The Silent Factor Sabotaging Your Exam Results ??

If you’re struggling with your exam, you definitely have a long list of reasons — and rightfully so.

The exam is too hard, you don’t have enough time to study, you lack experience using some of the codes…you name it. (Been there, done that. ??)

These are all external obstacles that do have an impact on you getting your license, but you can eventually find a way around them.?

The catch? ??

These are not the main reasons people fail their FE, PE or CFM? exam.

There’s something way more destructive to your journey to pass — something lurking in your mind that kills your exam results without you even realizing it. ??

Let's dive into it. ??

?? The Hidden Trap That Holds You Back

First, what can possibly be more destructive than those external factors? ??

Very simple, actually.

The negative internal self-talk running through your mind right now.?

Let’s be honest, you know exactly what I’m talking about… ??

• What if I fail? What will they think of me at work?

• What if I forget everything on exam day?

• What if I bomb the morning session and ruin my chances?

This is called "what-if" thinking, and it's a much bigger killer of success than all the external factors you can list out will ever be. Seriously.

Athletes deal with this all the time:

• What if I miss the game-winning shot?

• What if I make a mistake that costs us the game?

• What if I cannot handle the pressure?

But why are the thoughts so detrimental? ??

“What-ifs” are future-based, hypothetical scenarios of everything that could go…wait for it…wrong.

They pull you out of the present and get you into a spiral of fear and worry about everything that could go wrong or not according to how you want it to go.

That’s why athletes lose games — not the pressure of the crowd.

That’s why test-takers (aka, you) fail exams — not because they don’t have “what it takes.”

Now, here’s how. ??

? How It Kills Your Exam Results

Ever noticed that the more you stress about failing, the harder it gets to focus? ??

That’s exactly how “what-ifs” get in your way to achieve what you want.

When your mind is taken over by what could go wrong, there's not enough space for it to focus on what actually needs to be done (and done well) to make things go right.

In other words… ??

“What-if” thinking kills your exam results by shifting your attention from what you need to do to pass…to what could go wrong (you'll fail) and the future consequences of it (people will think you're not a good civil engineer).

In sports, athletes don’t lose because of the crowd noise or bad weather. They lose because they underperform due to what’s happening in their own head.

And the same thing goes for your exam.

When all you do is think about the possible negative outcomes, you take your focus away from the process that gets you the outcome you really want — sitting down to study every day, doing practice problems, etc.

Then, if you don’t focus on the process, the outcome is pretty much guaranteed to be bad…and the one you do not want. ??

Now, how do you get out of this negative spiral?

Again, it’s very simple, actually.

? The Simple Fix To Get Out This Trap

Since taking your focus away from the process to the negative outcomes is how “what-if” works, then to solve it, you just need to reverse the process. ??

And the key to doing this is simple… ??

Instead of asking “What if?,” you should ask “What now?”

“What now” thoughts get you focused on the present moment so you can process your situation, choose a course of action that will get you what you want, and then follow through with it.

For example:

If you’re struggling with one particular topic that’s tested pretty heavily on your exam…

• ? “What if I never understand this topic before my exam day?”

• ? “What do I do now? Let me review my notes and find more practice problems about it until I get the hang of it.”

If you’re getting low scores on your FE practice tests…

• ? “What if I keep failing my practice exams and repeat it on the real deal?”

• ? “What do I do now? Okay. I’ll analyze my mistakes, see what I’m struggling the most with, and focus my next study sessions on improving those areas."

If you’ve been doing self-study but haven’t been able to pass the PE for the past 3+ tries….

• ? “What if I’m not good enough to be a PE?”

• ? “What do I do now? Okay, self-study is clearly not working for me. I’ll need extra help with a PE review course.”

Got it? ??

This “what-now” approach helps you shift from a passive, fear-based mindset to an active, problem-solving mindset.

So, the rule of thumb to follow here is this… ??

Always focus on what you need to do instead of thinking about what not to do — don't fail the exam or what’s going to happen if you fail. ??

“Volume Negates Luck” ??

This is a quote I love that applies to a lot of things in life.

Success in anything — sports, exams, career — isn’t about obsessing over the outcome. Rather, it’s about obsessing over the inputs that lead to the outcome we want.

So, I promise you…

Do not worry about whether you’ll pass the exam or not. Instead, redirect your attention, focus, and effort to doing the things that contribute to passing — studying, doing problems, taking practice exams, etc. — and the outcome will take care of itself. ??

Put your head down, do the work you know you need to do, and trust that, when test day comes, you’ll be ready (because you will).

You got this — and we at Civil Engineering Academy will be here to help every step of the way. ??

So, don't forget to follow us to get more of the tips, tools, and resources we share here to get you passed! ??

?? Whenever You’re Ready, Here’s How We Can Help ??

1. The Ultimate Civil FE Startup Guide. If you're gearing up for the Civil FE Exam for the first time, this FREE guide is a complete breakdown of everything you need to know before you even start your exam prep. From how to register and what to expect on exam day…all the way to the top resources and study tips that will make your journey a lot easier, if not faster too.
2. The Ultimate Civil PE Startup Guide. If you've already cleared the FE and have your eyes on the PE Exam instead, then this is the FREE guide for you to jumpstart your PE studies...the right way. It covers everything, including the exam's prerequisites, must-have study materials, study grops you can join, exam prep secrets to follow...and much more!
3. FREE CFM? Lecture Module. This is a free sneak peek at our CFM review course that will make you a Certified Floodplain Manager in no time...without all the hassle test-takers had to go through in the past to make sense of and learn how to use all the scattered resources suggested by the ASPFM.
4. CEA Practice Exams. If you’re preparing for your exams on your own, then you need to get some standalone practice exams. We have developed full-blown practice exams for both the FE, PE, and CFM? exams…including the most life-like CBT simulator you’ll find!