RE: All in the mind...

The key is not to get frustrated. Take a step back and evaluate your
options. When I get stuck on something I like to go for a run, go
flying, or shoot something (preferably something that wont get me into
trouble!). Find something to take your mind off the task you got stuck
on, post a few questions to your favorite forums, and then re-evaluate.
Stepping away from the problem can open your mind to seeing the problem
more clearly. Obviously you can't necessarily take this approach during
the actual lab exam. However, if you get stuck during the lab exam,
don't sit there and waste countless minutes/hours if the question isn't
worth a lot of points. Skip it, and come back to it later. Tackling the
"easy stuff" first is a great approach as long as it fits the lab you're
doing (ie, tasks depended on other tasks). You definitely want to get
all the "easy points" finished in case you run out of time - but if you
use proper time management, you shouldn't run out of time. :)

thanks,
Brad Ellis
CCIE#5796 (R&S / Security)
CCSI# 30482
CEO / President
CCBOOTCAMP - Cisco Learning Partner (CLP)
Email: brad_at_ccbootcamp.com
Toll Free: 877-654-2243
International: +1-702-968-5100
Skype: skype:ccbootcamp?call
FAX: +1-702-446-8012
YES! We take Cisco Learning Credits!
Training And Remote Racks: http://www.ccbootcamp.com

-----Original Message-----
From: nobody_at_groupstudy.com [mailto:nobody_at_groupstudy.com] On Behalf Of
hopalong
Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 1:36 PM
To: Cisco certification
Subject: All in the mind...

Hi

This isn't a technical question...more of a mindset problem!

When I start doing a lab and something in the first few crucial
questions
backfires, I start to panic, get frustrated and then then get angry with
myself. This of course snowballs the longer the problem goes on, in to
more
frustration, more anger and a completely cr_at_p state of mind which makes
the
troubleshooting the initial problem so much harder and well a Catch-22
situation which is really hard to recover from.

In other exam situations I have always headed for a nice easy question
first
to get points under my belt and get a good feeling for the harder stuff.
But
that can't be done here.

I don't suffer from lack of confidence or experience of labs :(( - does
anyone have any good coping strategies for not getting wound up in the
first
hour or so when things go wrong? Or should I just get so fast that I can
spend the first hour in the loo.....

Blogs and organic groups at http://www.ccie.net
Received on Tue Apr 28 2009 - 13:41:32 ART