Give Yourself An Emotional Vaccine
February 5th, 2007 by RonI was impressed when my son and his girlfriend, both sophomore BFA students at the University of Southern California, described how they prepared for a recent mid-term oral examination. They called it an emotional vaccine, and I think it’s a valuable technique any of us could use to prepare for a situation where our emotions might negatively impact our performance.
There were several reasons why they thought their chances of “choking” on the exam were high. First, it would be conducted by one of their favorite professors, who they wanted desperately to please. Second, it would be in front of all of their classmates, who they wanted desperately to impress. Finally, it was in seven difficult sections, that they hoped desperately not to forget. As they prepared for the exam, worrying about everything that could go wrong, their anxiety increased to a point of near paralysis. That’s when they discovered how to give themselves an emotional vaccine.
Working together, they created a list of what could go wrong during the exam, being as specific as possible to include everything, no matter how trivial. Some had nothing to do with the material (what if my voice cracks as I try to speak? what will my classmates think of
me?); others, of course, were directly related to the coursework. When their list was complete, it included several dozen items. They took turns describing each fear, and their fantasy about how they would try to cope if confronted with it during the exam. When they were finished they felt calmer, but reminded each other that the goal of talking about their concerns was not necessarily to make them disappear magically, but to make them less surprising - almost expected - if they actually became reality.
When the dreaded day arrived, they both experienced the usual pre-exam jitters, but it was okay because they were expecting them. Throughout the exam, they found that many of the things that they feared would happen, did happen; but because they had anticipated them in advance, they had coping strategies ready at their fingertips. It was much like dipping one’s toes into a cold pool before diving in - it helps make the reality of jumping in much less shocking. The oral exam turned out to be a wonderful experience for both of them.
I was impressed with their emotional vaccination, and think it is useful in many situations: before a job interview, where careful analysis of everything you fear might help you to prepare responses and be ready for any possible question; before a first date, where a careful examination of your anxieties will help you to make the best impression; or, every morning, so you can approach life with the confidence that you can handle any challenges, and make the most of the opportunities that present themselves every day.
How did the exam go? They both got A’s.
February 5th, 2007 at 10:09 am
Give Yourself An Emotional Vaccine