How to stay motivated during CAT preparation
We are to blame for motivation’s incredibly brief life cycle; we created it. The famous Oxford dictionary defines “motivation” as “a reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a particular way,” which makes for an entertaining definition.
This “reason” to work hard is what CAT aspirants see as their reward for getting into IIMs. A student encounters numerous unrelated elements while studying for this test, which both motivates and demotivates him. However, he should remain highly motivated because, in principle, getting into IIMs is his ultimate goal. However, this is not common.
This is the case for a reason. Many candidates spend most of their exam preparation time daydreaming (Thanks to some Youtubers!). Dreaming is not harmful. However, you should be aware that fantasizing or allowing your fantasies to run wild will only serve to temporarily inspire you. This kind of drive quickly wanes. That’s the reason you find yourself fantasizing repeatedly: to invent a fictitious sense of motivation to keep you going.
You need long-term motivation if you want to succeed. It is your own actions, not any outside influences, that will determine how long your motivation lasts.
You are mistaken if you believed that a neighbor’s or topper’s success story would inspire you. You will be motivated for a while, but after getting a decent night’s sleep, you will wake up to new issues and a new day, which will sap your motivation from the narrative you read the previous day.
It is undeniable that a small number of success stories inspire you to pursue particular goals in life and will motivate you to either match or surpass the record. But all this does is remind you of your objective. You never get any help getting up and moving again from it.
Eliminate all strains.
The first thing you ought to do is free your mind of any stress. Become totally autonomous; let go of all notions of pleasing your parents, getting even with your former partner or girlfriend, being well-known in your community, and—above all—of dreams of becoming wealthy after receiving your MBA.
Focus on today as you study for this test. Make a list of the tasks you want to do today and get them done. Let your preparation for the CAT take front stage. Not the day of the big reveal when you’re doing YouTube interviews.
Top 10 common mistakes to avoid while preparing for CAT
Believe in yourself
“Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.”
~ APJ Abdul Kalam
Before you make your study schedules and grab the books, adopt a new perspective on the test. The CAT exam is not as terrifying as people think it is. Yes, there is a lot of competition and a low acceptance rate. But when you really think about it, the test is really an aptitude test. Since you have already studied the majority of the material in your academic career, even the syllabus is not overly complicated. All you have to do is get ready so that you can attempt the questions in the right way.
Make a preparation plan
Without first doing a thorough planning process, proper preparation is never possible. Plan out your study in great detail before you sit down to study. Remember the course outline and the time allotted for the test. Make sure you cover the entire CAT course, practice questions, administer mock exams, review your weak areas, and so on. Give each of these stages a fair time frame. If you strictly adhere to this timetable, you’ll discover that knowing what needs to be done next will help you stay focused.
Describe your motivations
Working on a project every day doesn’t have to be difficult if your motivation is high enough. As long as it is something that stimulates you at every turn, it doesn’t matter if the reasons appear insignificant to others. Gaining admission to a prestigious B-school, improving employment prospects, increasing income, or giving your family a better life. Pick one that is sufficiently large for you so that you won’t give in to any justifications. Once you’ve identified your motivation, keep the objective in mind each time you start to slip in your CAT preparation.
Make Goals and Give Yourself Rewards
Planning haphazardly will not lead to success. Thus, establish short- and long-term goals for yourself. Sort your curriculum into weekly sections and schedule your time this way. Schedule your time for preparation. Don’t take on more than you can handle; finishing a small number of topics will make it easier to meet your goals. Before you consider running, you must first learn how to walk. It is ineffective to set a nebulous goal, such as completing your syllabus by August.
Divide it up into easy-to-achieve goals. And treat yourself after reaching your goal. Take a friend out to dinner, go out to eat, or do something you enjoy. The satisfaction you get from rewarding yourself when you finish the task at hand properly is an excellent source of motivation.
Take a Self-Care Break
You don’t have to work yourself into the ground. After each session, take a well-timed break. Taking a brief break after studying for the CAT will help you avoid getting bored and maintain your energy. Make sure, nevertheless, that these pauses are appropriately timed, spaced, and comprise low-effort activities. Speak with your folks, watch TV, take a nap, and get yourself ready for more work ahead.
If you maintain a healthy level of motivation and concentration, you can perform admirably on the CAT exam. Recall that while diligence pays off, having the motivation to work hard for extended periods of time is what will lead to success.
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