Hey guys! I'm super excited to share this with y'all today! I think it'll help you, if you're thinking about trying to make a regional team this season - which you totally should :P. So to follow up the last post I did, about What To Know About Nationals, I decided to compile a list of what I took away from making the SNU and NNU regional teams, and from failing to make a team the year in between :P. So lets get right into it! But first, if you're not yet convinced about why to aim to make a regional team this year, let me tell you how having it as an annual quizzing (and life, in a way) goal has benefited me so much... My second year of quizzing, I really wanted to make a team in order to quiz with one of my quizzing role-models, who was graduating that year. That caused me to work super hard (especially the last half of the season) in order to achieve my goal. This work made me involuntarily discover some important facts about myself and about quizzing; for example, how I study quizzing the best, how to do generals in the best way I know, etc., and it really gave me a boost in quizzing, especially in the area of realizing what I'm capable of, and that I can do anything that I set my mind to. All of us can! But until you get that lens of "I don't know if I can do that" removed, it forces mental limitations on your abilities, and you will be held back solely by yourself. Removing this lens in entirety is, in my mind, one of the most important steppingstones in continually becoming a better quizzer - even after you make a regional team. Also, getting to be on a team with my biggest quizzing role-model (a lot of you will probably know who I'm talking about :P) was a huge motivator, not only to keep quizzing well after that season, but to try and be that kind of role-model for other quizzers - so, if you're reading this (and you know who you are) thank you so much for that! And with no further ado, here are my regional-qualifying takeaways...
This is one of the reasons that I made a team that first time. I had virtually no idea what it took to be on a team, and I didn't know how (or that I even should) measure myself up against the available competition to see how I was doing, and to get an idea for how hard I needed to continue working to prepare. Even days before the qualifying tournament, I was still studying like a crazy person because I was stressed out, and that's because I was severely under-estimating myself. I honestly didn't think that I would make a team, and I ended up getting second in the preliminary rounds, and first in the quiz off (surpassing the number of points I needed to get on the team with that role-model I mentioned previously). But long story short, do above and beyond what you think you need to do, in order to achieve your goals. This gives you some wiggle room in the event that some of your competition has really stepped up their game, and it also gives you more confidence in an intense round (therefore also causing you to perform better). So in conclusion of this point, don't set your goal for the B team this year - make your goal to get FIRST PLACE in the preliminary rounds, and in the quiz off! And work towards those goals, not towards what you believe the minimum to be, to get on a team.
Just to clarify real quick, this comparing (for lack of a better word) does not in any sense imply that we should be looking at other people in order to know whether we should feel good or bad about our own performances. It does mean, however, that we should observe where the rest of the quizzing community is (competition-wise, and in knowledge of the material), in order to know how hard we will have to work to be the best and/or achieve our goals for this season and quizzing in general. If, after making these observations, you realize that you're lagging behind where you would like to be, then adjust your schedule/goals as you are able, and put in the work that your dreams require. If you're doing well, almost at or already achieving what you set out to do, then you have two options: 1) keep up the pace you're at, or 2) create new, higher goals that will keep you straining for that next level, and working your darn hardest. Here's a quick differentiating tool, to make sure that this "comparing" stays on the right side of the line we just discussed: Performance comparing must be conducted within an intellectual and professional state of mind, rather than in an emotional or personal one.
To be fair, this may slightly differ from person to person, but I've found that whenever I really PLAN on reaching my goal, it happens a lot faster than it would if I wasn't completely sure of what I wanted, and committed to getting it. Especially at this level, of getting on a regional team, it's important to know exactly what you need to do in order to get to where you'd like to be - overall and throughout the entire season, each month, each week, and each day. There are three steps to all kinds of success: 1) creating your vision, 2) planning how you are going to tangibly make your way towards that vision, and 3) putting in the hard work that you planned. Creating and writing out your vision for this season, and then planning how you're going to get there (setting tangible goals that you can check off along the way), inspire an incredible amount of motivation and commitment for your end goal (if your vision is something that you actually want). And that newly-created motivation and commitment are what propel you to put in the hard work (step #3 of success) that your vision will require. But if you never sit down and figure out what your vision is, what you really want from this season, and if you don't plan out how you are going to go about achieving that goal, you'll just be running blind - and that never ends well ;P.
But of course, we will all inevitably have those days when we literally don't want to do anything but lay in bed and watch Netflix or read a novel. And those days are hard. Those are the times when even thinking about your vision, and remembering the next steps that you've outlined, don't seem to stir up any energy to get done what needs to get done. What happens then? In order to become (more so) consistent, I've learned that I need to have several places that I can go to, to become motivated to give quizzing (or anything else) my very best efforts - fill up your motivational tool belt and get it done! (For more on motivation, check out my post on "3 Keys to Unlocking Motivation") Now, I honestly can't say very much about the discipline part of this point, because I (admittedly) have not been the most consistent person regarding studying for quizzing (obviously... *cough* GEPCP season *cough*... :P). But I'm working on it, and that's the best any of us can do, right? Nevertheless, here's my one nugget regarding discipline: Recognize the incredible potential, and power that comes with being a disciplined person - being someone who works towards their goals not only on the days that they jump out of bed with excitement for it, but on the bad days, when they literally have sit down (or stand up) with clenched teeth to get to the work, until they remember why they love doing it so much. And there we are!
I hope that these tips help you guys if you're going to try and make a regional team this year - and even if you're not, or if you've already achieved this goal in a previous season, I hope that you were able to take away something that inspires you this week! Whether or not you've already started studying for this season, I hope that the rest of your summer is an absolute BLAST! I love you guys, have an awesome week, and I'll see you next Monday! Keep calm and quiz on (and out)! Your fellow quizzer, Mallory
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Trending Posts:Author:Mallory is a graduated Teen Bible Quizzer originally from the Southern region, moved to the Northwest, coaching quizzing over the book of Matthew. Check out our
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