As part of the work I do, I'm required to occasionally take proficiency exams related to the software we use. Even though exams are multiple choice, they aren't easy. They require significant study and focus. I usually do pretty good on multiple choice tests, but that wasn't always the case.
Back in college, my multiple-test-taking-ability was not very good. One of the main reasons why was because I use to tell myself, "I'm not any good at taking multiple choice tests." If I didn't immediately know the answer to a question on a test, I'd usually just guess. As you can imagine, this didn't lead to great test scores. It also reinforced the story I've been telling myself about how bad I was at test taking.
When I first realized that exams would be a regular part of my tenure in my current position, I was worried. Then I started thinking about why I was bad at test taking, and realized it wasn't a sentence, but rather a story that could be changed. So, I changed the story I was telling myself about my test taking abilities. I started telling myself that, "I will easily pass tests on the first try because I will be prepared and will critically think about the answers I give, versus just guessing."
Just like I became a poor test taker, because of the story I told myself in college, I have now become a good test taker who is prepared and easily passes because I decided to tell myself a different story about who I was.
Do you have story you've been telling yourself that hasn't been serving you well? If so, consider telling yourself a more encouraging story, and then start living into it.
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