8 Toxic Thoughts + Doubts that derail your CA preparation at the last minute.
CA Hareesh
8/17/20262 min read
1. Should I switch to just one group?
You must have ambitiously applied for both groups a long time back, and now you may be thinking, "I don't think I have time to study and crack six papers in the next 30 to 40 days. Let me just switch to one group."
2. Should I have chosen this group over the other?
People who have chosen one group now think, "I chose Group 1, I should have chosen Group 2," or vice versa.
3. Should I join another exam-oriented class?
Sitting with model test papers and solving questions is an extremely hard, slow and painstaking process. So now you want to slip back into passive consumption mode, thinking, "I think I need more tutoring, more lectures. Should I join another exam-oriented class?"
4. I would not write mock tests and rather focus more on studying.
"I don't think I've prepared enough to appear for a mock test. Even if I try, I may not write for more than 45 minutes." You believe you don't have enough to write for more than 45 minutes to an hour, but if you actually sit down and try, you'll surprise yourself by writing for more than 3 hours. You may have prepared quite well, but you feel your preparation is only 20 to 30%, so it feels not worthwhile to write a mock test.
5. Should I skip this attempt?
This is a very toxic thought, and it's prevalent among a lot of students. "Should I skip this attempt and focus on getting a rank next attempt?" Very toxic. Skipping an attempt is a sin.
6. Should I skip a group and go for exemption in one paper?
I'm sure that in the next 20 to 30 days, I'll get at least 10 to 15 messages on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn asking for approval on this very idea. Students will write, "I thought I'd clear this group, but XYZ happened. Now I've lost a lot of hours. Should I just go for one group and try for exemption?" Bad idea.
7. I have below-average memory. I'm not meant for CA.
You studied a topic once, maybe twice, and 10 days later concluded you can't recall it anymore. But that's just how memory works. The first read accounts for most of your memorization, yet your brain still forgets 70 to 80% of it within a day or two. This happens to everyone, even people with great memories.
Toppers who score well don't have better memory. They simply studied the material 5 to 6 times over. They didn't wander or doubt themselves. Each time they found their grasp inadequate, they didn't wallow in self-pity or blame their memory or ability. They just went back to work, read it again, endured the boredom, and repeated the process without expecting an instant payoff.
8. Should I have chosen a different study material?
No. No.