I used to be an NFL fan-boy in my younger days and one of the question I always asked myself was, “how did the great players make it through the NFL draft?” I soon learned that part of that process was passing a very demanding physical and minds tests, the so called Wonderlic test.
Expectations were very high; as the test was said to measure the capacity of problem-solving, the reasoning and the cognitive abilities of the to-be NFL player. All of the particularly talented athletes were concerned about the outcome they would get in the test. It is important to note that the player was not only evaluated based on the results of the test, but the score was also extensively used to compare players against one another.
At the time of its release, the Wonderlic test had 12 questions and the participants were given five minutes to answer them. With each passing year the test changed, becoming more challenging and complete. It started to evaluate other skills as well such as reading comprehension, math skills and so on.
When I was looking for a way to become an NFL player, I got scared. It was said that the Wonderlic test consisted of 50 questions and the time allowed to answer them was 12 minutes. I thought there was no way I could complete the test in such a short time period, because of that I was avoiding the process. But then I decided to give it a shot.
To master the test, I had to focus and restrain my mind. I started to borrow mystery novels, which I used to solve the questions in the time limit. Every day I used to enjoy solving the questions and the improving my time even further. I pursued the practice daily and that made me believe in myself and gave me confidence. I also got some external counseling from professionals in the field.
One of the trickiest parts of the test was guessing the right answer to questions in which I did not understand the exact instructions. I changed my focus from sheer accuracy to quick thinking and gaining speed. I tried to recognize patterns in previous tests and create a strategy that would allow me to complete the test in the allotted time frame. I also streamlined my answers and used process of elimination to avoid multiple wrong responses.
The day of the test arrived and I felt confident. By using the strategies I mentioned previously I managed to complete the test in time. The Wonderlic test evaluating my skills opened doors for me towards a brighter future of becoming an NFL dreamer.
I moved from my home town to my neighboring city and from that day forward, I focused on transforming myself into the best athlete I could be. I improved my body physically, I hit the gym to match the standards of the NFL and also began focusing on my football drills and tactics. I hired professional trainers to make sure I become the best of the best.
I wanted to prove I was better than the average so I invested in my speed, agility and strength. I was also working weary in my diet; I made sure I had more water, ate proteins and natural elements which would help me maintain my level of concentration and build muscle mass.
Each day I felt myself more confident to take on the challenge. I even bought a timer and set myself different tasks I would attempt to complete as fast as possible. I felt I was training both my mind and muscles at the same time. I practiced hard and despite the fact that I was up against some of the top athletes, I was confident I could make the cut.
On my tryout day, I was pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome I received. I had 10 minutes to show my best and then the Wonderlic test was next. I was calm, ready for any questions that came my way. I applied the methods of quick thinking I had learned and managed to finish the test in the required time.
My results were impressive and I had been accepted as an NFL hopeful. From that day on I worked and trained for the best, pushing my body and cultivating my mind in order to turn my football dreams into a reality.