I’ve now spent the better part of the past month and a half preparing for the FAR section of the CPA Exam and it is simply draining. I’ve studied an insane amount of time the last 6 weeks and the only reason Im able to stay awake is because of Rogers corny, but fantastic jokes.
Each and every morning I get up before work to study and Im starting to wonder if its all worth it. Some days I find myself really contemplating whether or not its worth it. All the hours I’ve spent studying, all the activities and events that I’ve missed and all the fun I used to have is now being ignored so that I can get those three letters at the end of my name CPA. And then I dig deeper and realize, Im just afraid of failing the exam.
We’ve all experienced it fear of failure. But, failure isn’t the end all, be all. Fear doesn’t need to define us. The thought of failure is the reason we should brush ourselves off and get back up! I dont even remember the number of times that I’ve gone to sleep feeling defeated because I wasn’t able to comprehend all of the material that I had planned on completing during the day. Or the amount of times I’ve slammed my laptop shut out of frustration from scoring in the 40s on sections that I’ve repeated several times.
Then I remember that the CPA Exam is a marathon. There will be days, if not weeks, where I’ll have a really tough time. Studying for the CPA Exam reminds me of training for the Spartan Racing Events. Some days I’m just not really into it and some days its difficult to train because of how sore my mind and body feels. Its during these moments that progress is made. I know that the sense of joy and accomplishment I will feel with each and every passing score will greatly outweigh all the negative feelings and thoughts I had on my way getting there. It is for this very reason that my answer is always YES. Yes, it is worth it!
For those of you struggling with your CPA Exam studies, just remember that youre not alone. There are others who are or have been in your situation. Keep pushing through; itll be worth it in the end.
Happy Studying!
– Chris Boate, guest blogger for Roger CPA Review