That was fun, right? Now let’s do 100 questions in a row under strict timing.

Just kidding.

Well, I’m kidding about doing it now. But on the official LSAT, you really will have to do 100 problems under strict timing (it’s actually more like 102 to 105).

If that sounds hard... that’s because it is.

The LSAT is hard.

It’s the most challenging test of reading and logic you’ve ever taken in your life. And it should be — lawyers are professional readers and writers. And they’re responsible for solving important problems. One day, your ability to understand complicated laws, to spot gaps in an opponent’s arguments, or to see that the phrase “not lower” doesn’t have to mean “higher” may determine the fate of a billion-dollar business deal, how long your client spends in prison, or who gets custody of Fluffy. So it makes sense that the test designed to gauge your aptitude for reading, logic, and hard work before you get into law school should be challenging.

I don’t say this to scare you — but to prepare you for the journey ahead. You see, if you think the LSAT’s supposed to be easy, you might lose motivation when you don’t improve 20 points in just one month, or when you get the same practice test score 2 or 3 times in a row. You might desperately search for some trick, some secret technique, some combination of essential oils that will unlock your LSAT intuition and align your chakras, only to end up disappointed when those gimmicks don’t work and just leave you with a lavender-scented rash.

But if you recognize the truth — that for all but the most logically talented, the LSAT is hard — then you’ll fully expect these challenges. You’ll understand that improvement takes time. It takes time to see the cookie-cutter patterns of the test. You’ll be prepared for the plateaus and for the moments you get stuck. And by persevering through these setbacks, you’ll get a score you’re happy with.

That’s why the right attitude is — the LSAT is hard. Please don’t underestimate this test.