Adopting a Success Attitude
REFRAMING NEGATIVE SELF-TALK ABOUT EXAMS
Have you ever said anything negative to yourself before taking an exam? Thoughts are powerful — they can influence how you perform. To positively affect your performance, let’s practice reframing negative thoughts about exams into thoughts that reflect optimism, hope, personal responsibility, and empowerment.
Read each negative thought, and then use the categories provided to create a more positive thought. The next time a negative thought about an exam creeps into your mind, see if you can reframe it as a positive thought.
Negative thought: Pessimistic
“I don’t think I’ll do well on this exam.”
Positive thought: Optimistic
Example: “This exam will be challenging, but I’ll study and do my best.”
1. Negative thought: Blame
“The instructor created an impossible exam!”
2. Negative thought: Inability
“I’ll never be able to memorize all this material!”
3. Negative thought: Victim
“I don’t think the instructor likes me; he’ll probably give me a lower grade than everyone else.
4. Negative thought: Hopeless
“I’m never going to pass this exam! Why even study?”
5. Negative thought: Crisis
“My life will be ruined if I flunk this test!”