There will undoubtedly be times when you are not motivated to study. However, if you are disciplined, even on an off day, you will not skip your GRE preparation. In other words, discipline matters more than motivation.

All GRE students occasionally have a bad day. Maybe it was a long day at work. Maybe you're mentally drained. Maybe your last study session didn’t go well, and you’re feeling discouraged. You may even ask yourself, “Does one day off really matter?”

The answer you need to give yourself in that moment is yes, one day matters. Because if you give in to that mindset once, it becomes easier to do it again. And before you know it, the occasional missed day becomes a pattern. Your progress stalls, and you start to lose momentum. The more consistently you study, even if only for a short session, the more you reinforce the habits that lead to success.

When motivation is low, push yourself to study even if it’s the last thing you want to do. You don’t need to commit to a full session. Even 20 or 30 minutes of focused work can keep your momentum going and preserve your sense of progress. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to stay consistent.

The key takeaway is this: discipline is a skill you build. And as you build it, motivation often catches up. You start to feel better about your progress. You begin to see results. That progress fuels your desire to keep going.

So, on those days when studying feels difficult, remind yourself why you’re doing this. Remind yourself that consistent effort adds up. Remind yourself that your future self will thank you for showing up today, even when it wasn’t easy.

Discipline strengthens over time. And that discipline can carry you all the way to GRE success.

Reach out to me with any questions about your GRE prep. Happy studying!

Warmest regards,

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep