July always makes me think of shooting free throws in my backyard. I used to practice continuously, always imagining that moment where I would have an opportunity to shine, picturing no time left on the clock and the game coming down to my performance. If I made two consecutive shots, the crowd in my imagination would cheer, fans would rush the court, and I would be hoisted off the court on the shoulders of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen to celebrate winning the NBA Championship (I was a huge Chicago Bulls fan).
However, and this will not surprise anyone who saw me shoot free throws in my early days, I did not always make the shot. Sometimes, despite my intention to win multiple imaginary championship rings, I would hear a clank and the ball would bounce off of the rim for me to chase down. It seemed that I had let the entire arena, all of the television audience, and my beloved Chicago Bulls team down…
BUT WAIT! Someone on the other team had stepped into the lane, and I was miraculously granted another shot (literally) to win the game. My past miss no longer mattered, but instead I now had the opportunity to shine and win again. In fact, no matter how many times I missed, someone would always step in the lane or get hit with a technical foul, and I would get another chance to win the game. During this process, I would always think about the shot I had made or missed, and whether I was balanced correctly, whether my elbow was aligned under the ball, whether my eyes were focused in the right place on the rim, and whether I followed-through correctly (B.E.E.F. for you basketball enthusiasts).
Eventually, because I gave myself opportunities to be successful in practice, I built both my skill and confidence. Because I didn’t let every miss defeat and discourage me, I was able to diligently work to improve through repetition and positive self-talk. By reviewing constantly what I was doing when I made a shot and when I missed a shot, I got to the point where I was willing to be on that free throw line in any real-life situation, because I knew that every make and miss had prepared me to be successful when it actually counted.
July is a great time to remind our students to treat themselves with kindness and to approach bar preparation the way I used to practice free throws. They need to understand that in order to be successful on the bar exam, you do not have to be perfect in practice, but rather you just have to keep practicing and making adjustments. It is not about getting every question right now, but rather it is about learning and analyzing what you are doing to continuously make adjustments and build towards your eventual success. Students need to be reminded that any one day will neither make them successful nor limit their chances of success, but rather it is the daily effort, reviewing, learning, analyzing, and intellectual growth that will ultimately lead them to win the proverbial championship of being successful on the bar exam.
Encourage your students to keep shooting those practice free throws so they will be ready for game day, and remind them of the famous words of Winston Churchill, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” Remind them to continue working each day to realize success.
(Scot Goins – Guest Blogger)
