Execution is Key

Although I created this blog to share my passion for fashion and fitness, while driving home from work today and listening to Gary Vaynerchuk’s audio book titled “Crush it” (I highly recommend it) I could not help to ignore the fact of the sole purpose and mission behind this blog. I started this blog to somehow help and connect with people through my posts. Helping people is the one thing I have an absolute passion for. Whether it is helping a new staff at work solve an issue, assisting a client on how to properly account for a transaction, or giving my personal advice on how to put together an outfit; providing value to another individual’s life is the core mission behind this blog.

As I want to be as transparent as possible on this blog, I would like to share not only my current favorite styles of clothing and workout regimen, but also self-development and motivating tools that I feel could be beneficial to someone going through their own struggle.

Last week I officially received my CPA license. The feeling I got from seeing my name with the CPA title right next to it was something I could not explain. This license did a lot more for my life than give me a fancy title at the end of my name. It gave me the sense of belief that I could achieve anything that I set my mind to. Please note that belief is worth nothing, and I mean nothing without execution. Some people I feel go through life as what I like to call “motivation zombies”. They spend all day listening to motivational videos and read all of the self-development books, yet take no action towards their goals. I am a firm believer that you can achieve anything you set your mind to, so long as you are willing to work your face off for it.

I officially started my CPA journey in July 2014, one month after graduating from college. I was lucky enough to get a job with a great firm so my study material for the exam was given to me absolutely free. This was the biggest blessing I could’ve had at the time, due to fact that I had almost no money to my name, as I paid my tuition for college on a small internship and Chipotle salary. At this time my CPA review course offered live courses which I tried attending. I was motivated and driven to pass this exam. After going to a couple of live classes that feeling of motivation and drive quickly vanished. I could not keep up with the style and pace of the live courses. After going to three live sessions I stopped going. I felt like a complete failure for quitting the live classes, but I knew I had to keep studying as my exam was quickly approaching. Instead of focusing on studying the material I kept googling “how to study for the CPA exam”. I think I spent more time trying to find answers on how to study than actually studying. After doing this for a week or two I finally decided that I was just going to study and execute what I felt worked for me, regardless of what anyone else had to say. Although this first exam was a constant struggle of really long nights and frustrating days, I received my first exam score and I passed! I could not believe it. I had actually passed this dreadful exam. Although I passed my first one, there were still three to go before I could celebrate. Although the last three exams were also horrible and unbearable, I believed in myself and the system I developed through countless hours and failures. For the sake of time and length of this post I ended up passing the last three exams with never having to retake any exam. This exam was by far the hardest thing I have ever had to go through. I think I could write a book about all of the bad experiences I had while trying to pass this dreadful exam.

Please also note that I was never academically gifted. Growing up I never did well in school, but I did not let this discourage me. Although I knew I was not academically gifted, I knew I had a work ethic that no one could come close to. I remember repeating to myself day in and day out that I could not control what my competition did or did not do, but the one thing I would never allow is for someone to outwork me. This was the one thing I had complete control over. I feel like success works the same way. People focus too much on what they are not good at, instead of focusing on things that they are great at. Too many people fall short of their goals simply because they put too much emphasis on things that hold absolutely no value.

Know who you are and what you are good at, and put your whole energy and being into these things, and I promise you will not be disappointed. Stop thinking and start doing. Don’t contemplate your goals execute them. As I write this to you I still have no idea what I am doing when I blog but I will never learn if I do not execute and fail.

If I can make the decision to actually start this blog even though I do not have a clue about blogging, editing, or how to set up a website you can too. I will end this post with a picture of my license as proof that you can do anything so long as your are willing to work your face off for it.

As always work hard and dress well- BC