A CPA Board Exam Discouragement
It’s CPA Board Exam season once again. If you’re a Board Exam taker this October, I know exactly what you are feeling right now. I know you still had doubts at the back of your head. I know you hear voices whispering in your ears saying, “You are so not ready yet.” I know how much tears you’ve excreted because of unwanted pressure. Thinking about the remaining days; Loads of problems yet to be solved; Dozen of topics yet to be studied. If you are reading this right now and you have nodded at least once on the aforementioned, don’t be dismayed. It’s normal. Anxiety, restlessness, stress, among others is not foreign feelings to us.
Just a little disclaimer: I am not writing to encourage you. That is so mainstream. Shelves of books and articles were written to give you encouragement. Perhaps, I am writing to discourage you. Yes, I want to discourage you from quitting. I want to discourage you from doubting yourself. I want to discourage you from having a purposeless CPA title.
Let’s start the Art of Discouragement.
1. You will never be good enough!
You’ve heard it right! You will never be good enough. No matter how many times you read the accounting standards, no matter how many times you solve problems, being good enough is a cliché. The very reason why anxiety is growing in your head is because of that strive to being good enough. You must admit to yourself that you can only do so much. You must focus on your main goal, and that is to pass the board exam and not being good enough. You don’t need to seek approval of others. Are you that insecure to let somebody raise a score card for everything you do?
There is a thin line between the “thought of being not good enough” and the “attitude of being not good enough”. The former is the hunger to strive for more knowledge that hunger soon evolves to greed and that greed soon evolves to pride. The later, in contrary, is the attitude of humility. Being humble enough to admit that you can only do so much and that portion that will complete you is in Him. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” this passage from Proverbs 3:5 has taught me how to humble myself before God and trust in Him, 100%. Coz I know my abilities, and I will never be good enough.
Your preparation days are over. You have consumed the time allotted to you. You can’t beat that inevitable foe of yours: Time.
“A minute can make a difference.” I’ve heard that phrase from someone before. Yes, I admit, I bought it. Last minute cramming somehow gives us comfort. Having a problem solved before the exam starts gives us that sort of relief we’re craving for. But really, that is an act of doubt - the psychology of doubt. Couldn’t you just stay still for a while and take time to stare at your watch. Think about the times you’ve spent and the time remaining. Make a pie graph in your head. As you can notice, the biggest portion of the pie is the time you’ve already spent preparing. And you should not chow-down that remaining portion. Offer it to the Lord instead. You need not to fill that out with accounting standards; fill that out with the Word of the Lord. Spend time with Him; spend time in Him coz there’s nothing you can do… Your time is up! FYI: The Lord has bought us an insurance policy in Exodus 14:14, as it is written, “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.“.
3. What you have done, are doing, and will do are all nonsense!
Before taking the exam, let me ask you something: Why are you taking the CPA Board Exam? (a) To have a greater opportunity in the marketplace; (b) To give pride to my family; © To give pride to my school; (d) To accomplish my life-long dream; (e) To be rich. If your answer is at least one of the choices above, lo and behold, you’ve just served an idol: a meaningless idol.
All the things you’ve done (review), is doing (reviewing probably), and will do (CPA board exam) are all in vain if your very purpose are not for His Glory. Everyone has a chance to pass the boards, but not everyone has found its purpose for taking such exam.
If you’ve reached this far, it only means that I have failed to discourage you. And mind you, that is not my real intention (like what is mentioned in the disclaimer above). I want you to face and accept reality. The reality that, apart from Christ, you can do nothing.
I also want you to be still and find rest. As it is written in Psalm 62:5, "Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him.” refrain from worrying too much and take a break from the pressure, anxiety, and all other lies clouding your thoughts. Let go of the reins and let Him take the wheels. As the legendary Sir George James said, "Do your best, and God will do the rest.”
One more thing, I want you to declare this: “I won’t fail the CPA Board Exam because God has already won it all for me!”
Remember: Humility. Faith. Purpose.