#114 September 15th, 2023
Blake Carroll, CPA
PwC People Team - Manager | Helping Aspiring CPAs Navigate the CPA Exam with Confidence
If you’ve ever wondered what the main pillars of Stoicism are, the school of philosophical thought, not stoic as in not showing feelings, then this article can help you out! Each pillar is viewed as a discipline you need to cultivate and develop. They are assent, desire, and action.?
The discipline of assent is choosing to not let your perceptions and biases inaccurately cloud what you see as the outside world. We are always judging everything around us based on our life and experience. We have a story we tell ourselves, and that story drives our actions and feelings and behaviors. When you become aware that your perception of the world greatly affects your experience of the world, you also become aware that you have the ability to change that perception or even get rid of it entirely. You can let things outside your control be as they are, which will also help you act more independently of those things. What we experience exists independently of our experience.?
The discipline of desire is letting go of your expectations of how you want things to go and accepting outside events however they happen. Things will not always go as we want them to; that is just life. But so much of our own suffering and turmoil happens when we get upset at that gap between what we wanted or expected to happen versus what actually happened. How much of a waste is it to try to change things you have no control over? If you can let go of your expectations of life and be content no matter what happens, you will have so much more peace. We have the power to change our expectations or get rid of them entirely.
The discipline of action means that the choices we make are in accordance with the concept of “virtue,” which is made up of wisdom, justice, temperance, and courage. Wisdom is the ability to accurately judge what is good or bad, free from our own biases. Justice is acting with integrity and fairness toward others and the communities that we are a part of. Temperance is having the will and self discipline to not be overcome by desires and emotions. Courage is being able to do the right thing even when it is not the easy thing or the obvious thing.?
If you were to stop and think about the day to day desires and motivations that are a common? part of your life, what are they? Are they things that you think will make you happy, or are they things that society has told you will make you happy? If it is the latter, you may not even be aware that it is motivating you. We are so impressionable when we are young that much of what we are taught to pursue is from others rather than ourselves. I would also bet that what society has told you to pursue is probably not the same as what you would pursue if you had fully decided for yourself. That is because our modern world, particularly in the United States, has told you that money, followers, and fame are what will make you happy. But how many people do we see on social media who have all of those things yet they are still miserable? Clearly there is a misalignment in what we have been told to value. What we should really be going after is connection and deep relationships. I feel like we would all say we know that’s what will matter more when we’re looking back on our lives. So why don’t we start acting that way now??
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This article explores the intersection of friendships and personal finances. It can be a little awkward and challenging if you were in a very different financial position from your friends, regardless of who is better off. It can lead to feelings of guilt, jealousy, or insecurity. I think most of us would say we want to be happy for our friends and celebrate them if they are very successful, but it’s tough to not have some form of those previously mentioned negative emotions. It’s very easy to start to lament why we are not as well-off as they are. But we can try to flip that to become a source of inspiration rather than angst. If there are friends who are further along than you you can ask them for help and advice. You can help keep each other accountable to financial goals that you are working toward. It’s also good practice at consciously choosing who you want to be by celebrating others success rather than being jealous of it. Another opportunity to grow is vulnerably sharing where you are jealous or insecure to your friends. It’s cathartic to get those feelings out rather than repressing them, and it also can deepen your relationships and give your friends a chance to open up as well.?
CPA tip of the week: The CPA exam can be pretty intimidating, and it's normal to feel scared about it. But when something scares you, it often means that thing is worth doing, especially in this context.
Don't shy away from the challenging stuff. Those topics that make you nervous? They're probably the ones that will show up on the exam, and that's also where you have the most points to gain. So, instead of avoiding them, spend even more time on them. It's like facing your fear head-on. As you tackle those challenging topics, you'll build confidence. That confidence is crucial when you're actually taking the exam because it helps you stay calm and focused.
Now, about the fear of failing – it's a common feeling when preparing for the CPA exam. But rather than letting it paralyze you, use it as motivation. The more scared you are of failing, the harder you should work to make sure you succeed. Turn that fear into determination. The harder you work, the less likely that it is that your fear will happen. You have the power to prevent it.
It's okay to feel scared or overwhelmed at times, but stay committed to your goal. Overcoming challenges is part of the journey to becoming a CPA, just like it is for everyone who's succeeded before you. So, face those fears, tackle the tough stuff, and keep pushing forward. You've got this!
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