Trailblazer Mindset: What I Wished I Knew Before I Started the Admin Super Set

When (not if!) you have read the Salesforce Superbadge Help documents, one section may stand out:

Superbadges are skills-based, domain-level credentials that allow Trailblazers to demonstrate their real-world skills. Trailblazers earn superbadges by applying their existing knowledge to tackle a series of hands-on challenges in superbadge units that test their Salesforce prowess in a given subject.

When I first started with my Admin Super Set journey, I was confused why the superbadges weren’t more like a comprehensive final exam.? It wasn’t until one of my colleagues, Colleen Esper Negron , explained part of the “real-world skills” and “applying existing knowledge” is that you understand you don’t know everything. That conversation opened up a whole new perspective as I continued my Admin Super Set Journey.??

Sometimes I didn’t know what the next right step should be and I have been thankful for the guidance and support from my fellow Ohana members along the way.? Shoutout to Kate Henson who helps me recognize no matter where we are in the journey, we can help others. I wanted to take some time here to share my insights so hopefully it can help someone along their journey.??

Get in the right mindset, and have all the tools you can use to succeed.

Be one with your unconscious

What thoughts/impressions did you come to the computer with?? Like I mentioned earlier, as an educator for over 15 years I had a certain set of lenses I was looking at this “test” through. I had to challenge what I always “knew” and look at things from a different perspective.? I had to make sure I put on my Salesforce Admin glasses and used those lenses.? When you change the perspective,? the problems look less emotional and more like a puzzle.?

If possible, print out the Use Case.??

The first thing I always did was? to draw a? line of where I could “check” my work. By breaking it into parts, the superbadge didn’t seem as overwhelming.? Being able to “chunk it up” helps make the task manageable. Allow yourself a mini completion prize or use those stopping points as a place for a natural break.

Write on it! Underline or highlight the important information you need to do. Take notes of what you did.? If you got it right, you can review your notes to help study for your exam. If you didn’t get it right, you can remember what you did so you can go back and change things.

You learn best when you connect to something in three ways: Physical, Mental and Emotional.??

Physical: You are going through the motions in your org. You are creating? “muscle memory” of how to do things and physically seeing the pages that you are on to do it.

Mental:? Challenge what you know, or what you can gain from looking in the right places to find what you need.

Emotional: You will ride an emotional rollercoaster in this Admin Super Set.? However, when you get emotional, just remind yourself these feelings will help you remember!? I will NEVER forget that darn little checkbox moving forward…

SO MANY CATS!

In our study group we meet weekly to keep each other on track (and sane in the process).? In one of our meetings, Hala Salama talked about how this Admin Super Set is like a bunch of cats. Cats can look cute/harmless and will come up to you for pets and cuddles, but then out of nowhere they start biting and being feisty animals.

When you first look over the Admin Super Set you tell yourself, ok just 3 superbadges… I can do that!? However, as Marlena Schutz pointed out, there are superbadges within superbadges within superbadges. Get ready for little hidden cats around every corner (some are kittens, momma cats, daddy cats and big grandma cats). Take note that when you think you are just one away, there might be a whole family of cats waiting for you.?

My best help and guidance for Superset Trailblazers is to stay within your limits – but to look around for clues!

ALWAYS read the Help article before you start.

Reading these before helps with a quick refresher and focus on the area you are working on.? No matter if you were on trailhead, cleaning your house, or binge-watching your favorite show – you need to get your brain focused on the task at hand.

Stuck?? Look at the help they give you (there’s a few hidden clues).

At the top of the superbadge there are two sections to help you pinpoint even more what you should be doing.? Use those for “starting points” if you get stuck.??

• What You'll Be Doing to Earn This Superbadge
• Concepts Tested in This Superbadge

If you check the section and you get the red error message, first take a deep breath then read what it tells you. The error message helps where it first hit a mistake – so go back to where the error is in the Use Case and retrace your steps (it’s usually something silly and little you missed… like a darn check box).

Check along the way, and don’t wait until the end.

That way if you missed something and you have to “undo” things, you don’t feel like you “wasted” too much time. You can check your work at each checkpoint as shown in the superbadge, as Salesforce has predetermined steps in each superbadge.? You can check at each checkpoint, and you don’t have to wait until you have finished the entire Use Case.

Sometimes each checkpoint has multiple steps inside. If that is the case, they will have different error messages for that checkpoint. You can always check at the checkpoint to see if the error message shows you completed the first step so you can move to the second step within that same checkpoint.

Don’t cheat…?

You know that that means because you have to test on it, or agree to it every time you start.? The Admin Super Set is not supposed to be easy - it’s supposed to challenge many aspects of you. It’s not about how quickly you can do it, but how hard you worked at doing it right. Like Rachel Feres has said, employeers will notice the difference when they talk with you, They will be able to tell if you pushed through it, or found an easy way around it.

Show your TENACITY by keeping at it.? Sometimes your job as a Salesforce Admin isn’t going to be easy, but this Admin Super Set also gives you the skill of tenacity (I really do wish we got a tenacity badge with confetti…).

Give it some TIME.

Sometimes I was just quicker to check if I was right than Salesforce was saving it on the back end.? Because of this, sometimes I would see an error message even if all of my work was correct (enter all the emotions here, then deep breath). However, I noticed sometimes the computer just had to catch up and think about things.? Technology needs time to think and communicate sometimes too!?

Go at YOUR pace.? If you get inspired by challenges and need to complete them all as quickly as possible – then do it! However, I am going to give you this word of advice – take the Trailhead Module “The Value of Sleep” before so you also know how important sleep is!? On the flip side, if you do better with short bursts of focus time then do that way. Part of this journey is learning about YOU along the way.?

CELEBRATE when you finish!

No matter how you celebrate the victories in your life, just make sure you celebrate!

• Eat celebratory food (did someone say ice cream?)
• Sharing with your Ohana or the Salesforce Ohana
• Go on a cruise and scream from the prow of the ship - I AM THE KING/QUEEN OF THE ADMIN SUPER SET!!! (A reason to go on a cruise… you don’t have to convince me!)?

It’s important to keep moving forward and learning more.? However, please look around and reflect how far you have come in your journey!? Be proud of your tenacity to get you to where you are today! Sometimes this journey might feel like one step forward and two steps back – but keep pushing on.? There will be days you end up walking a mile and didn’t even realize it.? Remember that along this journey you aren’t alone – use your resources and support wisely, and welcome to the #SalesforceOhana!??#AdminSuperSet