It is a powerful realization to discover that it is only through our actions that we are labeled – regardless of what we think we are.

Fortunately, we have complete control over our label even though it is granted to us by others.  We get to decide who we want to BE.  We want to BE honest, to BE funny, to BE respectful, to BE a good communicator, to BE fun, to BE happy, etc.

But, who we want to BE is not enough.  We may want to BE a lot of things, but if we don’t start DOing these things consistently everyday, then we will never be granted the label that we seek.

Figure out who you want to BE and start DOing it now, later, tomorrow, the next day, the next…

Don’t wait, DO!

Sadly, many parents do not get to experience the excitement of the scoring table because they are intimidated by the complexity of the roles — especially the spotter and score book keeper.  My hope is that this tutorial will teach you everything you need to know to enjoy another dimension of this fantastic game.

I’ve found that more people want to be the spotter than the score keeper primarily because the spotter gets to watch the game without interruption and because it is easier than managing the book.  I believe, however, that the training ground for the spotter is the score keeper role.  In fact, the score table should institute a role progression based on game experience that goes in this order: (1) penalty timer, (2) game timer, (3) score keeper and (4) spotter.  The spotter should be the most knowledgeable parent at the score table to coordinate the activities of the other roles and to ensure that the correct statistics are recorded in the book.

Score Book Orientation

There are several makers of men’s lacrosse score books and each is laid out slightly differently.  The following diagram is a typical score book template.

Most score books utilize a 2-page spread per game with the left-hand page dedicated to the home team and the right-hand page to the visitors.  Because it significantly increases game time complexity, not all score keepers maintain statistics for the opposing team.  I highly recommend doing so because it provides visibility to things that will assist your coaches such as opposing player statistics (including personal fouls that could remove them from the game).

The sections of the score book are:

• Game Information (top row) – Provides placeholders for the score keeper to document general game information for future reference.  Be sure to meet and document the officiating staff before the game begins.
• Running Score (second row) – This section provides a running tally of the score, assists and goals by quarter.
• Player Statistics (third row, left column) – This section contains the player roster and associated individual statistics for both the home and visitors side of the book.
• Penalties (third row, top/middle column) – This section contains a record of all technical and personal fouls on both the home and visitors side of the book.
• Time Outs (third row, bottom/middle column) – This section contains the record of all time outs called on both the home and visitors side of the book.
• Saves (forth row) – This section contains the record of all goalie saves by quarter on both the home and visitors side of the book.
• Summary (right column) – Finally, the summary section contains a running total of the most relevant game time statistics (ground balls, shots, clears, extra man and face-off performance).

Pre-Game Preparation

Because there is always so much happening upon arrival at the field, I like to come prepared with much of the game information, team names in the running score section and our team roster sections already completed in the score book.  In fact, I print out, cut and paste a roster (example) right into the score book for our team and have a separate copy to hand to the opposing team’s score keeper.  Soon after arriving, I either seek out the opposing team’s score keeper or one of the coaches to obtain a player roster and enter it by hand into the score book.  Write the goalies jersey number in the saves section on both the home and visitors side of the book.

Tip: Be sure to bring two sharp #2 pencils to each game.  One will either break or the tip will get dull before the game is over.

Tip: Use two small binder clips to clasp the left and right pages to their respective sides of the score book to minimize the interruptions caused by the wind.

Statistics

Statistics are maintained based on the definitions outlined in the US Lacrosse rules (found here).  Another great resource is the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Statisticians’ Manual (found here).

The score keeper will spend the majority of their time keeping track of player statistics in the following section:

• Quarters – As a player enters the field of play, the spotter should call out the team and jersey number (“red 34, going in”) to inform the score keeper to mark (tick or circle) the player as being in that quarter.  It is also helpful to have the spotter read out the jersey numbers of all starting players just before each quarter begins.
• Shots – As a player takes a shot, the spotter should call out the team and jersey number (“white 21, shot”) to inform the score keeper to mark (tick) the player as having taken a shot.  A shot occurs when a ball is propelled toward the goal by an offensive player (by any means) with the possibility to score.  Only the player who had possession of the ball and propelled it toward the goal can be credited with the shot.
• Goals – As the ball passes the plane of the goal, the spotter should call out the team and jersey number (“white 21, shot and score”) to inform the score keeper to mark (tick) the player as having taken (1) a shot and (2) scored a goal.  This will result in two tick marks (one in the shots column and another in the goals column). If player A1 takes a shot that deflects off of teammate A2, who clearly causes the ball to be redirected into the goal. Credit A2 with a shot and goal and A1 with an assist.  Note: If the team not scoring the goal has one or more players in the penalty box at the time of the goal and they have not been issued an unreleasable foul (official will indicate at the time of the foul), the goal releases the player from having to serve their full time of suspension.
  
• Assists – If a player is credited with an assist when he makes (in the opinion of the score keeper) a pass contributing directly to a goal, the spotter should call out the team and jersey number (“white 21, shot and score, white 16 assist”) to inform the score keeper to mark (tick) the player as assisting with the goal.  Determining an assist can be tricky because each goal scenario is unique.  The main thing is to be as consistent throughout the season as possible.  There should be no particular time frame for an assist (although the pass and shot should appear to be part of the same play) nor should there be any rigid distance factor in the play (the player scoring the goal could take one step, several steps, or even run a number of yards with the ball and still have the passer credited with an assist). An assist should not be credited on a play when the goal scorer dodges a defensive player after receiving the pass before shooting unless, in the opinion of the statistician, it was the pass itself and not the dodge that led directly to the shot.
• Ground Balls – As a player takes possession of the ball and is able to perform normal functions of possession (e.g. shoot, pass, cradle), provided the ball was contested by both teams before establishing possession, the spotter should call out the team and jersey number (“red 16, ground ball”) to inform the score keeper to mark (tick) the player as receiving credit for a ground ball.  A loose ball that is not contested and would not reach the midline or go out of bounds should not result in a ground ball.  Ground balls can be credited as part of faceoff play.
• Faceoffs (win/lose) – As a player takes possession of the ball and is able to perform normal functions of possession immediately following a faceoff, the spotter should call out the team and jersey number (“red 16, faceoff won”) to inform the score keeper to mark (tick) the player as receiving credit for the faceoff win.  Conversely, if the possession went to the opposing team, the score keeper would mark the player with a faceoff loss.  The credit always goes to the player taking the faceoff at midfield, not the player who may have first taken possession of the ball after the faceoff.  The referee’s signal of possession has no influence on the statistical determination of faceoff wins and losses.  The referee’s signal frequently precedes the statistical definition of possession.  It is appropriate to credit red 16 with a faceoff win and a ground ball if they take possession of the ball after a faceoff.
  
• Take-aways – As a defender strips or checks the ball away from an attacking player and takes possession of the ball and is able to perform normal functions of possession, the spotter should call out the team and jersey number (“white 21, take-away”) to inform the score keeper to mark (tick) the player as receiving credit for the take-away.  Some teams credit a take-away only when the same player causes the change of possession and recovers the ground ball while others credit the player anytime they cause a change of possession.  Again, it will be important to maintain consistency across spotters and score keepers throughout the season.

Running Score

The score keeper will keep track of all goals in the following section:

As mentioned in the Pre-Game Preparation section, the team names and head coaches names will have been filled out before the game began.

When a goal is scored, I have found it is easiest to first mark the player statistics and then come back and complete the running score section.  I do it in this order because the running score section is merely a convenience while the player statistic is really what I want to ensure is correct.  After I’ve credited the appropriate player(s) with a shot, score and assist (if applicable), I then record the score in the running score section in the following way:

• Time (upper-left) – Enter the game time in which the goal is scored.
• Quarter (upper-right) – Enter the quarter in which the goal is scored.
• Goal Jersey (lower-left) – Enter the jersey number of the player who is credited with the goal.
• Assist Jersey (lower-right) – Enter the jersey number of the player who is credited with the assist.  If no assist was awarded, then I mark the box with a dash (“-”).

At the end of each quarter, I like to draw a thick vertical line on the right edge of the last goal entry for both teams.  This mark helps me quickly determine how many goals have been scored each quarter.  I then transfer the number of goals scored by quarter to the right side of the running score rows.  The officials often validate their own tracking by comparing their numbers with the book at the end of each quarter.

Penalties

The score keeper will keep track of all official penalties in the following section:

Whenever a penalty is issued, the officials will approach the table to announce the penalty at the first available stoppage of play.   They will typically call out the team and jersey number along with the penalty and sometimes the associated amount of time that must be served (“white 27, holding, 30 seconds”).  The score keeper must then record the penalty in the above section on the appropriate side of the book (home/visitor) by completing the following fields.

• P/T – Enter “P” for a personal foul or “T” for a technical foul. The penalty for a personal foul is a one (default if the time is not specified by the official) to three minute suspension from play and possession to the team that was fouled. Players with five personal fouls are ejected from the game.  The penalty for a technical foul is a thirty second suspension if a team is in possession of the ball when the foul is committed, or possession of the ball to the team that was fouled if there was no possession when the foul was committed.
• No – Enter the jersey number of the player who committed the foul.
• Infraction – Enter the description of the type of foul called.  In addition to the description, I indicate the length of time to be served in the penalty box (“(:30)”) as well as a reminder if the foul is unreleaseable (“(U:30)”).  The official will mention specifically if a foul is unreleaseable.  Personal fouls include: (1) Slashing: Occurs when a player’s stick contacts an opponent in any area other than the stick or gloved hand on the stick, (2) Tripping: Occurs when a player obstructs his opponent at or below the waist with the crosse, hands, arms, feet or legs, (3) Cross Checking: Occurs when a player uses the handle of his crosse to make contact with an opponent, (4) Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Occurs when any player or coach commits an act which is considered unsportsmanlike by an official, including taunting, obscene language or gestures, and arguing, (5) Unnecessary Roughness: Occurs when a player strikes an opponent with his stick or body using excessive or violent force, (6) Illegal Crosse: Occurs when a player uses a crosse that does not conform to required specifications. A crosse may be found illegal if the pocket is too deep or if the crosse was altered to gain an advantage, (7) Illegal Body Check: Occurs when any of the following actions take place: (a) body checking of an opponent who is not in possession of the ball or within five yards of a loose ball: (b) avoidable body check of an opponent alter he has passed or shot the ball; (c) body checking of an opponent from the rear or at or below the waist; (d) body checking of an opponent by a player in which contact is made above the shoulders of the opponent. A body check must be below the neck, and both hands of the player applying the body check must remain in contact with his crosse, and (8) Illegal Gloves: Occurs when a player uses gloves that do not conform to required specifications. A glove will be found illegal if the fingers and palms are cut out of the gloves, or if the glove has been altered in a way that compromises its protective features. Technical fouls include: (1) Holding: Occurs when a player impedes the movement of an opponent or an opponent’s crosse, (2) Interference: Occurs when a player interferes in any manner with the free movement of an opponent, except when that opponent has possession of the ball, the ball is in flight and within five yards of the players, or both players are within five yards of a loose ball, (3) Off Sides: Occurs when a team does not have at least four players on its defensive side of the midfield line or at least three players on its offensive side of the midfield line, (4) Pushing: Occurs when a player thrusts or shoves a player from behind, (5) Screening: Occurs illegally when an offensive player moves into and makes contact with a defensive player with the purpose of blocking him from the man he is defending, (6) Stalling: Occurs when a team intentionally holds the ball. without conducting normal offensive play, with the intent of running times off the clock, and (7) Warding Off: Occurs when a player in possession of the ball uses his free hand or arm to hold, push or control the direction of an opponent’s stick check.
• Qtr – Enter the quarter number in which the foul is announced.
• Time -  Enter the game time in which the foul is announced.  Do not enter the amount of suspension time in this space.  Instead, the game time is used to assist the penalty timers and officiating staff in the event of confusion or when calculating the additional time to be served when penalties span beyond the quarter end.

Time Outs

The score keeper will keep track of all official time outs in the following section:

Whenever a time out is called, the officials will stop the game and assign the time out to the requesting team.  Each team can take up to two time outs per half and one time out for each overtime period.  The score keeper must then record the time out in the above section on the appropriate side of the book (home/visitor) by completing the following fields.

• Time (left) – Enter the game time in which the time out is called.
• Quarter (right) – Enter the quarter number in which the time out is called.

Saves

The score keeper will keep track of all goalie saves in the following section:

This section is completed as follows (left to right):

• Jersey Number – Enter the number of the goalie’s jersey.
• Name – Enter the name of the goalie.
• Quarters – As a goalie enters the field of play, the spotter should call out the team and jersey number (“white 99, goalie, going in”) to inform the score keeper to mark (tick or circle) the player as being in that quarter.  It is also helpful to have the spotter read out the jersey numbers of all starting players (including the goalie) just before each quarter begins.

This section assumes that no more than two goalies per team will serve in a single game.  If more than two goalies play, simply utilize the space below the section to record their saves.

When a ball is stopped or deflected with any part of the goalie’s body or stick, which if not stopped or deflected would have resulted in the ball entering the goal, the spotter should call out the goalie team and jersey number (“white 99, save”) to inform the score keeper to mark (circle number or tick) the goalie as receiving credit for the save.

Summary

Some score keepers track summary statistics throughout the game by placing tick marks first in the player statistics section and then in the summary section.  I have found that the game moves too quickly and I’m more likely to miss something or make a mistake when I try to do to much at once.  Instead, I complete the summary section at the end of every quarter for Ground Balls, Shots and Face-Offs.  Because Clears and Extra Man are not recorded elsewhere, I mark these sections throughout the game.

This section is completed as follows (top to bottom):

• Ground Balls (complete at end of quarter) – This section indicates the total number of ground balls recorded by quarter.  For the first quarter, this calculation is easy.  Simply add up all of the ground ball tick marks in the player statistics section and write the total in the right column.  For subsequent quarters, however, you will need to find the difference between the total number and the total recorded at the close of the previous quarter.  I generally write the total number off to the right and then write the difference in the right column for the quarter.
• Shots (complete at end of quarter) – This section indicates the total number of shots recorded by quarter.  For the first quarter, this calculation is easy.  Simply add up all of the shot tick marks in the player statistics section and write the total in the right column.  For subsequent quarters, however, you will need to find the difference between the total number and the total recorded at the close of the previous quarter.  I generally write the total number off to the right and then write the difference in the right column for the quarter.
• Clears (complete as you go) – This section indicates the total number of successful and failed clears recorded by quarter.  A successful clear (“white successful clear”) occurs when a team takes possession of the ball behind its defensive restraining line and successfully moves the ball to the offensive attack area without loosing possession of the ball.  At the end of the quarter, the score keeper totals the tick marks and places the sum of the successful clears (top) and the failed clears (bottom).
• Extra-Man (complete as you go) – This section indicates the total number of successful and failed goals while the opposing team was one or more men down recorded by quarter.  Anytime a team is playing one or more men short or extra counts as an extra-man opportunity on defense or offense.  An extra-man goal may be credited to the appropriate team (“white extra-man scored”) if the team with one or more extra men on the field make a goal before the opposing team’s penalty(ies) is(are) released.  An extra-man goal is failed if no goal is achieved while one or more extra men are on the field.  At the end of the quarter, the score keeper totals the tick marks and places the sum of the goals (top) and the fails (bottom).
• Face-Offs (complete at end of quarter) – This section indicates the total number of successful and failed face-offs by quarter.  For the first quarter, this calculation is easy.  Simply add up all of the face-off tick marks in the player statistics section and write the total in the right column.  For subsequent quarters, however, you will need to find the difference between the total number and the total recorded at the close of the previous quarter.  I generally write the total number off to the right and then write the difference in the right column for the quarter.

As I reflect on the day, however, I realize that these two little things happened today only because I allowed myself to be open to them.  For their significance to be recognized, they need to be put into perspective.

This morning I was called by a recruiter trying to fill a position with a local company.  I’m not looking for a new opportunity at the moment, but I did take the call because you never know what might result from one of these chance meetings.  Perhaps I could learn about something really interesting.  Perhaps I could help a friend who would be right for the role.  Networking is always that way, being open to those around you to learn and to establish relationships – an asset that will always give more than it takes.  As the recruiter briefed me on the highlights of the company she represented, I discovered that this particular company had existing relationships with all of the local hospitals that I was attempting to interest in the online testimonial service that I’ve been working on.  By the time the call ended, I was convinced that this company that I had not known of before would be a great channel for us to take the service to market without having to build up our own sales organization.  If you embrace opportunity – even when it is not for yourself – you may discover things that pay you back in ways far beyond what you expect.

Tonight, about the time that mom and I were leaving a restaurant to come home, we met Lawton.  Lawton was a friendly man with some amazing stories.  He was in the peace corps in Nepal, he lived in a commune, he was a high school math teacher, he was unable to find a teaching job in Austin and had to do shift work at Samsung, he has a 27 year old Mercedes Benz and is nursing an ailing transmission, he cares about people and places and life.  Even though we had to get home, we listened to his stories for 30 minutes or more.  He was fascinating and I especially loved his description of hiking in the Grand Canyon and camping out at Havasu Canyon on the Havasupai Indian Reservation. He shared his love of Oregon and the diverse weather patterns that exist west and east of the Cascades.  He suggested that we visit Corvallis, Oregon on the west and Bend, Oregon on the east.

Here’s the crazy thing, just minutes before, mom and I were talking about where we want to live when we get older.  We know we want to be near mountains and have always thought it would be the Rockies.  Who knows, maybe it will be the Cascades…

The whole point of this blog post is to emphasize two things that I hope you will always do:

• Listen – You never know when you will be introduced to something that will be important to you.  Be open to the possibility that everything you learn will benefit you or those around you in some way.
• Everything is a gift – When you consider each new situation as a gift for you to open and cherish, then your world expands beyond a series of events and becomes a chance set of circumstances that can shape you, inspire you and allow you to grow.

Keep your eyes and ears open – there are little gifts just waiting to be received!

This semester, I’d like you to try something new.  Stay ahead of the wave. The wave is a metaphor for the workload that you’ll have throughout the semester.  It has a momentum of its own and if you aren’t prepared it can either crash down on you or leave you behind.  If you are prepared, it will carry you all the way to the shore.

The best way to be prepared for the wave is to anticipate its movement before it forms.  Here are some ways that you can stay ahead of the wave:

Before your first class

• Get a big calendar that you can write on or get familiar with the calendar in your PDA or notebook
• Put all major dates that you know into your calendar (e.g. key birthdays, holidays, spring break, exam week, games, etc.)

After your first class

• Get the syllabus from each of your classes.  If your teacher/professor did not hand one out, make sure they have one on their website, if not then ask them directly or via e-mail — YOU MUST GET THE SYLLABUS ASAP
• Transfer every assignment/quiz/test/final onto the calendar
• Mark each major assignment/test/final with a highlighter

Create a plan

• Break down each item in your calendar into the major steps required to complete it (see breakdown below)
• Estimate the time required for each major step and the order that they should go in
• Lay out each major step into your calendar (with estimate) and write them down with enough information so that you will remember what it means in the future

Review the plan

• After you have put all of your assignments/tests/etc. and their associated major steps into your calendar, then go back through your calendar to see where you are overbooked.  Look for multiple big deliverables in one week or activities that overlap with games/tournaments.
• Move back some major steps into an earlier week to even out the load
• Be sure to leave gaps of time for fun – a prepared student is a relaxed and well-balanced student

Execute the plan

• You are now more prepared than 70% of the people enrolled in school – enjoy that confidence
• Follow the plan – The reason you built it at the beginning of the semester is because you could be objective and not be persuaded by distractions.  Don’t allow the compelling distractions that will be all around you to take you off track.  If you do, then the wave will catch up.  Remember, it has a momentum all of its own.  It won’t slow down just because you do!
• Adjust as early as possible – Even the best of plans cannot anticipate everything.  Be aware that things will come up unexpectedly that you want/need to do.  Assignments will be easier or harder than you planned for.  New assignments may get introduced.  Every time something changes in the mix, consult your calendar and see how that change impacts your life.  Adjust the calendar accordingly.  The longer you wait to analyze how an unexpected change affects your calendar, the more likely you won’t stay ahead of the wave.
• Get help -  If you discover that it’s taking you much longer to do something than you had planned, then evaluate why.  Is it because the assignment is more involved than you thought or is it because you just don’t understand the material.  As soon as you discover that you don’t understand the material, get help immediately.  Don’t assume that it will eventually come to you – it probably won’t.  You need other perspectives, a different way to hear it, a different example, a different setting.  You will get it, but not by avoiding it and not without getting help from someone.  There is no shame in admitting that you don’t understand – only shame in letting it overtake you.

Breakdown Instructions

Breaking down problems into bite-sized pieces is an art form.  To be really good at it requires experience, foresight and practice.  Even though it will be new to you, it must be done – just give it your best shot and adjust as you go along.  You’ll get better at it every semester and eventually it will become second nature.  This section gives you some generalities to start with when you are planning your major steps.

• Pre-Reading (2-hours per chapter)- If you are covering Chapter 7 on Tuesday, then read it and take notes on Sunday or Monday.  It takes about an hour to read a chapter and another hour to go back through the material to extract good notes.  Remember that summarizing the material in your head and writing down your notes (freehand or on your laptop) will help you commit them to memory and have a deeper understanding much better than just reading.  If you have more than one chapter to read, spread it out over a couple of days.  Your brain gets bored easily and needs new, fresh information.  It is better if you focus hard on one chapter and then move on to the next subject.  You want to read before you cover the material in the class for two reasons: 1) repetition and additional context (different perspectives) increases your ability to recall the information and 2) you will have a deeper, richer understanding of the material if you are not learning it for the first time in class.  This second time around allows your brain to do a different level of learning – the level necessary for a thorough understanding.
• Class (length of class) – Always go to class – every class!  Record every class with your digital recorder.  Be sure to sit in a location where you can get a good recording.  Listen first, take notes second.  In other words, it is much more important for you to listen and comprehend than it is to fill your page with notes.  When you take notes, you focus your attention on what you are writing down, not what the teacher/professor is saying.  It is impossible to write down notes while still processing what is being said.  If you record your classes, then you can listen again and take notes after class.  When you do take notes, make them short and only write down the key points so that you can return your attention to the lecture.
• Review Class Notes (1.5X length of class)- On the same day as the class (preferably 3-hours or less later – according to Brain Rules) re-listen to the lecture with your digital recorder.  This time, stop the playback to take more comprehensive notes.  Really pay attention to make sure you understand and make notes in the margin on the things that are unclear/confusing.  Plan on this activity to take about 1/2 as much more time than the playback of the class for good note taking.  When you take notes, don’t just write down things that were said.  Instead, write down key points and conclusions.  Make your own conclusions too.  Repetition increases your ability to recall the information.
• Weekly Help (1 hour/class) – Plan to go see your teacher/professor once a week to discuss the things that you’ve noted to yourself in the margin that were unclear/confusing.  Not only will they help you understand the material, but they will know who you are and the level of effort that you are putting into their class.  At the end of the semester, they’ll give you the 90 rather than the 89.  As your teacher/professor if they have any old quizes/tests that you can use for practice.
• Review for Quiz (30 minutes for each chapter and class session it covers) – If you have done the steps above, reviewing for quizes should be easy.  At this point, you will have already read all of the chapters and have notes over each of the chapters and classes.  All you will need to do is go back over all of your notes, which by now will probably already be in your head.  If you have an old quiz, look at the questions and see how they relate to the material.  Are they taken directly from the material?  Are they abstract and require that you have reached your own conclusions?  Imagine the kinds of answers that you expect the teacher/professor would like to see and answer each of the questions as if you were taking the quiz.
• Research Paper (8-10 hours) – I never just sit down and start writing.  When I do, I always end up with a disorganized mess.  No one I know that writes for a living ever just sits down and starts writing.  Good writers start with a plan.  The plan starts with understanding the objective of the paper.  What is the paper about?  What conclusion are you trying to reach?  What is your purpose?  Start here and the rest is easy.  It may take some time to figure this out because you may have lots of options.  You may try one conclusion and discover that you don’t have enough supporting points, so you have to change conclusions.  If you start with the plan up-front (rather than having a few pages already written), then you have a lot more flexibility to change and pick the right objective.  Then, determine the major points and their supporting points.  This should come pretty naturally if you already know the material.  Organize them into an outline with an introduction, body to make your argument (major points) and conclusion.  You should allocation about 6-8 hours for writing an average-sized paper.  After you’ve written the paper, you’ll need to walk away from it for a while.  Eat dinner or work out – get you mind on something else for a while.  Then, when you can be more objective, you will want to read it again critically.  You may find that one of your major points is weak or that the organization needs to change.  After you have made the paper as good as you can on your own, it’s time to seek help from others.  A couple of days before the paper is due, go to a friend who is great at writing or someone in the writing lab.  Give yourself enough time to take their feedback (sometimes vague) and figure out how to incorporate it into your paper.
• Review for Test (30 minutes for each chapter and class session it covers) – Preparation for tests are exactly like preparation for quizzes except that you have more material to review.  Spread your review out over several days and really study your notes deeply.  If you know the material well, you may find yourself glazing over them during your review.  This will do you no good.  You need to be in a quiet room with no distractions and read your notes carefully.  If you have forgotten something, then go back and listen to that part of the lecture or re-read that part of the text.  At this point, if you don’t know something, you’re not going to learn it.  Test reviews are about filling in blanks and making new connections as you’re putting together known material in a more comprehensive way.  If you have old tests, study them carefully and really try to see what the teacher/professor is asking for.  Pay attention to their style for asking questions and how you think they want to see them answered.  You will only know their style by going to class.  Did I mention you should ALWAYS attend class?

If you need help doing the breakdown let me know.  I have to do it everyday with every assignment that I create.

The map above goes from my old house to theirs.  It is only .7 miles away and in all my years there, riding bikes and driving through the neighborhood, I don’t remember ever going down his street.  They picked a good, obscure place where they and their neighbors will hopefully be able to live in peace.

And don’t forget to pull WAY off the road before changing the tire.  This guy didn’t and luckily he’s still alive to talk about it…

Throughout our school career, we are told what we need to do.  If we weren’t told what to do, then we believed it didn’t need to get done.  Our actions were determined entirely by our educators.  This process is necessary when we are young because we literally don’t know what we don’t know.

One thing that being told what to do teaches us is to plan ahead.  We have a test coming up on Friday, we’d better start studying a few nights before.  Another thing it teaches us is to break things down into smaller pieces.  My test is over 3 chapters and a lab, I’ll read the first two chapters on Monday night, read the third chapter Tuesday night, review my notes and the lab on Wednesday night and go through the review on Thursday night.  This is how we learn to successfully complete tasks.  This is how you prepare a workforce for the Industrial Age.  This is how things get done.

Be Proactive

1. Envision your goal
2. Observe your surroundings
3. Analyze the situation
4. Decide and make a plan
5. Execute

Being proactive goes beyond planning ahead by forcing you to think on your own.  The first step in being proactive is envisioning where you want to be or what you want to accomplish.  It seems obvious, but you wouldn’t believe how much time and effort is spent on activities where people have no idea what they are setting out to achieve.  Being proactive requires that you have a thorough understanding of your vision or your goal because the journey to achieving it will be littered with challenges and distractions.  It is only your dedication to the goal that will allow you to continue on the right path toward success.

Imagine driving along the highway and you come upon some highway construction.  The detour takes you 5 miles out of the way on a road that you are completely unfamiliar.  If the detour is not marked well, then you could be lost with no obvious route back to the main highway.  Do you just continue driving in any direction?  No.  Your goal is to get to Midland to celebrate your grandfather’s birthday.  You know Midland is west of Austin, so you go west until you can find a road to get you back to the main highway.  Your well-understood goal kept you going in the right direction even though you were lost.

The second step is recognizing what is happening around you.  Again this seems obvious, but many people just do – not observe.  In school, your feedback may be your grades, your schedule, the level of difficulty you have in a particular class, etc.  These observations will indicate how well you are progressing towards your goal.  Perhaps your goal is to get all A’s and B’s.  How are your scores so far?  You’re doing well in all of your classes except math where you have low quiz grades and you know you don’t understand the material like you should.

The third step is analyzing your observations and the various options/consequences.  In other words, what do the observations mean?  In this case, they probably mean that you’ll not achieve your goal because you are doing poorly in math.  So, what do you do?  Study more for math?  Get tutoring?  Spend more time doing homework and online quizzes?  This step is critical because you are evaluating the information that you have, considering the alternatives to help you achieve your goal and evaluating the potential outcomes or consequences.  It could be, for example, that if you spend 5 more hours per week on math that your grade in English will fall.

The forth step is making the decision and making a plan.  This is where being proactive really becomes visible.

The fifth step is executing your plan – basically what you’ve learned to do throughout your school career.

Think about it.  Not in any of these steps did someone tell you what to do.  Instead, you knew what you wanted to achieve, you evaluated the situation relative to your goal, looked at your alternatives and their associated consequences, made a plan and began execution.  This is not a one-time process.  Being proactive is constant.  Every time you get new information you will go through the same last 3 steps.

Being proactive is simple and critical to your success.  You’ll find that this process will work for you in all areas of your life.  If you know the process and know that you have the power to apply it, then you will be a leader in every organization of which you are a part.

First, I pray for everything I’m thankful for.  I literally go through a list of the most important relationships in my life, my health, intellect and a couple of physical things (like our house) that provide me and our family with comfort and security.  As I mention them mentally, I visualize each one.  Second, I pray for strength.  I list each major goal that I am working towards and ask for the strength (or courage, or intelligence, or creativity) to achieve each objective.  I also visualize each goal or associated challenge as I go through the list.  Finally, I pray for my life.  I express how fortunate I feel for who I am, the experiences that I’ve had and those that I will have.  Even as I write this, I get an overwhelming feeling for the incredible gift of my life.  No matter what is happening in the world or my life, this is always the most powerful part of my prayer.

I think I was a teenager when I started praying this way.  I remember listening to the prayers of others around the dinner table, on TV or at church.  It struck me that so many use prayer to ask for things.  Ask for things!  This never made sense to me.  Especially if you believe that prayer is like a phone call to God, then why would you spend the time asking for things.  It seemed so selfish to me – especially in America where we have such abundance – that people would use their silent moments with God to ask for more.

I’ve always believed that we have everything we need … possibility.  That gift was bestowed upon us the moment we were born.  We each have unique interests and talents and the possibility to put them to good use.  I believe it is our responsibility to determine what those are and how best to apply them.  We weren’t meant to be granted wishes!  It was from that point on that I vowed never to ask for anything in prayer – only the necessary attributes to achieve my own possibilities.

So why is a guy who does not attend church recommend that you pray everyday?  Well, I believe that there is tremendous power in prayer.  Not because God is listening, carefully taking notes and manipulating events in the universe to grant your wish.  Instead, I believe prayer is a conversation with yourself – a gateway to your subconscious.  Every religion on earth has some form of prayer or meditation to help increase your awareness and remove the conditioning of everyday life.  Prayer reminds you of what is truly important.  It helps you envision the future and what path you want your life to take.  It helps you remain positive and humble.  It helps you visualize what you need to do to accomplish your own possibilities.  And by the way – everything is possible!

There is a book and a video call The Secret.  The Secret is really just a collection of practical philosophies to help lead a happy and more fulfilling life.  The common thread throughout the book is the belief that our positive thoughts (the way we choose to perceive ourselves and the world) are powerful magnets that attract health and happiness.  I’ve mentioned in a previous post that people who perceive the world negatively reflect their perspective in their face, their walk, voice, gestures, etc.  How you choose to perceive things (your reflections of attitude) becomes who you are – to yourself and to those around you.  Prayer helps you reinforce your chosen attitude (thankful possibilities) so that your attitude will naturally permeate everything you do.

Positive daily prayer = Happy, successful life

Have you ever been to a party or a street corner where things just didn’t feel right?  You couldn’t identify why, but you just knew you needed to leave.  This is what I mean – you are not in harmony with your surroundings.  You have no logic to go on other than your unexplained feeling of unease.  Obviously, this feeling is a protection mechanism that we can’t understand, but keeps us safe when other facts (the things we can physically sense) do not detect a threat.

One of the dangers we face in our busy world is becoming numb to these unexplained sensations.  Perhaps we sense them, but we tend to ignore them or lose our trust in them.  I believe it is important to recognize these sensations, tune into them and value them as guides for the things we otherwise cannot see.

I’ve had a great example of this over the past few months.  Being out of work, my singular focus has been to find a job.  Obviously, I wouldn’t settle for just any job.  I wanted one that was inspiring, that represented my interests and values, that I believed would provide our family with more opportunity.  I set out to create a company that would do just that.  Through a lot of hard work, research and feedback from dozens of people, I created the memory concept.  I was thrilled about it because it fulfilled a personal dream of capturing and organizing Packaw’s life stories.   But things weren’t quite right.  The people who were excited about investing weren’t skilled technology investors.  The enthusiasm I expressed for the concept was not echoed with all of those whom I trust.  It was as if the concept was not in harmony with the things around it.  Of course, I was so dedicated to the concept because of my passion for the idea and my immediate need to get a paycheck that it made me almost numb to the sensations that were being broadcast around me.  It took the dropping out of the largest investor to force my awareness of these sensations and to look more objectively at the opportunity.  The concept was spot on, but something just wasn’t right with the business strategy.  When I began to have a different conversation, a different perspective with those around me about the concept, the right business strategy became rapidly evident.  Now when I share the updated strategy with those whom I trust and respect, I’m met with equal or more enthusiasm.  Business opportunities like partnerships, interest from key employees and potential investors are happening more rapidly and without effort.  The original concept with the updated business strategy has now reached a level of harmony that I never felt in previous months.  As with all things in nature, things ultimately work themselves out.  Had I pursued the previous business strategy, the company might still have been successful, but I’m certain the road would have been much more difficult than the one that I’m following now.

Remember that your life path is determined by billions of little decisions.  Each of those decisions is influenced by your individual objectives, the surrounding circumstances, your experience, state of mind, etc.  Just remember that your intuition and the unexplained sensations you feel are also helpful guides in steering you in the right direction.  Based on my philosophy, you will ultimately end up getting there eventually because harmony happens.  It is just a matter of how long and difficult the path will be.  By listening to all of your built-in resources, you’ll discover the most direct and painless path that exists.

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You can find out more about Benjamin Zander here.