Q: Dear @life.coach.lawyer, I am about to start law school. What advice do you have for first-year law students?

A: I loved law school. I thought it was fun and, for the most part, easy (minus finals). This motto was a key component in my success. If you want to love your law school experience, have a healthy mindset and learn as much as possible, I recommend releasing some of the pressure you are putting on yourself to have perfect straight A’s. Let me break down the science of this:

Neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman states that errors actually enhance learning. He says to aim for about 85% accuracy with an expectation of failing about 15% of the time for optimal learning. The good news is that everything in law school is on a curve, meaning there is built-in room for error. So, if you set your goal to learn about 85% of the information rather than aiming for perfection, you will likely absorb more, retain more, and still get a good grade—maybe even an A.

My final piece of advice—which applies to everyone—is to take lots of deep breaths. Learn to regulate your nervous system, and you will be able to approach every challenge with clarity and courage.

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