“Fast is slow and slow is fast”

Recently, I was listening to one of my favorite online business coaches (Rebecca Lynn Pope), who was discussing the importance of patience.  She said one of the most important things you need to learn when trying to achieve something is that “fast is slow and slow is fast.” When she first said it, it took a moment for me to compute what she meant.  Once she began to explain the concept, it all made perfect sense. Certain goals really require a lot of time, effort, and patience which cannot be hurried. However, the human condition sometimes makes it difficult for us to tolerate discomfort and trust the process. So, we often try to rush everything. 

Preparing for the EPPP and other licensing exams is no different. These exams come at the end of a very long, hard, and sometimes dark journey of completing the highest level of education; it's completely understandable that one would want to just get through it and take the test as soon as possible.  Sometimes the agony of this process can make people feel so dysregulated, they just go and book the test even when they know they're not ready.  This feeling can be exacerbated by seeing others pass the test in short amounts of time. Many may find themselves thinking, “well if that person only studied six weeks, maybe I can do the same?” However, one of the biggest mistakes I see people make with the EPPP and other exams is that they just take it too soon and don't study enough.  As a result, they end up getting exactly what they don't want; the process inevitably drags out for longer. To make matters worse, the toll it takes on people mentally, emotionally, relationally, financially, and occupationally can be dreadful.  As a coach, it's always hard to see the regret people feel when they realize they should have given it more time and effort.  If you are reading this and feel like I’m speaking about your situation, please know you’re not alone! You can bounce back from this, but first you must forgive yourself and release any guilt, shame, or anger.  Remember, when we know better, we do better.

The next step in learning to tolerate this experience involves radical acceptance.  Experts recommend the average person needs to study about 300-400 hours over the course of 3-6 months to be adequately prepared for the EPPP.  Please remember that passing this exam isn’t just about putting in the time, it’s also about studying in an effective manner.  I know that feels overwhelming, but the quicker you can accept it the better! Let me share an example, imagine a person sees on social media that someone passed after only studying for a month, so they decide to do the same.  They assume they don’t need any support and can easily pass with little effort, so they put 100 hours of studying over the course of a month.  Unfortunately, they don’t have the same result as the other person, and they fail.  Then they quickly reschedule for the following month, and they put in another 100 hours, but fail again.  After the second attempt they are now feeling frustrated.  They decide to give it three months before they test again, but they still don’t have the right study plan, habits, or mindset so they again fall into the trap of procrastination. They wait until a month before their exam date and cram again for another 100 hours.  Of course, this leads to another failed attempt, which leaves them feeling devastated because they hoped the third time would be the charm.  Now they really get mad and decide they will pass the test once and for all on the fourth try.  So, they schedule the test for three months from now and this time they put in 200 hours of time. However, they still don’t know how to study properly, and now feel an immense amount of pressure to pass.  While studying they are distracted by anxious thoughts and fears of having to tell friends and family they have failed again.  To make things even more challenging, their job contract states they must pass the exam within one year to keep their employment and the deadline is looming.  Due to mounting pressure and stress, on their fourth attempt, they fail again. 

Next, they decide to schedule again for as soon as possible, but are unable to do so because they already used up their maximum of four attempts per twelve-month period. Soon they will be out of a job and thousands of dollars have been wasted.   Consequently, they are feeling hopeless and overwhelmed.  They also feel angry because they feel they have put in a ton of time, but don’t realize they haven’t been studying effectively and the time they put in was broken up so they never got momentum. Finally, this person decides to hire a coach and is disheartened to hear they need to start over and learn how to study from scratch.  They are even more frustrated to hear it they will need to put in another 300 hours and it will take three more months.  Given their situation, they realize they have no other choice, and decide to give it try.  For the next four months, they hunker down and really study hard.  They struggle with anxiety and burnout from studying, but push through with the support of their coach.  With the clock running out and feeling a ton of pressure, they finally pass the exam in the nick of time!   Whew…. They are feeling both relief and also feeling some regret that they didn’t decide to seek support and put in more time upfront.

Let’s imagine another test taker, who also has only a year to pass the exam or will be unemployed, approaches this process with radical acceptance and is open to receiving coaching from the start.  They know they must put in at least 300 hours and give themselves about four months to do so.  They take their time and prepare diligently using effective study habits taught to them by their new coach.  Four months later, they pass on the first try and feel relieved and excited to begin their careers once postdoc is complete.  In the end, by going “slow” this person will have put in 60% less study hours, in about 1/3 of the total time, and will have saved thousands and thousands of dollars as compared to the first test taker.  This is why they say, “fast is slow and slow is fast!”  I know it may be hard to accept this, but you will save so much time, energy, and money when you do.  For those who have experienced the first scenario I mentioned, remember you can always turn things around and get back on track! Don’t give up!