Across much of the world, passing a driving test and getting a driver's license is something of a rite of passage – a thing that allows individuals to take on a more autonomous and hands-on role in life.

While arranging a driving test booking is one thing, however, actually passing the test is frequently a more complicated matter altogether – and many people find themselves having to repeat their driver’s test several times before they actually do pass and are able to hit the open road on their own.

One of the most important things when going for your driving test is getting your mindset right so that you can put your best foot forward, and reduce potential distractions and complications.

Here are some tips on the mindset you should approach a driving test with.

Try not to set an expectation for the outcome

Obviously, when you go for your driving test you want to pass. Why else would you be taking the test in the first place?

Paradoxically, though, trying to go into your driving test without a set expectation for the outcome may actually be one of the best ways of helping to increase your chances of passing.

Many people get so worked up with the desire to pass their driving test, that the test itself seems to become a major obstacle – and stress, anxiety, and distraction will skyrocket as a result.

In this kind of situation, it can easily end up happening that you make mistakes in your driving test that you didn’t make when you were simply driving with your instructor, purely as a result of how invested in the outcome you are.

Try to be relaxed about whether you pass or fail – at least, as much as you reasonably can be.

Aim for relaxed awareness

Ideally, when you take a driving test, you’ll want to be in a state of relaxed awareness.

In other words, you’ll want to be calm and relaxed enough that you’re not going to be overly self-conscious, or fail to notice things in your surroundings, but you also want to be aware enough that you are not making careless mistakes.

Among other things, getting a good night’s sleep before your driving test and trying some calming breathing exercises beforehand may help you to get into that state of relaxed awareness, so that you have the best chance of performing as well as possible.

Practice enough beforehand so that the right habits kick in

Generally speaking, you only want to go in for your driving test when you are comfortable enough with driving that you don’t have to analyse your actions too much when on the road.

Making sure that you practice enough beforehand so that the right habits are in place can really help you to perform better under pressure, and to be a safer driver as well.

If in doubt, consult with your driving instructor and use your own intuition to get a feeling for whether or not you are ready for your test.