Failure is a Stepping Stone, Not a Stop Sign
Chidambaram Karthik Narayanan
Financial & IT Audit Leader | GRC & Risk Management | CA, CISA | Lifelong Learner | The Best is Yet to Come | Richard Chambers’ 2024 Internal Audit Beacon Award Winner
Not passing an exam—whether it’s CISA, CA, CISSP, or any other professional certification—can be a tough pill to swallow. You put in the hours, you studied hard, and yet, the result wasn’t what you hoped for. But here’s the thing: failure isn’t the end of the road; it’s just a checkpoint.
I know this firsthand. I didn’t pass my Chartered Accountancy (CA) Intermediate exams on my first attempt. I took what I call my own time, learning from each setback, refining my approach, and pushing forward. Every failed attempt wasn’t a step backward—it was a step closer to my milestone.
It was nerve wrecking to wait for 3 months only to find out I had to retake the exam.
It hurt. A lot!
Success is Built on Persistence
Passing exams isn’t about luck or just intelligence. It’s about resilience, strategy, and adaptation. With each attempt, I didn’t just aim to pass; I aimed to improve. I examined what went wrong, adjusted my study methods, and came back stronger.
Over time, I earned not just my CA, but multiple certifications. And yet, each one was simply a milestone—never the destination.
More Than Just a Certificate
Some people joke that passing exams is my hobby. But I don’t do it for the sake of passing. I do it because I thrive on learning, evolving, and growing in my field. Each certification isn’t just a title; it’s a testament to dedication, discipline, and a mindset that refuses to quit.
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If You’ve Failed, Here’s What You Need to Do
1?? Acknowledge the setback, but don’t let it define you. Many great professionals failed before they succeeded.
2?? Find out what went wrong. Was it the exam technique? Lack of understanding of certain concepts? Time management?
3?? Adjust your strategy. Use new study materials, join study groups, seek mentorship, and focus on understanding rather than just memorizing.
4?? Keep going. Every attempt is progress, whether you pass or not.
The road to success isn’t smooth—it’s full of bumps, detours, and unexpected challenges. But if you keep walking, you’ll get there.
So if you’ve failed an exam, don’t give up. Take your time, learn from it, and come back stronger. Because the only true failure is the one where you stop trying.
Keep pushing. Keep learning. Keep growing. You’ve got this!
Thank you for sharing your experience and insight, Chidambaram N. And thank you for your discussion and encouraging words with ISACA CISA, especially with me sharing how I failed it twice. I will build my confidence back to retake it.
Business Performance Improvement | People, Culture & Change | ICV | DEI | SME | ESG | Women Leadership Advancement
3 周Thanks for normalizing such experiences - the younger generation should read this and not give themselves a tough time for not clearing professional certification programs the first or second time
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3 周Very true. Excellent views. Great guidance to all who encounter failures
Expert in Credit Risk, Business Transformation, Internal Audit, AI audits, Governance, and IFRS Implementation | CFE, CIA, CA and PG in derivatives and risk
3 周I even wish to relate to leadership quality. Any failure in business is bound to happen for a sales or marketing guy. But those who relentlessly try and succeed can reap laps and bounds to conquer. In my 25 years of post qualification I have seen many people who failed have conquered trophies and medals be it in banking or industry. One classic example is Ambani brothers , who ever thought one can make India dreams to the next level while every one knows. Hence please do understand the nag of getting success just by accepting and moving towards perfection
Internal Auditor | Risk Management | Process and Internal Control | Mentorship | Guiding next generation auditors | SBGH | Ex PwC | Optimistic
3 周True. At the same time assess yourself to see if this suits you or not. Otherwise alternative options are there in todays world. But dont quit. Something is there for you. Get up and get going even if you fall. Well done Chidambaram ??