Are you INSANE?
I graduated from college with an Accounting degree and landed a job in a Big Six public accounting firm. The expectation of new hires was to take your place among the ranks of all the other “Super Professionals” by securing your CPA (Certified Public Accounting) license. It’s a grueling two (2) day, four (4) part examination. I took the CPA examination not once, not twice, not even three times….FIVE times! Each time I passed different parts but never enough to pass the entire exam. Can I tell you how utterly disappointed I was? Not to mention the amount of money wasted ($1,500 CPA review classes and $250 examination fees). When you count it up and multiply it all out (don’t forget to carry the one), we’re definitely not talking about small change. I performed these failure activities (behaviors/actions that do not add value to your purpose/path in life) for two (2) straight years. It wasn’t until after receiving the fifth failed test result that I realized I was on the cusp of insanity. The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again expecting different results.
Even though I already knew the life of a CPA was not for me, I had become insanely focused on accomplishing these failure activities. At this point, I decided to go against the grain to do the unexpected. I left the public accounting firm and never looked back. I didn’t know what lay ahead of me but the peace that I received from putting those insane, failure activities behind me was priceless. That was ten (10) years ago. As I look back over that time, I realize now that had I continued to persist in passing the examination I probably would have succeeded eventually, but I would have lost the divine opportunities and stepping stones that I needed to develop my gifts which would ultimately lead me to the discovery of my passions.
Whether it’s career, family, relationship or some other life situation, we all have temporary moments of insanity. What failure activities are you insanely focused on right now and what do you plan to do to change it?
I graduated from college with an Accounting degree and landed a job in a Big Six public accounting firm. The expectation of new hires was to take your place among the ranks of all the other “Super Professionals” by securing your CPA (Certified Public Accounting) license. It’s a grueling two (2) day, four (4) part examination. I took the CPA examination not once, not twice, not even three times….FIVE times! Each time I passed different parts but never enough to pass the entire exam. Can I tell you how utterly disappointed I was? Not to mention the amount of money wasted ($1,500 CPA review classes and $250 examination fees). When you count it up and multiply it all out (don’t forget to carry the one), we’re definitely not talking about small change. I performed these failure activities (behaviors/actions that do not add value to your purpose/path in life) for two (2) straight years. It wasn’t until after receiving the fifth failed test result that I realized I was on the cusp of insanity. The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again expecting different results.
Even though I already knew the life of a CPA was not for me, I had become insanely focused on accomplishing these failure activities. At this point, I decided to go against the grain to do the unexpected. I left the public accounting firm and never looked back. I didn’t know what lay ahead of me but the peace that I received from putting those insane, failure activities behind me was priceless. That was ten (10) years ago. As I look back over that time, I realize now that had I continued to persist in passing the examination I probably would have succeeded eventually, but I would have lost the divine opportunities and stepping stones that I needed to develop my gifts which would ultimately lead me to the discovery of my passions.
Whether it’s career, family, relationship or some other life situation, we all have temporary moments of insanity. What failure activities are you insanely focused on right now and what do you plan to do to change it?