You remember taking a test on those scantron sheets right?…Those half sheets of paper numbered 1-50 with A-B-C-D-E next to each number that could be graded by a machine.
I was a pretty good student. Studied often enough, and always knew when the test was (except for once in college).
But for all the studying of the material, the thing that could throw me for the biggest loop was the scantron sheet itself.
I would know that the answer to number 22 was A…BUT…I had put A for the previous four answers too. How could any teacher/computer/committee put a test together where there would be 5 CORRECT A’S IN A ROW???!!!!!!! What a stressful nightmare it was to look down at a scantron sheet with that many of the same letter in a row.
Certainly this is a mistake. So now I’m second guessing my certainty not only of question 22 but for the previous four as well. I’m not certain of my answers and performance at all. It now becomes nothing about my test preparation and everything about how my middle school mind thought the powers-that-be put this scantron test together.
So here’s the thing…
The scantron sheet doesn’t care that there have been four A’s in a row.
Your mind wants to look and see a distribution of letters that “makes sense”… but the scantron doesn’t care what the distribution of correct answers is. The scantron sheet doesn’t have a stake in the game at all! The scantron sheet isn’t an actual thing with a say.
Without evening knowing it, you’re looking for the scantron sheet to be what you want it to be on the journey to completing and succeeding on the test. But the scantron sheet has nothing to do with completing and succeeding on the test.
So if you’ve answered A on the last four questions and you know the next one is A too, you need to answer A.
You do the very best you can at the time with the current question and move on and do the same with the next one.
There is no right path or pattern or sequence in this business, so there’s no need to second guess your previous steps or what your gut is telling you while taking the current step.
The music business doesn’t care about the path or pattern or sequence that it’s doling out to you. But every step is indeed a chance to get it right.
So all you have is the next…
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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com