How an Olympic mindset can bring students exam success
Sitting an exam can be one of the most important performances in a child’s life – and the way to succeed may be to adopt the mindset of an Olympic athlete.
The link between sporting success and acing exams is all about creating the right frame of mind to perform well, explains sport and exercise psychologist Dr Geoff Lovell.
Lovell, who was the psychologist for the Team GB rowing team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and has coached athletes across every summer Olympic and Paralympic Games since 1996, says: “You can look at an exam as a performance situation, and that’s what we do in sport – we’re trying to achieve peak performances when it matters.
“So the parallels between academia and sport are quite marked.”
The psychologist, who’s currently working with athletes preparing for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games this summer, explains that the parallels include how athletes or students prepare for either a sporting event or an exam, how they manage their emotions, and how they execute the performance.
Preparation
Lovell, who’s teamed up with tutor platform GoStudent to help young people achieve exam success, says: “For exams, it’s about the preparation you put in beforehand – exactly the same as sport.
“So a swimmer isn’t going to rock up to the Commonwealth Games having done no training, and think they’re going to perform well. It’s how you structure your preparation, starting sufficiently back from the exams so you’ve got time to really develop your understanding of the material so you feel completely prepared.”
Quality revision
In a similar way to a runner doing ‘junk miles’ (filler miles in a running plan that don’t have a training purpose and can cause fatigue or injury without improving fitness), students need to make sure their revision sessions are good quality, rather than a waste of time, stresses Lovell.
“We don’t just run junk miles,” he says, “we do quality training.
“So in the same way, we do quality revision. Most people can’t do quality revision for 12 hours in one stint, so you’re better off doing it in small chunks that are very purposeful, with a clear understanding of what you’re trying to achieve.”
He recommends breaking study into manageable blocks, working in focused 45-minute sessions, perhaps six a day interspersed with short breaks. “Think of it like running a marathon,” he suggests. “You don’t run 26 miles in one go, you break it into miles – it keeps motivation high and avoids exhaustion.”
He explains that bite-sized training or revision chunks mean athletes and students tend to be more focused.
“If we jump to the neuroscience of learning,” he says, “the deeper you engage with the material, the more likely you’re going to code it to longer-term memory. So if I’m skim reading, or half-watching a video, but I’m not actually processing it, I’m less likely to store it.
“So if I have shorter periods, but I’m more actively involved by doing quizzes, asking myself questions, rewriting my notes, for example, I’m more deeply engaging with the material so I should have more effective learning.”
Write a specific training/revision plan
In the same way athletes would write a training programme, write a specific revision plan, advises Lovell.
“So for each day, you’ve got when you’re going to be doing your studies and what you’re going to be studying,” he says.
“One of the traps we fall into is writing a to-do list, but not writing out when you’re actually going to do it. We’re taking that to-do list to the next level – these are the things I need to revise, and this is when I’m going to get it done.”
Your plan shouldn’t just include revision
Lovell stresses that any training or revision plan needs to be “holistic, balanced and healthy”, pointing out it should reflect the other things a student/athlete needs.
He says he’d always encourage students to exercise, although he advises: “Don’t do any more or less than you’ve done before – stay consistent, but make sure you’re scheduling when you’re going to exercise.”
The same goes for eating, and even doing the chores at home “because you don’t want Mum and Dad getting offside with you for not doing your chores.”
And then, of course, there’s socialising – hopefully not as much as normal during this period, but Lovell stresses: “It’s still important to connect with friends, to take control and schedule it, and that way you’re doing enough socialising to keep you in a positive emotional state.”
Communicate your plan
Parents will worry about their children at this time, and Lovell says it’s important to keep them informed about your training or study plan.
“Mum and Dad’s jobs are to worry during this phase, and when kids are revising upstairs, it’s difficult to know what’s going on,” he points out.
“So if the plan is communicated and it shows you’re getting everything done, and a 15-minute break is part of the schedule, it helps reassure Mum and Dad that you’re on the right path, and then they don’t get stressed.”
Pre-competition/exam phase
Athletes/students need to make sure they’re in the best shape they can be for a competition/exam the next day, says Lovell, but he stresses they shouldn’t do anything differently.
“We certainly wouldn’t suggest athletes to go to bed a lot earlier than normal, because you’ll probably end up going to sleep later than you would do normally. So stick to your normal routine.”
Take control on the big day
One of the things that makes us feel anxious about exams and competition is not knowing what the outcome will be, but the best way to deal with this on the big day, says Lovell, is to “get a plan, get structured, take control”.
This means firming up as many things as possible that are in your control, so planning what time you’ll arrive, and exactly what you’ll do before the exam, just like an athlete’s warm-up routine.
“We’re trying to generate a situation where we’re not losing processing capacity to being worried,” Lovell explains. “Worrying uses up brain space, and you need that brain space for solving exam questions.
“Worrying about the grade will not get you an A. Focusing on your processes and making sure you perform them to the best of your ability will get you the best grade.”
Teachers’ approval
The similarities between preparing for exams and sporting competitions are undeniable, says Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL).
“Parallels with preparations for sport and revision can be pretty helpful, as many of the principles are the same – staying well-rested and hydrated, looking after yourself and eating a healthy diet,” he says.
“Similarly, breaking down revision into manageable blocks with time for breaks and exercise is sensible advice and would be echoed by educators.”
He points out that the weight of exams “can be physically, mentally and emotionally draining,” and stresses: “Our advice to young people who are struggling is not to suffer in silence but to make sure you talk to your teacher as early as possible and get the help you need.”
Geoff Lovell has teamed up with GoStudent to highlight the link between succeeding in sporting events and excelling in exams.
