Keeping Revision Simple. My Ultimate Revision Blog – Tips & Advice
Keep It Simple Stupid – KISS your revision.
I get carried away and can tell you so many revision tips and exercises that work and that will transform your revision.
But if I did – then overwhelm would take over (and I know that happens without me trying to help you).
I want to simplify it.
If you like my style & what you have read, then you will love what I’ve created for you! ‘Your Ultimate Revision Guide’.
It gives you a plan for the 30 days before your exam so that you stay motivated, increase your confidence and revise in ways that actually help you pass the exam (that’s the point – right?!)
Today’s blog I wanted to talk to you about Revision.
‘Your Ultimate Revision Guide’ gives you a structure to follow, plus tools that work, like a revision plan and positive post it’s.
This blog is all about being ‘Your Ultimate Revision Blog’
The key factors that make the difference between painful, overwhelming revision and fun, motivating and most importantly focused revision that works!
One of my coaching styles is to spell things out.
You guys are far too busy working, revising, and trying to juggle having a social and family life in between to want to read a blog for an hour.
So, I have spelt out, in the best way I know, the revision must have’s!
The 8 key components of revision that you need!
Ready for some R.E.V.I.S.I.O.N. ?! {Told you I would spell it out!}
Resits
Exam Practise
View
Improvement
Structure
Identify
Objective
Nerves
Resits
Let me start by saying – you are in great company if you’re sitting your resit ?
AND yes you are still a great Accountant!
It really is not the end of the world if you are resitting. As long as you learn and improve from it, then please don’t let it hold you back or bring negative vibes to your revision.
These are the 3 best things about having a re-sit
- Remember you have done this before – this is a good thing! You are more knowledgeable than you think – please remember that!
- You’re not starting from scratch. Yes you are missing some understanding, but that just means you need to structure your revision in a way that covers the sub topics in ways you need to remember and recall.
- Treat this like a new exam – don’t be negative and hold on to the past.
If you are sitting a re-sit, then I need you to focus on reading the question in a smarter way, coming to an answer quicker (this takes exam practise) and being laser focused on knowing exactly what you have to do to pass this exam (see the summary on the exam syllabus)
If it makes you feel any better, I took many re-sits… and I qualified!
? I also took my driving test twice before I passed – the best drivers take their test twice – right?! ?
Exam Practise (inc mocks)
Practise, practise, practise!
This is one of the biggest coaching phrases I shout about!
I say this because I didn’t practise exam questions enough and I know this is what held me back and extended the time I took to qualify.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing right?!
I’m not going to tell you how to practise exams, because it’s obvious?!
But my coaching words of wisdom are “Be smarter at the end of the exam paper than you were at the start!”
By that I mean, be able to answer that exam question better next time you attempt it.
Three tips for exam practise that I NEED you to follow
? Complete exam questions in full exam conditions (to time and with no notes)
? Complete 3-5 mock papers (in exam conditions)
? Practise in the way your exam is! I.e if you’re writing your exam- always practise writing. If you’re exam is online – always practise online.
Exam practise works when done consistently, and for weeks (not the week) before exam. Use your revision plan to get consistent positive results and pass that mock before the exam.
View (perspective)
I always say you will not pass the exam if you only have knowledge.
You need a good level of knowledge and a good mindset.
The view you have, sets you up for revision success or failure.
The words and stories you tell yourself on a daily basis dictate how you view the world.
I need you to commit to your revision phase for exam success, and that means commit to a positive view!
“Yes you are going to pass this exam!”
“Yes, I am a great accountant!”
“I love the revision phase!”
Your view dictates
? your motivation
? your focus
? your success
Change your view so you soak up as much positive energy, motivation, focus and determination to have an excellent revision phase … which will lead to revision success … and exam success!
Improvement
Improvements build confidence, and that it super important for your revision success!
Improvement also causes momentum, and that is GOLD when it comes to revision, because we need to keep going and build to improve every week – right?!
With every revision slot I need you to – learn and improve – be smarter at the end of the revision session than you were at the start!
How to improve with every week of revision
⭐ Set goals & rewards
⭐ Track your results – exam questions, mock results, revision time
⭐ Build up your confidence levels
Consistent, positive, focused revision slots will give you improvements every week. Start early enough (4-6 weeks before exam) and you have set yourself up for positive revision improvement!
Structure
We are practical accountants, fact and figures are the core to our happiness and career path!
We love structure, and it helps to motivate and focus our actions.
The best structure you can have is a revision plan.
Successful revision comes from knowing what structure you need and implementing it.
⭐ Revision plan – number one revision tool
⭐ Other items in your toolkit – positive post it notes
KEY POINT – Structure comes from consistency, small regular revision slots.
Please focus on the structure that works for you, not what others are doing. This is your revision and you need to be self centred, motivated and confident. The structure you choose has to be based on what works for you.
Identify
Each exam is different.
I need you to spend some time identifying what Mr CIMA (or Mr ACCA) wants you to do, say and know in order to pass this specific exam!
How to identify this?!
⭐ Exam syllabus (especially the summary)
⭐ Previous examiners analysis (He is spelling out what he wants and doesn’t want that students are doing! (Golden nuggets!)
⭐ Articles on CIMA/ACCA website – Again golden nuggets!!
⭐ Know the specific subtopics (obvs use the syllabus guide online)
Then breakdown the subtopics into excellent, good, weak areas.
☝️ WHY ☝️
Because I want you to structure your revision to be covering the whole syllabus and knowing your excellent and weak areas will focus your revision and make you smarter & more confident!
Objective
There are 2 objectives I want you to focus on.
Firstly – PAST – Why you started this amazing qualification.
Secondly – PRESENT – What are you doing & why.
Ask yourself …
What’s the point of revision for you?
What do you want to get out of it?
How do you want to feel the night before the exam?
Oh and also, be objective and remember these are only accounting exams, they are not the end of the world – no one is going to die if you fail, you won’t loose your job (ok, you might, but it doesn’t matter cos you’ll get a new one).
Your objective gives you the positive outlook and focus you need for successful revision!
Nerves
Yes, nerves are a bitch!
They are feelings that are wasting your energy, consuming your mind, distracting you from revision, and making you feel like a rubbish accountant! (which you’re so not by the way!)
So what can you do today to turn down the volume on them?!
⭐ Read your positive post-its out loud!
⭐ Go to the mirror and have a word with yourself and your nerves … ask them to “ssshhh!!” Or “Shut the F up!”
⭐ Distract yourself for 2 minutes with something you love – singing, walking, dancing, eating (my personal fav). But then promise me you’ll get back to your revision for 10 minutes!
Nerves are a very natural part of your Accounting journey… and I’m glad they are there, because that means you care and this means something to you!
Good – we need that commitment and determination!
If your nerves are really bad – take a peak at my blog on Confidence from last month.
Summary
That’s my take on REVISION!
A bit of a summary, with some tips and lots of coaching advice to give you all you need for an excellent revision session.
Use this month to plan and structure your revision in a way that works for YOU!
Revision can be fun by the way!
Plus wouldn’t it feel great if you passed a mock (or two) before your exam?!
Oh! And wouldn’t it be amazing if you felt super confident and prepared the day before your exam… ready to smash that exam and see the words ‘PASS’!
Yes, you can! Yes, you will.
All I want to encourage you to do is write a revision plan, stick to it and build up a strong mindset as well as a strong knowledge base!
Have a great week!
P.S – Here’s the link again for ‘Your Ultimate Revision Guide’
P.P.S – As always if you are struggling with any revision or confidence bits, please reach out and contact me. I am here to help and support you! Email (hello@prettysuccessfulcareers.co.uk and Linkedin