Routine & Cadence (and attempting the FE Exam)

Going in to a new year allows us an opportunity to turn a page.

Maybe a page many of us have had an eye on for some time now.

If attempting the FE Exam is the page you are gearing up to flip, then I want you to know this:

I am beyond excited for you and I will be there to support you 100% along the way.
You must get a “backbone” in place that’ll help carry you through to the end.

Let’s get in to it.

For a moment, let’s talk routine and cadence when it comes to taking the FE Exam.

It must be the backbone of your efforts going in to the new year.

Without routine, there is endless distraction and obstacles.

Without cadence, there is no progress.

Let’s be real – pulling off effective sessions while studying for the FE Exam is going to be much more manageable when “showing up to put in the work” becomes habitual.

Period.

Being routine driven when it comes to personal goals creates a bubble of sorts that becomes a major contributor in whether or not you succeed.

It lays out a smoother path to achievement and allows you to develop a cadence that is predictable in it’s production.

While most students want this level of focus, we must acknowledge and examine the sacrifice that accompanies the reward.

One term I love to use when talking to my students about focus – as it relates to sacrifice – is “punting”.

Outside the bubble there will be no shortage of things you’d rather be doing than studying for an exam.

I get it, but in the grand scheme of things –

The efforts needed today in attempting the FE Exam are nothing when set in the context of your whole career.

We need to be vigilant in identifying these distractions and “punting” them temporarily to allow us to better our overall position as engineers.

As is the case for any football team, “punting” away the ball is never the ideal outcome of a possession.

The reality is though, by doing so they are playing the odds that they will be bettering their position when they eventually do get that ball back.

This has to be our default mindset.

Rather than looking at preparing for the FE on the micro (things we “have” to punt), we must consider them on the macro (things we “need” to punt).

With any major goal in life, it can be extremely challenging to navigate within the storm of distractions itself.

Identifying those things we need to punt today will allow us to establish our focus (our bubble) and performing sustainably at a high level becomes much more realistic.

Look, the thought of preparing for the FE Exam is enough for many to fold up while navigating in a world of “better things to do”.

It’s far from a sexy pursuit and we are likely one of the few we know going after it.

But if you can just for a moment do this one thing:

Take a step outside your circumstances and recognize how romancing these distractions is holding you back from making the progress you are yearning for.

If we are able to do this, we will more likely accept the idea that “punting” things temporarily will allow us to enter a new bubble of routine and cadence that will get us to the end of the road once and for all.

If today is the day that you say no to distractions and yes to turning the page to attempting the FE Exam, then we are here to help you. Click here to learn how we guide our students towards success on the FE Exam.

You got this!