Wanting vs Doing (the tension of preparing for the FE Exam)
If you are reading this, then you are likely one of the thousands who want to start preparing for the FE Exam.
You want to pursue becoming a licensed Professional Engineer – and for that, I applaud you.
But “wanting” won’t get you far.
Folks drop by Prepineer on the daily looking for ways to “hack” preparing for the FE Exam.
Welp, we have the “hack”, but it might not be what you think.
Let’s get in to it.
Billion dollar industries are built around peoples desire to want some hack for getting whatever they want in life.
How about I completely circumvent the billion dollar industry altogether and give you what I know to be the hack of all hacks.
It’s actually quit simple.
Not easy.
Simple.
Put in the work.
You want to get in to shape?
Great.
Eat the right stuff, and work out –
Everyday.
You want to find success on the FE Exam?
Great.
Get the right materials, and hit the books.
Everyday.
That’s it – that’s the hack.
It’s so simple, but you’ve got to put in the work every day.
You’ve got to go against your human nature every day.
The only hack that matters when it comes to preparing for the FE Exam is that their is a difference between wanting and doing.
Maybe you are one experiencing this tension right now?
You see, when we set out to get after a major goal of ours, there is a natural tendency (especially post academia) to fall in to a mode of seeking comfort through information overload.
It’s uncomfortable seeing the NCEES specifications for the first time.
It’s uncomfortable to think about how long you have been out of school.
It’s uncomfortable thinking about fitting in studying with your already jam packed schedule.
I get it.
Discomfort manifests doubts, and naturally, these doubts manifest a feeling of needing to “know more” as a remedy to the heaviness.
But it’s not.
The reality is, this is the emotional yin and yang that will keep you on the hamster wheel of going nowhere –
Fast.
When we are looking to start something, getting information isn’t the hard part – knowledge comes easy – it’s the execution that is hard.
It’s 100% normal to feel heavy doubts when it comes to taking the FE Exam.
It doesn’t matter if you are fresh out of the university or have been out for 30+ years –
Doubt when it comes to preparing the FE Exam is just one of those guaranteed parts of the process.
But the resolution isn’t in needing to know more, or feeling comfortable.
It’s having the courage to take a first step despite all of the noise.
I find that the most successful students I work with don’t circumvent the doubts by looking for hacks.
Instead, they use them as a gauge for knowing that they are on the right track to succeed.
Take a moment to reflect back on your own life.
I am confident in saying that your greatest growth has come from those uncertain moments.
Those moments when you doubted, hurt, were stretched to the edge of your abilities and didn’t think you could go any further.
But you did.
Nothing worth having comes easy – it’s through the obstacles that stretch us to our limits that we see the greatest opportunities for growth.
But its also at these limits that dreams go to die.
Your task is to recognize when you are at this point of tension, lean in to the discomfort and move anyways.
No one ever got anywhere without taking a first step.
You got this.
So how does this help with the tension of preparing for the FE Exam
When we realize that our growth, and consequently, our value, lies directly with our own actions, then we can take ownership.
We take accountability and full responsibility with where we are and move to better our position.
Sadly though, passing the FE Exam remains a mystery for many engineers.
And because of that, they aren’t taking action, and in turn, giving up on themselves and their careers.
I don’t want that to be you.
If I offered to personally walk you through a program that has helped those with the deepest of doubts prepare for and pass the FE Exam, would you take it?
If so, click here to for the details and see just how possible passing can be for you too.
Leave a Reply