Page 11 - Failure to Triumph - Journey of A Student

But this time the archer knew the reason behind his perfect aim. He
replied, “Yes Sir, I definitely know why I hit the target. If you want I

can demonstrate hitting the target once again to you.” The Guru
gave his blessings to the archer and told him that he was now ready
for the competition.
A lot of times we practice mock tests and score well, but we are not
completely confident of or satisfied with our preparation just like the

archer in the story. Somewhere inside we know that we do not
completely deserve the marks that we have secured. We feel hollow
from within, we feel we have done well in mock exam because we
had luck on our side or it was a bit of a fluke or perhaps, things
panned out exactly how we had imagined them. If we are scoring
well in mock tests and we know the reason behind our performance

only then can we say that, our preparation was great. A well-
prepared candidate is not nervous and anxious. He has a certain
calmness on his face and a subtle smile that oozes confidence. He
knows his way. Test anxiety cannot affect his performance. He
knows he has to write the test. The act of writing awaits him.

A well-prepared student looks forward to writing the tests. A student
should be like a sailor. A Sailor is always ready to go sailing. He is
not afraid of the depths of the ocean. Similarly, a student should
always be prepared to write his exams. He has to wear his
confidence on his sleeves, put in his time and efforts and go for the

tests, undaunted.

An archer has to work extremely hard to reach an advanced,
professional level. He has to have very steady hands to hold the
bow, (and even more) a steady mind, complete control on his
breathing, proper rhythmic heartbeat, complete focus and
concentration levels at the peak. Only then can he can think about

the shot.

This means that alongside the technical part- shooting the arrow,
one has to acquire several other qualities which may prove to be
more significant than the technical skill. Can any archer hit the target

with shaky hands? Can an anxious archer with shaky hands even