Dear NINJAs,

I am taking AUD soon.

However, as I have extensive experience in audit I am having a difficult time getting motivated to study as hard as I need to.

What do you recommend?

(FYI – I lost Audit back in March, I previously scored 85).

– Han

Dear Han,

Different things motivate different people.

We get motivated by Bob Ross marathons…

…but perhaps you're more of a Bill Alexander guy. We can see that too.

Let's get down to brass tacks.

We don't actually know what that means.

It probably has something to do with upholstery, but we'll assume something much more menacing … like the time we … well, nevermind – we're getting off track here.

Let's cut to the chase.

Wow – is it Antiquated Cliche Day? We know we just had National Dog Day – which involved Jeff picking up his two Great Pyrenees from the pound when they got out.

Have you every tried to fit two Great Pyrenees in the a truck?

Jeff says it's a blast…the white fur goes excellent with black cloth interior.

We tried to tell him to get leather.

Nice try with that blue sheet there, Jeff, btw.

Way off track here…focus, NINJAs, focus!

So – why do you want to be a CPA?

Fame, fortune, and the universal respect of mankind are some of the obvious reasons to study for the CPA Exam.

However – those may not be enough to get you out of bed at 5am.

Maybe you want three letters to put after your name in email signatures or on LinkedIn.

Maybe it's something as simple as being a smart career move and being more marketable.

Perhaps it's something much more internal – like you had some jerk-hole accounting professor (you know – one of those lifers who have never set foot off of a college campus to take a stab at the real world) who said you weren't cut out for accounting and it haunts you.

You picture them adjusting their comb-over each morning and laughing at the thought of you being a CPA.

Get angry and start studying at 5am (and lunch and 8pm).

– Painting videos?
– World-wide fame and adoration?
– Comb-over guy mocking you each morning?

Whatever gets you motivated (or angry) – let that fuel your drive to study.

The goal must be yours and yours alone.

It's like training for a marathon – if it's someone else's goal for you to run a marathon – pffft – you're not going to train.

Only when you decide to run a marathon will you put in the road work.

Same thing with studying for the CPA Exam.

It must be something that you want to do – otherwise don't do it.

-The NINJAs

Have a question for the NINJAs?

Send it here and Jeff will forward it to them via Carrier Pigeon.

Get more Ask the NINJAs