For the sake of transparency, I am sharing with you my Laziness Attack plan. In my post, ‘How to Overcome Laziness’,  I evaluated the sources of my own laziness, the lies I tell myself, and the advice I give myself to overcome what I truly consider a plague. Today, I want to show you how I am going about executing that plan in theory.

Step 1 – Identify one unbiased requirement to move forward in life

Obtaining CPA License. 

Generally expected by professionals in my field, at some point early in my career I decided this was a necessity. While working full-time with my current employer I matriculated into an MBA program (and accumulated debt in the process) and completed my degree. Fast forward almost three years later, I never “got around” to studying.

Step 2 – Why is this requirement valuable?

Aside from just doing it for the sake of validating the loan I took out for the degree, a CPA license would make me more credible in my field. Further, in the event that I were to look for employment elsewhere, a CPA license would enrich my marketing potential and increase my value to potential employers. Completing my degree would also signify follow-through on a plan long in the making that would provide personal satisfaction, and make my family proud which is a wonderful accomplishment on its own.

Step 3 – What is needed to accomplish or obtain the requirement?

1. Academic credit requirement – Complete
2. One year of applicable experience – Complete
3. Passing the 4-sections of the exam – Not Started

Step 4 – Break down the task into smaller sub-tasks and set due dates/time slots

1. Create study plan and determine order of exams to take – Complete
   1. Far – 1st – Started
   2. Reg – 2nd – Not Started
   3. Aud – 3rd – Not Started
   4. Bec – 4th – Not Started
2. Purchase study materials – Complete
3. Determine study hours required for each subject – Complete
4. Set end-dates for each of the subjects based on hours of study needed – Complete
5. Schedule exam for first subject to remain on track – Not Started

Step 5 – Incorporate the sub-tasks into your schedule

Based on CPA exam studies, the average number of hours required to study for the first section of the exam (FAR) is 180 hours over a recommended period of three months. This equates to about 15 hours a week of full-time studying; taking into account that I continue to work full-time, this would suggest a study schedule of 2 hours a day if each day were equal. Ideally, one would want to study more on the weekends (approximately 8 hours a day on weekends) to make up for any lost time on the weekdays. This of course is assuming a steady pace of progress which may vary depending on comprehension of each module as one moves forward – again, on weekends, one would compensate for any lack of speed. 

In true laziness, I have come up with one single goal. If you feel as though there are two goals that can feasibly be accomplished simultaneously, there is no need to restrict your ambition. In contrast, if you can only determine one goal at the moment, realize it is sufficient, prioritize it, and make this your focus. The goal does not need to be a huge multi-month endeavor, the point is to continuously move forward and not criticize your trajectory. If in doubt think of your future self and answer these questions: Am I proud of what I accomplished in 2020?