Hey guys! This is the first post in our new 3-part series about question specialty! In this new post series, we're going to be talking about pretty much everything that goes into this topic, including...
So I really hope that you guys enjoy this series, and that you get a lot of value from it. By the end of this series, here are my hopes for you:
Are you ready to get into this today? Yeah you are :P Lets do it! What is "question specialty"? Question specialty is basically when a quizzer picks a type of question to focus on, and becomes really good at that type. They study for that question, practice jumping on that question, practice answering for that question - and reap huge benefits because of it. When you commit yourself to spending your quizzing efforts on just one category, it's like condensing energy into a small, laser-like point - it's a lot more powerful. That's why the majority of the quizzing community participates in it. Question specialty is a HUGE part of team strategy in quizzing. If you're a memory verse technician, and you've advanced in them, then you're giving your team 60 almost guaranteed points per round. 60 points is more than enough to win over even a tough round (most of the time). For all of the other question types (besides context, situation, and book & chapter, of course) you can even get 80-90 nearly-guaranteed points per round for your team. But I'm getting ahead of myself! Okay, let's go ahead and move on to the next section, which is why you should have a question specialty, or some of the benefits of having an established question specialty. The benefits of having a question specialty:
This happens when you have a question specialty, because (like I said earlier) you make a transformation from a flashlight into a laser. If you don't have one, and you're not "moving beyond specialty" but rather just starting out, then you'll have a much harder time advancing in placements.
Since you're now a laser, suddenly your studying sessions are producing a ton more results. Now, just to be clear, there ARE hugely different ways to study for each question type - and we're going to be talking specifically about that in a future post here pretty soon. But as you spend time in your question type, you'll even discover and develop new ways that you can study and practice for them.
This might seem like the same thing as the last one, but it's really not. What I mean when I say "practice", is your jumping, lipreading, and answering (for the most part). Just like with studying for a specific type of question, all different specialists jump, answer, and employ lipreading differently - whether that be just a little, or polar opposite. For example, memory quizzers employ lipreading probably more than any other type. But they can't multiple, like all the other question types. General quizzers usually give fewer multiples than according to quizzers, but according to quizzers have to be really careful not to say anything outside the verse, while general quizzers can expand into the surrounding passage. There are a lot of variables, but each question specialty group has (in my opinion) very nicely tuned the competition to where we are today. Not to say that I don't think that we've arrived at the best it can be ;).
If you focus on one question type, then you'll (eventually) know all of the ins and outs to it. This means that you will have advice and pointers to give other quizzers, so that they can do them better too. I don't know about you, but I tend to lean towards learning from other people's mistakes, rather than go through the hassle of learning from my own :P. Let other quizzers do that! Try to be generous with the things that you've learned, and sow into the next generation of quizzers - that way, we can ensure that the quizzing world won't disappear in the future.
Think about this: what do all the very best teams have in common? Probably a lot of really committed individuals. Probably a really great coach. Probably a lot of friendship among the members. But what is the really big thing that they all share? It's the fact that all - or almost all - of their members have a question specialty. That way, the round's questions are already split up among the four-five team members, and each one has practiced, prepared, and perfected their questions. They know what their job is for the team, and they perform it to the best of their ability. This is such a huge benefit, and I don't have a ton of room to continue talking about and explaining it. I'd really like to show you some ways that you can practically and purposefully benefit your team through your question specialty anyway, so I made you guys a simple freebie just on this: This is a cheatsheet you can download (for free) of six easy and practical ways that you can start to put this stuff into action and see some results! I hope you guys like it! But that is the post for today. Don't forget, this is just the beginning of this series - we're going to be having posts on lots of other awesome stuff, and I can't wait!
Remember guys; you are God's favorite. He is so proud of you. Not because of what you've done, necessarily, but because of who you are. You are highly favored in the Lord, and He loves you so much. Can't wait to see you guys next week, and this Saturday for the TBQJ Vlog #5! Have an amazing week, overflowing with joy and success! Love you guys. Keep calm and quiz on (and out)! Your fellow quizzer, Mallory
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Hey guys! I have an awesome post planned for today, but before we get into that I would like to make a HUGE announcement... Our brand new RESOURCE LIBRARY is now available!! As you can tell, I'm pretty excited about this launch :P. You can get more information about this on our new "Free Resources" page, but for now, here's what you need to know: The TBQJ Resource Library is completely FREE, and full of valuable and nicely-formatted workbooks, worksheets, checklists, cheatsheets, and more! Also, it is a growing library - that means that I'm adding new resources and tools to it as often as I can! I wanted to create this resource library for several reasons. Some of which, are...
Like I said, I believe that the tools already in this resource library (and the tools still yet to come) have the ability to totally revolutionize your quiz experience. Before I wrap up this section, I just wanted to thank everyone in the Newsletter tribe for being SO supportive (they get to find out about the new TBQJ extensions ahead of time). The response to this has already been so amazing, and I want to make sure that y'all know how much I really appreciate that! But that's WAY enough plugging for one post - let's get into the actual subject for today! :P As you can see from the title, we're going to be talking about pulling off a killer comeback. To have a comeback, you obviously have to have something to "come back" from, right? And that's okay - it's okay to fall down, because you get back up afterwards. (I actually just wrote a whole post on "falling down", if you'd like to read some more about that: The #1 Steppingstone To Success). In addition, there's all different types and sizes of comebacks. They can be in regard to any area of life (schoolwork, relationships, productivity, creativity, etc..), and they can be over any amount of time. One of your comebacks may take three months, and another one may take three days - both of these can be totally acceptable and healthy! Let's talk for a minute about why comebacks are so cool (and fun!). Hopefully, after reading these things you'll be totally motivated to pull off your own comeback, if you're in line for one! After that, I'm gonna share with you what I think is the cornerstone to each and every comeback - so stay tuned.
When we fall down, make a mistake, fail, it can be really discouraging! Sometimes it can make us feel like "I can't do anything right", but that's obviously not true. Even so, there's something inside of us that says, "Oh no? Then prove it." and it's hard to be satisfied until we actually do prove it. It brings us a sense of being right, stronger than whatever make you fall down in the first place, and it just overall improves our confidence. I really enjoy this part of pulling off a killer comeback.
This is also a very fun part of it. I don't think it ever gets old to really surprise people, in any area of life - but this also gives you a sense of pride (hopefully a humble kind) to make a comeback that others can see. Obviously this is kind of similar to the sense of pride we get whenever we accomplish anything, but it just feels 10x better when you're overcoming a setback - am I right?
Coming back from a failure is hard - it's really hard! In addition to all the work that you had to do to get to the good place you were at before the setback, you have to fight against the doubt that you can't do it again. If you're anything like me, that doubt can be stronger than the initial doubt that you can do it at all. Overcoming your fears and doubts is vital if you want to make a strong comeback, and sustain it. Doubts and fears come when the setback has gotten into your head - that's why quick turn arounds are so powerful, when you just "shake it off". Even though it's small, having a really good round directly after having a really bad round is one of my favorite kinds of comebacks!
Commitment is a hard thing - a lot of problems are created when people don't commit to things, and people can get hurt. But I'm not talking about commitment to anything other than quizzing. How bad do you want to succeed in it? It has to have a secure place in your priorities box. Chances are that we've all been around long enough to see quizzers come and go - they might have even been really good at quizzing, and placed well, and been excited about it. But for some reason they decided to up and stop it all together, and you probably won't see them again. Why is that? Because they forgot why they committed to quizzing - and that's honestly pretty sad to me, because I've seen and experienced first hand how much good TBQ can do for a person. So when you pull of your comeback, you can be proud and satisfied in the fact that you didn't shrink back in the face of failure - you overcame it! And that's pretty awesome, I gotta say. Earlier in this post, I told you I was going to share with you what I believe is imperative to each and every comeback. So here it is. I've been wanting to write a post on this very subject for a while (and I'll probably give it it's own post in the future), but it's not a matter of ability. I'll say it again. If you want to make a comeback, there's no question as to IF you can do it. Nothing in life is a matter of ability (unless you want to operate in someone else's God-given gifts, of course). Like I mentioned in my post "Tips For Making a Regional Team", until you get that lens of "I don't know if I can do this" taken off, you'll be the one and only person holding you back. So put that lens away, and instead look through the lens that says "Yeah I can!". You didn't really think that I was going to drop the whole resource library thing, did you? Haha, nope! Guess what? I made a special workbook that will help you do just what I've been talking about! Go ahead and click the button below to snag your copy ( + full and unrestricted access to my entire library)! I hope that you guys really liked this post, and I'm sorry if I might have been plugging to hard :P.
On another note, I've got some super cool guests coming in to collaborate with me on some posts here pretty soon, so you can be looking forward to that! Anyways, I love you guys so much, Quiz-Journeyers - and remember: We quiz, and we live VICTORIOUSLY! Have an amazing week, y'all, and I will see you next week! Keep calm and quiz on (and out)! Your fellow quizzer, Mallory Hey there! We (the Colorado district) had our district finals yesterday, so congratulations to everyone on their awesome performances! I'm so excited for what next season will bring us, and how we can grow our district in the years to come! There is a lot of potential here :P Today I'll be sharing something that's been on my heart for a while now, and that is, how Bible quizzing can inspire our personal walks with the Lord. And when I say "inspire" I'm referring to how benefits from quizzing can carry over into our spiritual growth, and relationship with our Father. So here we go! 1. How Knowing the Word Inspires For one, spending time in the Word and learning it is the main way that we plant good seeds in our hearts (just like the parable of the sower in the beginning of Luke 8), and in Romans, Paul says that faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Also, God often speaks to us through His Word, and that's awesome! By knowing what the Word says, we're sharpening our swords as well - but just having a sharp sword doesn't mean you know how to use it, and I'll try to talk a little bit more about that later on. 2. How Meditating (thinking about, chewing on, etc.) on the Word Inspires This is one of the ways we get that deeper meaning out of the Scripture. Of course, we all know that having our Bible study time/coffee with Jesus is important, and I don't think I have to defend that point :P But like I said in a previous post, head knowledge doesn't profit you anything eternal or anything worth this much effort - talking to Jesus about it and letting Him enrich and teach you through it is where the real reward is. I included a link of a Bible study outline over our quiz material at the bottom of this post. I know there are a lot of options for Bible studies out there, but if you don't want to spend time searching for one, you can download the printable here :P It's very simplistic, focused and prayed-over format, which includes thought-provoking questions about the passage, and things to ask the Lord about. 3. How Applying the Word Inspires Most of you have probably heard the phrase, "Fake it 'till you make it" but here's another one for you: "Faith it 'till you make it!" and yes, I know it's a little cheesy (:P) but it's so reflective of how we can grow with Christ! That being said, don't focus on works over relationship and your honest spiritual health, but don't be afraid to start walking out and putting into action what we're instructed to live like. For instance, love is pretty much the most important thing we can walk in. But the only way we can live in love, is if we have gotten a revelation of how much God loves us. Again, most people have the head knowledge that, "yeah, I know Jesus loves me", but fewer people have gotten a real revelation that changes them from the inside out. I really want to share my testimony about this, but I'll have to do it another time :P I mentioned it briefly in my "About Me" Page though, if you'd like to check that out. Praying for people, being an encouraging voice and face, and just being bold enough to respond with Scripture or with whatever the Lord puts on your heart, can really make a difference! We're called to love each other as Christ loved us, and even though we won't do it perfectly, all the time, we can certainly let Him flow through us and keep growing towards His image. What do you say? Are we going to let Bible quizzing flow into the other areas of our life? Lets get some eternal benefits flowing up in here! :D
Seriously, with the amount of effort we're seeing teens put in to learn the Word today, can you imagine what an effect our generation is going to have on the world, tomorrow? So, for the take away - know the word and plant those seeds, water them through meditating on them from a spiritual point of view, and then apply it, and continue to live it out, and keep growing and being conformed to the image of Christ! Love you guys, thanks for reading! Have an awesome break if your season is over, and I can't wait to see you next season! And if it's not, keep up the good work and know the eternal value your efforts are going to have for you and everyone you touch! Keep calm and quiz on (and out)! Your fellow quizzer, Mallory Hey Guys! Today I have a new set of printables for you, which outline four different levels of study guides for daily use - Beginner, intermediate, advanced, and ultimate! The file link contains all four (color coated) sheets, in that order. They include a checklist which covers 3-6 study topics (I.e. reading, question study, memory verses, memorization, etc.) and their intensities, and spans over a period of two weeks. Below each checklist are areas where you can write down your biweekly goals, and your inspiration/motivation for those two weeks. I hope those help you! I've found it super fun in the past to have a preprepared, printed outline, since I usually just jot it down in the mornings - it's another way to "spice things up", like I talked about in a previous post (click here).
Anyhoo, big quizzes are coming up fast. Are y'all ready? It's really easy to worry about them, and from there get stressed about how you'll perform, but you don't have to. Here are some verses to help with that:
Remember where your identity is (in Christ), keep your main focus there, and you'll do great! Keep doing your thing - work hard, rest hard, be confident. Good luck to everybody! Thanks for reading! Keep calm and quiz on (and out)! Your fellow quizzer, Mallory Hey! Today marks two years of my writing this blog! I'm quite embarrassed about some of my old posts (and should probably go fix some things about them...) but I'm glad that my writing has gotten slightly better since then :P Keeping this page, even though I tend to procrastinate posting occasionally, has really helped motivate me along my quizzing journey, and it's been a fun hobby. But most of all, if I've helped anyone even a little bit, then that makes everything more than worth it! When I started out, I really had no idea what the heck I was doing (and I'm still trying to figure it out :P), and it was hard to write to an audience I wasn't sure was there. Now, two years later, my traffic is still quite modest, but I learned the lesson of writing what I might need to hear, rather than trying to define what my audience might. So, all in all, I'm exceedingly glad that I woke up that day after our local qualifier for Top Ten, and decided to give it a go. It's been a great part of life to be able to share things I'm learning with you guys! Anyway, enough sappy stuff, lets get on to the exciting part! I apologize for this taking so long, but at long last I have the downloads for the Learn Luke events and memorizing schedule, and the calendar. Unfortunately, these only cover through this year, and end at January first, because of the unknown material to be covered at the Bethany Invitational at the end of that month. But in general, seven verses a day/five days a week or vice versa should be a good rule of thumb for memorizing outside of the schedule.
I hope you all have a fantastic break and thanksgiving next week, and wish you good luck at the Top Ten quiz in December!
Thank you all for reading, and keep calm and quiz on (and out)! Your fellow quizzer, Mallory |
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