If Not Now, When Do You Plan to Take the CPA Board Exams?
Many Accounting students and graduates told me that they want to become a CPA someday. Many are excited just at the thought of it but when its time to do the work, when its time to take the CPA board seriously, many people failed to follow through. In fact, I know of several people who even reviewed twice on 2 review centers only to back out again to take the board when it is time.
Why is this so? Why do people tend to delay taking the CPA exams?
Two devils are at work here – Mr. Procrastination (Mr. P) and Dr. Fear O’ Losing (Dr. FOL).
1. Mr. Procrastination strikes those who are still young and new in this field. You new graduates normally fall prey to Mr. P. His strategy is to advice you to work first and get experience, then just take the board after. You will think that you need to prepare more while working but once you put it off, you will never prepare yourself at all. You will be so engrossed with work, you won’t be able to find time to review and time will just fly away faster than you think.
When you meet Mr. P, he will convince you that there is enough time in this world to take the board exams. He whispers in your ear that you should take time for yourself first after the 4 years of painstaking school. He’s saying you deserve a break and you tend to believe.
He will also tell you that you will be more ready in the future. Go find a job and so that you will be better in the exams given that you have experienced the real life scheme of monetary things. Mr. P will sing to your heart’s content that you are better off later than now. He will tell you to do things later when all is rotten than now, after graduation, when all is fresh in your mind.
Mr. P is the constant adviser of false hope. Don’t listen to him. He is just buying time. Delaying your success.
2. Dr. FOL is even nastier. His prescription is that you have to prepare more and you are never ready. He looks at you and say “Hey you cannot fail for people will laugh at you. So for you not to fail, don’t take the test yet. You are not ready.” He’s partially right. No CPA exams, no chance to fail it.
He also would advice you repeatedly to wait till the right time comes. Only take the exams when you are all ready. When you have no fear in your heart. When you are confident enough to take the challenge.
But the truth is, you will never be prepared for the board exams no matter what you do. You will always miss some topics here and there. The profession always updates itself that you can never keep up unless there is a super-duper of the genious in you.
If you believe him that there is a right time, you will wait to act. If you wait till you’re ready, you will never move. When you take the board when you have no fear in your heart, it will be far too long. And if you build up all the confidence in the world first before you hurdle the CPA exams, you will not be able to take it.
Dr. FOL will give you a dose of fear that you will be able to overcome only if you will not let him influence you.
Think of the now as the perfect time. Because there is never a better time than tomorrow but today.
Today is reality. Take the CPA exams as soon as you can.
Dream… Believe… Practice… Pass the CPA Exams.
Manny
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