It’s hard to believe, but February is here! It is with that thought in mind that I share this quote with you:
“Starting off strong is good. Finishing strong is epic.” ~Robin Sharma
This is a peculiar time of year. Those with their eyes forward on the February bar exam find themselves often wishing they had done more, whether it was starting studying earlier, devoting more hours, utilizing a different method, reading more outlines, doing more practice essays, reviewing more MPT’s, etc. I promise you that if you look back in time, you will always find the opportunity to have done something differently, wasting time and energy worrying over something that you cannot change.
Guess what? Right now, it does not matter. What you did in December and January is irrelevant in terms of what you will do in February. No matter what you have done well, poorly, or wish you had done differently, that time is in the past and it cannot be changed. Looking back on the past with wishes and regrets does nothing for you in the present. Your time to shine is now in the present.
Regardless of what you have done previously, whether you have performed beyond your wildest expectations or not engaged in the manner that you had hoped, that is all in the past. The only thing that you have control over is what you do moving forward.
I encourage you to take a moment today and re-dedicate yourself to your bar exam preparation. Commit to yourself now to make the most of each day between now and the bar exam. Do not waste a single day, and approach each and every day with an appreciation for the opportunity that it provides for you to learn and grow.
Instead of looking back in a month and wishing that you had done more, do more. Rather than looking back in a month and wishing you had reviewed more essays, do so. Do not look back and wish you had engaged more with your outlines, but rather start engaging more today. This is your time, and you have to own it. You have to seize the opportunity that the next weeks provide, and use that time to lift yourself to bar exam success.
The only person who can ultimately be responsible for your success is you. Your bar prep programming, your academic supporters, your friends, your families – we are all rooting for you to be successful.
However, your destiny is in your hands. Only you control how much you put in, how hard you work, and how driven you will be for success.
Do not look back on this time and say, “I wish I had…” Look back on this time and know that you did everything in your power to be successful. You can do this. Work hard every single day. Finish epically!