Driving test

Arggh, the blogger posting site is acting weird again, so it's just plain text from now on...again!

I passed my driving test last Friday, on 7/8/9 (nice numbers eh?). It was my second time taking the test and for those who had done it before, I'm sure you'll agree that driving test makes one a nervous wreck. I felt more relieved that happy after I'm over and done with it because I've promised my gf that I would pass once she passed. She passed...so the promise had to be fulfilled.

How much did I spend for that piece of elusive paper?

2.2k!! A total of 1 PDL renewal, 33 driving lessons, 2 tests and other misc. fees chalk up that astronomical sum. Okay, exaggerating a bit here. Considering that the license is a one time affair, 2.2k is a fair price to pay to be able to drive for life. Imagine those membership that you have to pay every year of your life...this is in the very okay range. Still, I can't help it that I could have used this amt to do a lot more useful things.

One of the things that people asked me after I passed is: when am I getting a car? I'm going to use my own 2 kahs for a longer period of time still, because I've got more pressing matters to attend to. If I ever get one, it'll be budgeted at 30k, and I'm not budging too far off that figure. There are some changes in my plan as plenty of months had passed since I first muse over the thought of getting myself a set of wheels. Got to put on hold for that one.

I reflected that there are some very good lessons in driving that can be applied to other areas in my life:


1. To succeed, you need to visualise and plan your success.

Since I last failed, I've been visualizing my passing. How? I visualize myself right from the start of the tester calling my name in the waiting room to eventually turning into the centre and getting the results. Though I've taken the test only twice, I've mentally taken the test don't know how many zillion times. The driving lessons are not exactly cheap, so I've been doing my mental driving lessons a few times every week and once before every real driving lessons.

In life, there are many possible variables. Your job is to reduce or eliminate those variables.


2. Shouting out to the universe what you want

I literally said aloud to myself that I'm going to pass this time round. What follows is nothing short of a series of miraculous coincidences. Amazing...this universe can hear your voice and echo it back to you. Believe it or not.


3. Join a competitive sport in school, it's more useful in life

Huh? What's this? I remembered this when laksa and a few others are debating on uniformed group as ECA (now called CCA) versus competitive sport. I joined competitive sport before and all the stress before the big match comes in. Your mind starts wandering into pessimistic scenarios, and when it does, your body will follow. That is the time to apply the correct breathing techniques, semi-meditation, semi-self hypnosis to induce a feeling of confidence and optimism in yourself so as to ease the pressure and stress before the big match. You need to feel relax, but it's easier said than done.

I'm glad I knew how to handle this kind of performance anxiety stress. I've seen a few others in the waiting room handling theirs. Some girls look so stressed up that they are willing to give up when the tester called their names.


4. If shit hits you, move on. If more shit hits you, still keep moving on.

I was getting into fights with my driving instructor the first time round. I can't stand his attitude and I still can't stand it now. However, I'm very amazed how he can forget about all the negativity and pretend nothing had gone on and still do his job. In the past, when I'm angry, I tend to focus on the angry stuffs but I had since learnt from my instructor how to move on.