideally, you should aim to have neutral emotions like love and gratitude towards money.

13. You can instantly flip a switch by letting your Alter Ego act

We all have our insecurities and limiting beliefs. Often enough, overcoming these obstacles takes time and effort.

What if I were to tell you that you don’t need to overcome them first to step into a better version of yourself?

What if you could just flip a switch and forget all about your insecurities?

I’ve learned how to do this through the book The Alter Ego Effect. I’m not going into detail here on all the lessons I’ve learned from this book since I’ve written a Book Review with Quotes on it.

But the short version is this: You have to create an Alter Ego that you are emotionally attached to, for each field of play where you need to do things that don’t come naturally to you.

Once you get into the according situation, you slip into this role – using a totem can help you do that.

You do what the Law of Attraction is teaching as well: You act as if.

Say you need to be fearless to hold a presentation. You could slip into the role of Tony Stark, who is charismatic and brave and wouldn’t so much as blink at having to carry a presentation.

Lots of people use Alter Egos to help them overcome difficulties. Even Beyoncé used an Alter Ego!

The beauty of this Alter Ego Effect is that the more often you slip into your Alter Ego’s role, the more this role becomes your identity.

By acting as if you discover what you were capable of all along, it will become second nature to you.

So now, every time I get nervous about something, I imagine someone, who would do this with ease, and I try to slip into this person’s shoes.

Focusing on this task keeps the anxiety at bay.

14. Do it now; don’t wait for Monday, next month, next year.

Like many people, I had a tendency to want to start new habits or projects on Mondays or the beginning of a new month, or January 1st.

Theoretically, I knew, of course, that this procrastination was entirely unnecessary.

But only once I actually started a new project at the end of November, instead of waiting for the New Year, and saw how much I already had achieved by January 1st, did it really hit home.

Now, this has become almost a game for me. Every time I get inspired to start a new habit or project, I try to start it as soon as possible and see how far I can come until the next Monday, month, or January 1st.

15. You can accomplish anything once you really commit to it – and often a lot faster than expected

There have been many instances in the last few years in which I imagined things to be vastly more difficult and time-consuming than they actually turned out to be once I sat down and committed to stick to them.

For years, I’ve always wanted to do splits and be flexible, but I never had enough motivation to stick with a daily stretching routine.

Then finally, two weeks before the new year started, I began stretching daily. Shortly after the New Year, I did my first ever proper splits.

At the same time, I also tried to learn how to juggle – another skill I’ve always admired. I managed to juggle with three balls (working on four currently) even before the New Year.

The first two years I did my taxes, I always dreaded how long it would take until I realized that if I organize things properly throughout the year, I can get it done within a few short hours.

I always admired people who read one book a week. While I did read daily, it was only so few pages that some books took me over a month to finish.

Suddenly, as I was motivated, I gave myself the New Year’s challenge to read 4 books within a month next year.

And I did just that straight at the beginning of the year in January. And because it was so surprisingly easy, I did it in February as well, and by now, reading one book a week is the rule, while taking longer than that is an exception.

These are just a few of my most recent examples, but they show that things can often be accomplished far quicker than we expect if we commit to putting in a focused effort.

16. Changing your mind is a good thing

I used to feel uncomfortable voicing my opinion because I was aware it could change at any time with new information.

And since I am always very much aware of how much I don’t know, the chance of my opinion changing is pretty high.

So imagine my delight when I read “Think Again,” and the author actually encourages you to think again often and change your mind as well.

The book gives many real-life examples of why rethinking often and always being open to changing your mind if convincing evidence arises are important for individual success and collective harmony.

Read also: Reading List For Personal Growth

17. Money and success won’t change all too much

Have you ever anticipated the time after a bothersome exam or test? Have you imagined how you would feel soooo awesome after finally being rid of the test and how you would chill so much and have so much fun?

And then, the test comes around, you get it done, and finally, that free-time you’ve anticipated so much has arrived, but … it’s just ok.

There are no emotional fireworks, and you don’t feel like a whole new person. Yes, you are relieved to have put that test behind you, but other than that, not much has changed.

Well, chances are it’s the same story with the money and success you are craving.

Sure, initially, you will feel incredible, but soon enough, you will settle back into your (albeit slightly elevated) lifestyle and continue like before.

That’s at least the realization I’ve had. Achieving all the goals, I am dreaming of won’t change my entire life. Probably 50-75% of what I am doing right now on my day-to-day basis, I will continue doing then.

I often see that in celebrities as well.

They watch Netflix just like the rest of us. They go to work, eat, sleep, have a skincare routine, hang out with friends, drive to and from places just like we do.

Sure, they don’t worry about money when buying that Netflix subscription or when they get their groceries delivered for them. They might also have more expensive skincare products and cars than we do.

But the core of most things they do is not so much different from what ordinary people do.

This lesson has caused a big mindset shift for me. I’m less desperate about achieving my goals now, and I get to enjoy my daily routine more.

Also, having learned this lesson, it is now much easier to visualize myself living my dream life already.

Try it out for yourself!

18. Success is less about what you have and more about what you do

Again, I knew this in theory already but only recently had I realized that my mindset has shifted.

In the past, I was craving to have more money to buy expensive things or even just normally priced stuff without having to worry about how much I’m spending.

And yes, sure, I still want these things – be it a sports car, a luxurious home, or a MUSE headband for meditation.

But now, I’ve noticed that my focus has shifted more to what I could do once I have the time and money for it.

I’m dreaming about learning how to fly a glider, ride a horse, or martial arts.

I imagine myself travel comfortably in first class and staying in luxurious places for a whole month so that I can thoroughly experience the country I’m traveling to.

I visualize myself getting massages, going to the dermatologist, and just taking care of my body on a whole new level.

My idea of success has become less materialistic and is far more about the kind of lifestyle I experience.

19. The right outfit can help you conquer the world

Feeling comfortable and stylish in what I wear makes a huge impact on my mindset and, as a result, my performance throughout the day.

And I’m not just talking about clothes I wear to go out. This includes what I wear for workouts or to sleep.

I absolutely hate it when I feel like my clothes don’t match or if they don’t fit properly. My focus constantly gets directed back to this issue, and I feel incredibly self-conscious.

On the other hand, if I wear comfortable, flattering, and matching clothes, I feel like I can rock whatever the day throws at me.

Therefore I take great care in selecting clothes, which isn’t all that easy as a petite woman.

It’s an ongoing battle, but I’ve made great progress in the last few years and cultivated a wardrobe I am increasingly happy with.

Don’t underestimate the power of fashion!

20. Life seems short when nothing memorable happens

This was such an aha-moment for me when I read about this in “Moonwalking with Einstein.”

Our perception of time is very subjective. Time in itself passes by at a steady speed, but some people feel like the last year passed by in the blink of an eye, and for others, it seemed to take an eternity.

Why do they perceive the same timespan so differently?

The answer: If nothing memorable happens in our days, they start to blend into each other. Looking back, you can’t accurately tell how much time has passed because you have no mental benchmark to rely on.

Therefore the solution to making your life feel long and not like it passed by in the blink of an eye is to fill it with as many memories as possible.

Do new things regularly to create those memories. Don’t live through the same routine each day, every day.

You can also sum up every day with a sentence in a journal. This will help you to keep things memorable.

21. There are so many things to try and so many passions to develop

I believe that passions are not so much discovered as they are developed.

Often passions follow experience and skills. You might hate playing tennis at the beginning because you suck at it. But once you can fight a decent match, you might develop a real passion for the sport.

Unfortunately, the older we get, the more uncomfortable we feel starting something new.

For some reason, many people are embarrassed by failing in those awkward beginning stages of any new activity, as if your age should automatically bring a certain skill level.

I strive not to let the awkwardness and failure stop me.

There are so many things I haven’t done in my life yet. So many hobbies I want to try that I’ve been putting off.

In any number of them, I could develop a passion that lights up my soul. A love I would miss out on if I don’t try out something new.

If people ask me what I do for fun, I want to have a whole list of activities I can name instead of having to rack my brain for something to say.

I simply want to taste life to its fullest.

And so should you!

Phew … what a long blog post.

But I guess this shows how many important lessons I’ve learned! ^^

What was your favorite lesson that I’ve mentioned?

And more importantly, what is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your time on earth so far? And how old are you?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Until next time,

Sophie

55 Affirmations for A-students | Mantras to Ace Your Exam

Blog, Personal Development

It’s time to ace your exams with the help of powerful affirmations for A-students!

Being a student can be stressful and make you doubt your competence every now and then. The key to acing your exams regardless is to step up your study strategy and your mental game. Start using affirmations for A-students whenever doubt or stress comes up.

Use these affirmations first thing after waking up and last thing before going to bed. Say them in your mind as you take out your pen to write the exam.

If you keep these affirmations for A-students always in mind and make a habit of repeating them, you will notice your stress levels decreasing and confidence soaring.

So let’s get into it!

Benefits Of Using Affirmations Before A Test

Taking a test can be a stressful and nerve-wracking experience for many students. However, there is a simple and effective way to calm your mind and boost your performance: using affirmations.

Affirmations are positive statements that declare your desired outcomes as if they are already true. By repeating them before a test, you can program your subconscious mind to believe in yourself and your abilities.

Affirmations can help you reduce anxiety, increase confidence, improve focus, and enhance memory. They can also help you overcome negative thoughts and emotions that may interfere with your test-taking skills. Affirmations are a powerful tool to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for any test.

Examples Of Affirmations For Exam Success

1. I am passing my (subject) exam with grace and ease!

2. I know all the topics and problems included in the exam, and I can solve them easily!

3. Time flies by during the exam, and before I know it, I am already finished!

4. Of course, I do well in the exam considering the amount of focused effort I put into studying!

5. I don’t have to study much because I study effectively!

6. I can easily grasp concepts and memorize them effortlessly!

7. Once I’ve memorized something, I can remember it easily months later!

8. My study strategy is effective and brings results!

9. I have more than enough time to learn all the necessary material to ace the exam!

10. Each day, I am getting better and better!

11. I have predicted all the questions of the exam, and I am prepared to answer them!

12. I enjoy studying!

13. Studying is fun and easy for me!

14. I memorize as easily as I breathe! I absorb important information like a sponge!

15. I am more than sufficiently prepared for all possible questions!

16. I am confident and competent in what I need to know!

17. I am calm and collected during every test!

18. I automatically attract all the important information that I need to know at the perfect time!

19. Every day, I am becoming more skilled at putting my knowledge eloquently and precisely into words!

20. I always attract the ideal test conditions when it counts!

21. I always get a deep night’s sleep before tests!

Powerful Positive Affirmations for Your Final Exams

22. I always feel my best on test day!

23. I have found the perfect work-life balance to enjoy every day while building a successful life!

24. Passing exams with flying colors is natural for me!

25. I easily recall necessary information during an exam!

26. I am easily motivated to study!

27. I thrive in school/college/uni!

28. Good study habits are part of my personality!

29. I am confident in myself and my exam preparation!

30. I don’t have to study hard because I study smart!

31. Focus on my studies comes easy to me!

32. I am always attracting the most helpful teachers into my life!

33. I am always attracting the best tests into my life!

34. I am grateful for all the amazing grades I’ve already gotten and for all the others that I will get during my studies!

35. Many students less intelligent and hard-working than I passed this exam; If they can do it, so can I!

36. The Universe sees my effort and rewards me for always doing my best!

37. It is in my nature to be an A-student! Being an A-student is part of my personality!

38. Of course, I got (grade). I wouldn’t expect anything less!

39. I can’t wait to show everyone/my teacher how much I know! I love writing exams!

40. I am content with and proud of my performance, and I just know that I’ve aced the test!

41. I am immensely proud of my (grade) in (subject)!

42. Success in school/college/uni comes to me naturally!

44. I successfully graduate with grace and ease!

Affirmations for Test Anxiety

45. Today, I allow positive thoughts only!

46. I have no room for negative emotions!

47. With my mind calm and focused, I will achieve the best results!

48. The closer the test gets, the more positive energy I have!

49. My mental health is in peak condition throughout exam season!

50. Exam stress can’t take hold of me!

51. I am eager to prove myself!

52. Exam day is Slay day!

53. My mind is clear and in the present moment!

54. With each breath, I dispel nervous energy and inhale certainty!

55. I am a talented student full of potential; I just have to unlock it today!

Challenges And Tips For Using Exam Affirmations

Exam affirmations can be a powerful way to boost your confidence and performance, but they also come with some challenges.

One of the main challenges is overcoming negative self-talk and limiting beliefs that may contradict your affirmations.

For example, if you say “I am confident and capable” but you also think “I am not smart enough” or “I always fail”, you may create a conflict in your mind that reduces the effectiveness of your affirmations.

Another challenge is finding the right affirmations that suit your needs and goals. Not all affirmations work for everyone, and some may even have negative effects if they are unrealistic or too vague.

For example, if you say “I will ace this exam” but you have not studied enough, or you don’t know the material well, you may set yourself up for disappointment and frustration.

To overcome these challenges, here are some tips for using exam affirmations successfully:

Choose positive and specific affirmations that match your current level of knowledge and ability. For example, instead of saying “I will ace this exam”, say “I will do my best on this exam” or “I will answer every question to the best of my ability”.
Repeat your affirmations daily, preferably in the morning and before the exam. This will help you reinforce them in your mind and create a positive habit.
Write down your affirmations and place them somewhere you can see them often, such as on your mirror, desk, or notebook. This will help you visualize them and make them more tangible.
Combine your affirmations with meditation or other relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises, yoga, or music. This will help you calm your nerves, reduce stress, and focus on your affirmations.

Fostering a positive mindset as a student paves the way for academic success. It’s not just diligent study but also maintaining an optimistic attitude that contributes to good grades. Embracing the best affirmations within your daily routine injects motivation and confidence into your study schedule, enhancing your journey as a student. Beyond rote memorization for the right answers, it’s essential to create the right mental environment. By using present tense affirmations, you can break free from negative thought patterns and reduce exam anxiety. With a positive outlook, you can tackle complex questions, maintain a clear mind, and handle stress with deep breaths, ultimately realizing your full potential. In this blog post, we have shown you a collection of positive affirmations to help you approach student life with an uplifting attitude, improving your exam performance.

Which one was your favorite affirmation? Do you have other affirmations to recommend? Also, what test is coming up for you? We always love to hear from you!

Until next time, Felicity Seeker!

A-student Affirmations to help you stay calm during your finals

The Alter Ego Effect Book Review | 13 Lessons + Actionable Ideas

Blog, Books, Personal Development

Get ready to become a better version of yourself through the lessons I share in my “The Alter Ego Effect” book review.

If you haven’t read the book yet, this will give you a good preview of it without spoiling too much of its content.

And if you’ve read “The Alter Ego Effect: The Power of Secret Identities to Transform Your Life” by Todd Herman already, this will be a good repetition with actionable ideas and quotes to implement the value into your life.

Reading Experience

The Alter Ego Effect by Todd Hermann is a nice book to read.

It has a friendly yellow cover, good chapter sizes, and is filled with real-life examples and exercises.

Overall it was very interesting and comfortable to read.

The only thing I’d improve is the way the exercises are integrated into the text. I would have preferred it if they were a bit more separate from the content and therefore easier to find if I want to go back and look for them.

But that’s nothing that can’t be solved through a few Post-Its.

Lessons

1. The concept of using an Alter Ego or a Second Self is centuries old

Interestingly enough, the concept of slipping into a different persona to accomplish specific tasks is not new. Far from it, in fact.

Already the Roman consul Cicero wrote about using “a second self, a trusted friend.”

And if you think about it, it isn’t surprising at all that the Alter Ego Effect has been used for so long.

Considering even children intuitively act like their favorite fictional characters and ask themselves ‘what would spiderman do,’ I believe the ‘second self’ might be an inherent human tool we’ve forgotten about.

Actually, forgotten is the wrong word. Once more, this is something adults tell children to grow out of because it is ‘childish’ and they need to be ‘realistic.’

I say we should learn far more often from what children are doing intuitively instead of just labeling it as ‘childishness.’

#1 Actionable Idea

Think back to when you were a child. What fictional character fascinated you the most? Did you remember ever slipping into a specific role while playing?

Chances are, you still hold a powerful emotional connection to this character. It could help you create an Alter Ego.

2. Capable people underperform when they are unintentional about ‘who’ they need to be in the situation

“It gets to the heart of why talented, capable people underperform. They don’t realize it, but they’re being unintentional about what “who” is showing up on their Field of Play and into those Moments of Impact.”
– Todd Herman (The Alter Ego Effect)

I love this lesson. It is very uplifting to look at the things you struggle with and realize that you are not incompetent but merely acting as your false persona.

Wouldn’t it be nice to know that you have these different versions of you, these ‘trusted friends,‘ to fall back on and just know they will rock the show?

Well, with the help of the Alter Ego Effect, this will be the case.

#2 Actionable Idea

In what areas of life do you feel like you are underperforming? Where do you know you could do better?

Once you have identified the area (i.e., school, work, fitness, personal development), journal about how you’ve been showing up so far. What was your mindset like? What were you thinking before, during, and after the situation? What were you feeling?

Now think about someone real or fictional (if they’re real, you could even ask them) and how they would answer these questions.

Do you see the disparity between your and their answers?

3. Beyoncé used an Alter Ego named Sasha Fierce

Like I mentioned previously, one of the things I liked best about the book was the many real-life examples of people using Alter Egos in their life.

Most examples were of Todd Herman’s clients, of course, but he also mentioned others.

Apparently, Beyoncé used her Alter Ego Sasha Fierce, to prevent her religious upbringing from standing in the way of performing slighlty provocative onstage. (Is it just me, or does that story also remind you a little of Hannah Montana?)

And Norma Jean famously used her Alter Ego Marilyn Monroe to be the magnetizing woman we’ve all come to know her as.

In personal development and entrepreneurship, you always hear the saying that success leaves clues.

Well, if these highly successful women used Alter Egos, I’d say it is high time we jump on the bandwagon!

#3 Actionable Idea

Do some more research and discover how other people used Alter Egos in their lives.

Take notes of the things that inspire you the most. What techniques could you take advantage of?

4. What begins as an Alter Ego turns into your identity

The beautiful thing about the Alter Ego Effect is that it almost tricks you into discovering and unleashing your hidden innate potential.

While you have to slip into a role in the beginning, with each use, it becomes more part of who you are.

Think of actors who’ve played the same role over many years. Often by the time the series ends, a part of the character they’ve played stays with them.

You might not feel like an A-student or entrepreneur yet, but the more often you act like one, the less you will have to act because it just becomes part of who you are.

#4 Actionable Idea

Block some time each day to practice living in the role of your Alter Ego.

With more practice comes more ease until eventually, you won’t have to act at all anymore.

5. You inherently already know how to use the Alter Ego Effect

Like I’ve mentioned in the first lesson on this list, children often slip into their hero’s role when they play.

Nobody has to tell them to act like their hero; they just do it automatically.

Just think about the ‘mother-father-child’ game many girls play. They get out a baby-buggy and pretend to be a mother.

Slipping into roles seems to be the most natural tendency we have when we admire someone and want to be like them.

So you don’t even have to worry about the exact strategy of the Alter Ego Effect. Subconsciously you already know what to do.

#5 Actionable Idea

Don’t take yourself too seriously!

You shouldn’t get frustrated when practicing with an alter ego doesn’t work perfectly for a while.

Approach this skill like a child would: With excitement and fun.

Make a game out of it and have fun even if you don’t meet your expectations.

Awake your inner child and let it play!

6. Talking to yourself improves your performance … as long as it’s positive self-talk

Even though talking to yourself still has a bad rep in many people’s eyes, science has come a long way and proven many times that there are benefits to self-talk.

It can improve your problem-solving skills, help you study, and calm you down.

That being said, it needs to be a positive or constructive conversation with yourself.

If you are continually criticizing yourself and everything you do, that can be detrimental to your performance in any area of life.

#6 Actionable Idea

Get comfortable with talking to yourself, even if it is just inside your head.

Start using positive affirmations daily. Most especially whenever you are worried about anything!

Also, try out studying out loud. I automatically slip into talking aloud to myself the more intentional I get to memorize something or understand a concept.

Just don’t do it in the library. 😀

Next time you have to decide what’s bothering you, talk aloud about each choice’s pros and cons.

I always feel much more confident in my decisions if I talked myself to the solution.

7. Name your inner critic

“Naming your Enemy creates a compelling distinction between the two worlds living inside all of us. The Ordinary and the Extraordinary. It allows your Heroic Self to talk back to the Enemy trying to trap you.”
– Todd Herman (The Alter Ego Effect)

“As soon as you give something a name, you’ve given it an identity. You’ve given it a form, a shape, a structure. When we give something a shape, we are also giving our Alter Ego something to defeat, something to overcome, something to battle against.”
– Todd Herman (The Alter Ego Effect)

Telling yourself to keep your self-talk positive is one thing; keeping it up is something entirely different.

Even the most positive people slip up once in a while and let the enemy run their thoughts.

In these situations, it is helpful to know with whom you are dealing, meaning give your inner critic an identity.

It’s easier to fight something the more you know of it. So giving your inner critic a face, a name, and physical characteristics makes it more fightable.

And since you are running the ship that is your mind, you can decide which form your inner critic should take.

You could make it look like someone that always makes you angry and whom you’d never give the power to run your life.

Or you could make it look like a pathetic joke, so non-threatening that you can’t take it seriously every time it speaks up.

#7 Actionable Idea

Give your inner critic an identity.

It doesn’t have to be perfect on the first try. Think of it more like creating a first draft that gets altered and added every time you encounter your inner enemy.

Make the enemy as specific as possible.

Visualize its facial expressions, posture, mannerisms, quirks, clothes, and hairstyle.

Create a character that evokes emotions (anger or a feeling of superiority) that can help you overcome any negative self-talk with ease.

8. Ridicule your inner critic

Now that you have visualized your despicable or ridiculous inner critic, it’s time to bash it into the ground with the skills of an underground rapper.

#8 Actionable Idea

Take out your journal and write a monolog about what you would counter to your inner enemy’s bullsh#t.

Call it names, make fun of it, emphasize all the reasons you are here to win, and overall show them who the boss is.

And next time your inner critic comes out to play, have a similar monologue to the one you’ve written inside your head.

Stand your ground and succeed!

9. An Alter Ego can turn you into your dream self instantly

The most astounding thing about using Alter Egos, in my opinion, is their almost instant effect.

Usually, overcoming limiting beliefs and insecurities takes time and effort.

But when you use an Alter Ego, you don’t try to overcome them. You solely focus on acting a role as authentically as possible.

This task distracts you from your insecurities and brings out your best self almost instantly.

And the more often your best self comes out to play, the easier it will get to make it stay permanently.

#9 Actionable Idea

The next time you feel insecure about something, shift your focus.

Don’t think about how insecure you are feeling, instead give your full attention to the task of acting in your Alter Ego role.

10.It’s ok to be driven by ‘selfish’ reasons

We use Alter Ego’s primarily to succeed in life in whatever shape or form.

Many people are driven to succeed by underlying noble desires like giving back to their families or making the world a better place.

But that doesn’t mean selfish reasons for success are a terrible thing.

So what if you want to earn lots of money so you can buy that sports car of your dreams? If that’s what drives you, cling to that dream as tightly as possible!

Let it catapult you to success because once you have achieved your ‘selfish’ goal, there is still plenty of room to use your success for more noble reasons.

Many entrepreneurs didn’t mainly start a business to provide value but because they wanted to make money. But on the entrepreneurial journey, many discovered the joys of giving free value to others.

#10 Actionable Idea

What drives you to achieve your goals?

What are the underlying desires you wish to fulfill through that goal?

Be honest with yourself. Don’t say you want to build schools in Africa if you are much more motivated to put in the work by the thought of driving a Ferrari.

Be aware of your most powerful motivator and use it for all it’s worth.

11.Emotional Connection Is Key

“The best Alter Ego is the one you have the deepest emotional connection with; emotional connection trumps everything.”
– Todd Herman (The Alter Ego Effect)

The more emotion your Alter Ego evokes in you, the better results you will get.

#11 Actionable Idea

Don’t fall into the trap of creating an Alter Ego solely through thinking. You need to involve feelings to make it its most effective.

Check your Alter Ego; does it evoke positive emotions in you? Do you really crave to be like that hero of yours?

Don’t feel bad about changing your Alter Ego if it doesn’t evoke enough emotions in you (anymore).

12.Use A Totem

A totem can help you slip into the role of your Alter Ego more easily.

Taking your totem in hand, putting it on or into your pocket will be a natural cue to slip into the role if you practice with it for long enough.

I was surprised to learn that famous men used totems as well.

Winston Churchill used a hat, and Martin Luther King used glasses even though he had no prescription.

Your totem doesn’t have to be something wearable, though. Just think of the totems that are used (although for different reasons) in the movie Inception. (By the way, you might be interested in 11 Rules Of Success From Inception)

#12 Actionable Idea

Chose a totem for every Alter Ego you want to create.

Make sure to choose something that you don’t have on you at any other time.

I made the mistake of choosing my blue-light blocking glasses as a totem for studying, but of course, I want to use them anytime I am on a screen, and that’s not always study-related.

So make sure to use your totem only for the Alter Ego Effect and nothing else.

13. Have a well-prepared answer to ‘who do you think you are?’

This is all about knowing your own worth.

And yes, we are all inherently worthy just because of our existence but knowing this is not enough.

Be sure to know what skills, talents, knowledge, characteristics, morals, intentions, etc., make you out of all people worthy of achieving your dreams.

If someone (most often that someone is your own inner critic) were to ask you ‘who do you think you are to believe you can achieve this goal?‘ you have to know with utmost confidence what you would answer to that.

Your net worth equals your self-worth, so make sure to cultivate and grow the latter!

#13 Actionable Idea

Make a habit of answering this question.

Once a month, take out your journal and write a confident and badass monologue about who exactly you are and why you should have the life of your dreams!

If you struggle, slip into your Alter Ego and let him/her/it speak through you.

It’s time you declare your worth to the world!

Well, are you excited to create your own Alter Ego?

For what purpose do you want to create it?

Or do you perhaps already have one?

Until next time!

Sophie

Personal Development

Reading Experience

Lessons

1. It’s not only ok to change your mind but even important to do so

Actionable Idea

2. Don’t mistrust the urge to correct an answer

Actionable Idea

3. Sticking with a belief is easy

Actionable Idea

4. What we know today could be irrelevant tomorrow

Actionable Idea

5. Think like a scientist, not a preacher, prosecutor, or politician

6. To Think Again we must fight confirmation bias and desirability bias

7. Don’t learn to affirm; learn to grow!

8. Become aware of what you don’t know

9. The least competent people are the most likely to overestimate themselves

10. Humility is crucial to think again

11. It’s time to say thank you to your imposter syndrome

12. Don’t wait until you are confident; take action first, and confidence will follow

13. Find joy in being wrong

Actionable Idea

14. Don’t let your opinions become your identity

15. The more often you think again and try again, the better you will be

16. Embrace and encourage constructive conflict

17. To change someone’s opinion, common ground is more important than the number of arguments

18. Persistence is not always the answer

Actionable Idea

19. Happiness shouldn’t be your goal

Reading Experience of Limitless

Lessons

1. You need to align your mindset with your goals

2. Experiencing boredom is important

Actionable Idea

3. Stop externalizing your memory

Actionable Idea

4. You can decide to change the way your brain works today!

Actionable Idea

5. Remembering means connecting new information with what you know already

6. Study effectively with the rules of primacy and recency

Actionable Idea

7. Knowledge can stand in the way of learning

Actionable Idea

8. Learning is state-dependent

Actionable Idea

9. Learning effectively is less about quantity and more about the intensity

10. Speed reading is a superpower

11. Don’t just think outside the box; ignore the box altogether

1. Don’t just use these tips for Finals time!

2. Intentionally design a study strategy

3. Affirmations, affirmations, affirmations

4. VISUALIZING exam day!

5. Consider changing your music and series choices

6. Do the exams of the past years

7. Talk to others but not too many other people!

8. Have a real-life besides studying

9. Take things off your plate

10. Anticipate stressors and reduce them

11. Breathe!

1. Listen to your intuition

2. I don’t want a 9-to-5 lifestyle

3. Introversion is ok

4. Little by little, a little becomes a lot (Jim Kwik)

5. You don’t need to share everything

6. Passion changes everything

7. There lies power in embracing my feminine energy

8. Just because something is common doesn’t mean it is normal

9. There is more to education than academics

10. Fears are the threshold to the next level

11. Self-Worth = Net Worth

12. Money And Emotions Should Not Go Together

13. You can instantly flip a switch by letting your Alter Ego act

14. Do it now; don’t wait for Monday, next month, next year.

15. You can accomplish anything once you really commit to it – and often a lot faster than expected

16. Changing your mind is a good thing

17. Money and success won’t change all too much

18. Success is less about what you have and more about what you do

19. The right outfit can help you conquer the world

20. Life seems short when nothing memorable happens

21. There are so many things to try and so many passions to develop

Benefits Of Using Affirmations Before A Test