Yes, it’s Superman, strange visitor from another planet, who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel in his bare hands, and who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way. – The Adventures of Superman
In her recent book, Super-Better, Jane McGonigal considers the notion that life’s challenges can be vanquished by turning them into a video game with these seven steps:
1. Challenge yourself.
2. Collect and activate power-ups.
3. Find and battle the bad guys.
4. Seek out and complete quests.
5. Recruit your allies.
6. Adopt a secret identity.
7. Go for an epic win.
2. Collect and activate power-ups.
3. Find and battle the bad guys.
4. Seek out and complete quests.
5. Recruit your allies.
6. Adopt a secret identity.
7. Go for an epic win.
We are talking about you, Super-man or -woman, disguised as a mild mannered law student at a great Silicon Valley university.
In our story, from the moment you sit down to study for the Bar each day your horn-rimmed glasses and brief case (backpack I probably should say) fall to the floor along with your concerns, doubts, anxieties and distractions. You allow the muscles of your mind and spirit to swell and a vigorous sense of purpose to envelop you. Despite anything else that is going on in your busy life, you are dialed in – what’s ahead of you in the next few hours is pure – you are it and it is you. It is not an anxiety-producing threat. Instead, it is a challenge to be conquered with your unique talents and attributes. You are ready to show up and show out.
Where are these powers coming from? Who knows? There is no scientific rationale, no randomized controlled study.
But there IS one thing that all superheroes have in common. Whether it’s Bruce Wayne donning the black hood and cape, Dinah Lane morphing into Black Canary, or Peter Parker transforming into Spider Man, all superheroes share one thing – faith in themselves.
To be sure, saving the world on a daily basis takes a ton of energy and, I bet, practice, not to mention the wardrobe changes. But could you seriously shoot webs out of your wrists, leap tall buildings in a single bound, or rely on your bionic powers without a little self-confidence?
Look at it from my perspective for a minute, that of a lawyer with over 40 years of practice behind him. During my entire time teaching at Santa Clara, I have never met a student who I didn’t think had what it takes to pass the Bar Exam. Not one! But you gotta believe it to achieve it – right?
So, drop the mild-mannered persona at least once a day, muscle up and get to work giving your Bar Exam super-powers a workout: your essay-writing wings, your Performance Test genius, and your superhuman speed and agility with multiple-choice questions. After all, once you pass this thing, you’ll have the world to change. (And don’t worry about the cape and tights. Since this is our story, let’s make them optional.)
