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My Driver’s License!
Submitted by: B. A.
Campinas - SP, Brazil20 years old, undergraduate student.
The process to get a driver’s license in my country is quite complicated and expensive. After all the mandatory classes, you have to take a theoretical and a practical test. If you fail one of them, it costs a lot to retake it and this ends up making you feel a lot of pressure during the tests.
The first time I did the practical test, I was nervous and not truly believing I would be approved. During the test, the instructor said I didn’t look in the rear view mirror properly when leaving the parking spot. That meant I couldn’t have any more mistakes until the end of the test. But after that, I released my foot from the clutch more than I should have while trying to start driving up on a slope and the motor stopped. I had failed. Having to pay to retake it made me feel really bad and angry. I knew I couldn’t go to the second test feeling this way or everything would go wrong again.
At home I sat in a chair, closed my eyes and began to visualize myself in the car taking the test. It was really hard. Sometimes I imagined the motor would stop because I didn’t control the clutch right or the car would hit the sidewalk while I was parking it or even that I would do everything correctly, but would forget something simple like to signal before making a turn. I knew what was happening because I had read about that in The Secret. There was an example of a man who would imagine himself in his new car, but then his kid would spill soda in it and everything would go wrong. I knew it meant I wasn’t truly believing I could make it. So, I wrote all the steps of the test on a paper and started reading it to imagine it going perfectly. I looked at my hand and its details and imagined myself holding my driver’s license. I noticed I was feeling way more confident. I tried to sit in the chair again to visualize the test without reading. It went perfectly! I could already feel all the relief and excitement I would feel when I was approved. I repeated this exercise three more times and I also practiced driving with friends before going to the test.
The second test didn’t go perfectly. I signaled that I would park later than I should have and the instructor complained a bit, but considered it. I pressed the accelerator before completely releasing my foot from the clutch twice and the car made a noise, but he didn’t even notice. Then before the last turn, the motor stopped because I didn’t control the clutch right. This last mistake he counted but it was the only one he counted. You are allowed to make one mistake, except the ones considered severe mistakes by the law. So, he approved me!! I couldn’t believe it, I was so happy and relieved! I felt exactly how I felt during my visualization! I believe my fear interfered in the test a little, but it was nothing compared to the power of the good feelings and energy I sent during the visualization. It worked. I am so grateful. Thank you!