I was on vacation a few weeks ago. To pass the time in an airport, I was reading a novel. One of the characters was really into exercise and she made a statement: “I like to push myself until I’m absolutely exhausted.”
This got me to thinking about how hard we really do push ourselves each day. Oh yeah, we all talk about being exhausted but are we really? Or, are we just whining? I’m not a big believer in pushing yourself to absolute exhaustion because you have to be able to get up and do it again the next day. However, when you are studying for the CPA Exam, how hard do you really push yourself?
If you were a character in a book talking about studying for the CPA Exam, which line would be you?
--I like to push myself until I get bored.
--I like to push myself until I can think of something more interesting to do.
--I like to push myself until I get sleepy.
--I like to push myself until I can think of any excuse to quit.
Although these are probably pretty common goals, they are hardly the road to success. How much DO you push yourself to accomplish and how much SHOULD you push yourself to accomplish?
One of my problems is that if I say “I’m going to push myself until I’m absolutely exhausted,” I’m probably going to feel absolutely exhausted in about two minutes. The mind loves to play games; the mind loves to play tricks: “I’m tired; I’m bored; I’m absolutely exhausted; I’m starving to death; I don’t want to work.”
So, I prefer to set time goals for myself. For example, I might say: I’m going to study 50 minutes and then take a 10 minute break and then work for another 50 minutes. That is a very objective goal. I can prove whether I did it or not. I place my watch next to my computer. I write down when I start and when I stop and I have evidence (sounds like an auditor) of whether I put in the time. If this were a novel, maybe my character could say: “I like to push myself until I have put in the amount of time that I established as my goal.”
What I usually find is that when I do manage to hit that final time line, then I love to try to push myself for 15 more minutes. I don’t want to exhaust myself because I really do need to study again tomorrow but I want to prove that I can push myself beyond my own expectations.
First, I write down my time goals: 50 minutes, 10-minute break, 50 more minutes. When I get to the end of that stretch, I always ask: “Can’t I do just another 15 minutes—I might be able to add another point or two by answering questions for 15 more minutes.” And, yeah, when you get there, most people really are able to push themselves beyond their goal and add that extra 15 minutes. Somehow the time you put in AFTER you have reached your goal really feels worthwhile. You feel like you are stretching yourself and you are going to be a stronger person as a result.
(2) – As I have mentioned before, my wife and I went to Paris for our vacation. People have asked me what I enjoyed seeing the most. The answer is easy: the Winged Victory at the Louvre.
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winged_Victory_of_Samothrace
I love the name.
I love the power.
I love the mystery.
As you stand there in front of that statue, you really feel the strength. Somehow the sculptor captured the power and strength – you understand the majesty of the victory that this character is announcing to the world.
No one knows who created this work but it is hard to look at it without wanting that same feeling: look at what I have been able to accomplish!!!
