How do i motivate myself?

[ttiwed]

i sometimes have a really hard problem motivating myself to study for the test. when i'm doing really good (like when i get only 3 wrong in LR), i'm motivated. but if on a bad day, i bomb a section (like 9 wrong), i get so discouraged, i avoid studying for a while. any tips?

[dsong02]

stop smoking the ganj and start drinking gatorade. 

or consider masturbation as a reward.  if you miss less than 3 per section, spank it.  if not, you cant.

[Dilettante]

Uh, can't get motivated?  That might be a symptom of a bigger problem.  If you're not really into doing better on the LSAT, are you going to be really into doing well in law school?

Personally, I feel like I have to limit the amount of study, I'm so keyed up I'd study like 5-6 hours if I didn't think that would be counter productive.  This test is a one-day shot to prove yourself and determine, more than any other factor, where you can go to school.

This board also helps motivate me, seeing people's practice test scores makes me want to improve my own; like if poster x started at 162, and is now consistently getting 170, I say to myself 'okay, I've got to get to that level now'.  Otherwise I might just assume that whatever my score is, that's what I'm 'meant' to get.

[Nylo]

or consider masturbation as a reward.  if you miss less than 3 per section, spank it.  if not, you cant.

I hear that's how they train dolphins.

[timnjess]

I do the same exact thing. I'll study and do good and feel like I can take on the world. Then if I get a lot wrong I avoid studying for as long as I can. I found "pep talks" help. I'll call a friend or my husband and tell them I'm down. Then they just give me an ego boost and tell me how great I am, I'm going to kick butt, etc, etc. Also, do something for you that boosts your self esteem. For example, I got a great haircut. I feel wonderful and it boosted my self esteem. Went home and missed less than ever before. I think its all a mind thing. Go buy yourself something cool that you've always wanted. Pamper yourself then go back to it. JMHO.

[Tobias Beecher]

personally i motivate myself by going to the websites of harvard, yale, penn, stanford, u of chicago...etc law schools everyday...i even have VARITAS [the harvard seal] on my desktop so i look at it everyday and say to myself...."if you get a 179, you'll have a shot".
 

also, i have completely quit video games.

no games unil october 2nd [i hope  ]

[NYBound05]

Or, you can go to the websites of the last law school you would ever want to go to... the law school that, if it was the only school you got accepted to, you may consider a plan B and not even go to law school.  That's what I do.  I won't say the name of that school, because I'd hate to offend anyone who may be going there.
Also, I have an lsat study buddy (my boyfriend).  We motivate each other, and it's fun openly discussing lsat questions strategies.  We also have the best breaks between studying.     
Lastly, make sure you reward yourself.  When you get the score you want, or something close, treat yourself to something nice (e.g. clothes, movies, FOOD ).  That way, studying doesn't become so monotonous, and you're constantly striving for a steady and constant score.  However, try this only if laying in bed dreaming of your reach school doesn't do the trick.
Hope some (or all) of this helps.

personally i motivate myself by going to the websites of harvard, yale, penn, stanford, u of chicago...etc law schools everyday...i even have VARITAS [the harvard seal] on my desktop so i look at it everyday and say to myself...."if you get a 179, you'll have a shot".
 

also, i have completely quit video games.

no games unil october 2nd [i hope  ]

[ttiwed]

Uh, can't get motivated?  That might be a symptom of a bigger problem.  If you're not really into doing better on the LSAT, are you going to be really into doing well in law school?

actually i didn't talk about my whole story. i know i will do well in law school because the last two years of college, i got like 3.9 and 4.0 grades. my motivation to get into law school fueled this hard work. if i had done better as an underclassmen, i would probably have a significantly higher gpa. as for studying the lsat, i studied 8 hours a day from december 2003 to the february 04 test. this was a MAJOR BURNOUT. i also took kaplan and told my instructor i was doing one practice test a day. he ridiculed that fact in front of the class (figures, its kaplan). anyways, i burned myself and psyched myself out so much that when i took it in feb, i got all nervous and felt i didn't do as well as i could have. i canceled the score.

i don't want to have to go through the same HELL i went through last winter and have the same scenario happen again. WHAT A NIGHTMARE. my goal now is to study everyday for 1-2 hours until test day on oct 2.

[jonathanK]

I'm not going to claim that I'm always upbeat or anything but here are a few things I do:

1)  Whenever I get anything wrong or I really learned something from a question I got correct I put a star next to it, this way my mistakes seem like positives not negatives.

2)  I always have something motivational around like a picture of my girlfriend or cool music playing.  I also have the music I play when to cheer myself up around.  I've listened to Wilson Phillip's, HOLD ON a million times already.

3)  Talking about it with people who have been through what you're going through always lessens the blows of disappointment.  And when you share your insights with other and then work to improve yourself, your confidence level automatically goes up.

4)  LSAT study is when you grow, not when you put yourself down.  REMEMBER THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Jon

[thinknpositive]

2) I also have the music I play when to cheer myself up around.  I've listened to Wilson Phillip's, HOLD ON a million times already.
-Jon

I hope to god that you are kidding.