Do you have the level of commitment Brianna Hill had to passing the bar exam? She is the
woman who took the Illinois bar exam while in labor, gave birth, then finished the exam from
the hospital and passed. Her story was all over the news in 2020.


Ok, Brianna Hill’s bar exam experience is extreme but it does drive the point home. The level of
commitment required to pass the bar exam is no joke. I don’t know Brianna Hill personally, but
how she handled her bar exam experience and labor says it all. She was not letting ANYTHING
get in the way of passing the bar exam — not even labor.


Who is trying to pass the bar exam without the level of commitment required? Being
committed to passing the bar exam means doing everything within your power, no matter
what. It doesn’t mean we study when it is convenient or when we don’t have anything else
going on. It doesn’t mean we only study when we want to. It doesn’t mean we study only on
the weekends because during the week we work too much. It doesn’t mean we only study after
taking care of everyone else’s needs first because we are a parent or spouse.


Being committed to passing the bar exam means making the bar exam your number one
priority in life for several weeks. This is the hardest part sometimes.


I understand. This was one area where I went wrong the first time. I wasn’t committed to
passing. I tried to study for the bar exam without making adjustments to my lifestyle. I tried to
work full-time and study. I tried to carry on with my family commitments and social life.
Unfortunately, I learned the hard way that it wasn’t possible, and I didn’t pass.


I am convinced that many people are struggling to pass the bar exam not because the
performance test or the real property questions are hard. They are struggling to pass because
they aren’t fully committed to passing despite saying they are.


I like to compare passing the bar to getting washboard abs. Even though I don’t have
washboard abs, I realize that getting washboard abs is not hard (assuming you are in good
health). The hard part is the level of commitment required to eat low carbs or count macros.


The hard part is committing to eat steamed broccoli and plain chicken breasts for weeks at a
time. The hard part is cutting out carbs and counting macros. The hard part is meal prepping for
the week so as to not end up ordering take out. The hard part is going to bed early so you can
wake up well rested the next day to work out despite it being hard.


People with washboard abs are willing to do things the rest of us aren’t. Just like successful bar
exam takers are willing to do things struggling bar exam takers aren’t.

Right about now is a great time to think about your level of commitment to passing the bar
exam. If you have been putting other things and people first, you are still in time to course
correct.


To help you stay committed to passing the bar exam, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Am I practicing enough MPT’s even though they take a long time?

2. Am I am setting up proper boundaries with others during this time? Am I saying “NO” to
people and things that won’t help me get closer to passing the bar exam? Or does
saying “no” make me feel guilty and selfish?

3. Am I practicing enough self-care by eating healthy meals and exercising so I am not
emotionally and physically drained when the bar exam comes along?

4. Am I studying during my most productive hours or am I doing a load of laundry, washing
dishes, or going out for a run first?

5. Am I distracted on social media and other sites? What tools can I use to keep me
focused and on track?

6. Am I skipping some family and social functions or is the fear of missing out too
overpowering?

7. Am I taking the time it takes to learn the rules I don’t know well or am I studying them
superficially to cover more ground and simply going through the motions?


The good news is there is no way I won’t get washboard abs if I eat steamed broccoli and
chicken breast every day. Just like there is no way you won’t pass if you remain committed to
passing.

Register for my FREE Training, How to Finally Pass the Bar Exam, using this link.

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