How Pessimism Can Boost Your GMAT Score — A Step-by-Step Guide

Today I heard something very interesting while listening to a speech by author, investor, and general crazy person Tim Ferriss. While it is nice to hear him echo what I’ve always said about “imagine the worst that could happen”— –that is, imagine that you never prep, “fail” the GMAT, and don’t get into the school … Read More

How to Turn Your GMAT Anxiety into a Source of Exam Power

Athletes, musicians, and other top performers all understand how to control their emotional states under pressure. This is a make-or-break ability to develop in your GMAT prep, and it is sadly lacking in most GMAT courses. That is not to say that you have to be perfectly calm—in fact, a certain amount of nervousness makes … Read More

The Hidden Key to GMAT Preparation

“The secret is reps, reps, reps.” –Arnold Schwarzenegger “Whether in sports, running the same drills over and over, or in business practicing a sales pitch or refining a presentation, we gain through preparation a sense of mastery and self-confidence that can be taken into the real game.” –Joe Montana The key to success on the … Read More

How to Eliminate Failure in Your GMAT Prep

Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to commit yourself to anything and get it done? Wouldn’t you like to be able to complete on things that you claim you’ll do? Why don’t those things happen? A simple answer, says author Tim Ferriss in his landmark book The Four-Hour Body, is Human Nature. There are … Read More

Not Progressing Fast Enough?

Something that I always say to students who come to me is that attitude is one of the most important features of your GMAT prep. Over the years, I have noticed that those who treat their prep with an air of fun or curiosity tend to be those who do the best. This is hardly … Read More

The Master Key to GMAT Success – Part 1

Unfortunately many people spend lots of energy finding excuses NOT to do the work necessary for GMAT success. It’s easier to blame other things, but if you chronically have trouble finding the time to study, making your coaching sessions, or otherwise figuring out ways to get better–as slowly as that might come–then there is no … Read More

How Hiring a Troll Accelerates Your GMAT Preparation

Huh? I promise, it will make sense soon enough. As we’ve been discussing often recently, my years spent tutoring GMAT in London have taught me a lot about high performers and their reactions to the GMAT exam. Trust me, Fear and Anxiety are two of the biggest obstacles for even the most prepared GMAT taker. … Read More

What’s Preventing You from Reaching Your GMAT Goals…

It’s simple: information is not useful; transformation is. Recently, I was listening to a speech by one of my favourite business authors, Michael Ellsberg. Ellsberg relates the story of how his personal battles with bipolar disorder—severe mania and severe depression–were exacerbated by a poor diet. Doctors told Ellsberg that he was severely sensitive to changes … Read More

The Most Difficult GMAT Problem to Overcome?

First off, sorry for the long delay in blog posts. Constantly working with my awesome students and devising new plans of attack in both business and the test prep world, I have let the blog slip a little bit. However, a couple of things have happened this week that have made me rethink my position … Read More