CBAP Yet? Start Preparing & Get Certified

After almost 6 months of pause in communicating with Business Analysts of Pakistan. In last week when I asked a question “Have you got Certified?” to several people who has attended my Business Analysis Course, I got the answer NO.

And as a Business Analyst I asked WHY? And following were some of the comments I received on that question;

1. After a tough routine of office  & home not able to spare time for preparation
2. Every weekend I promise myself to initiate the study from next week but every time something pop up and I got distracted
3. I tried several time by opening a book on computer and even printed copy but was not able to get through.
4. There is so much to read, what to start first and how to go for it?

So, I tried to analyze the road blocks in preparing for Certified Business Analysis Professional Certification (CBAP) and came up with following root causes;

1. Lack of Motivation
2. Lack of Time
3. Lack of Concentration
4. Lack of Efforts
5. Lack of Will
6. Don’t know what & how to study and how to apply for CBAP

I have not considered financial aspect as no one has reported and also I believe that if someone wants to get certified the above mentioned root causes are more important than financial feasibility.

All the above mentioned root causes are highly integrated and have collateral impact on one another.  In order to get certified the entire root causes need to be taken care of. Let’s analyze the root causes one by one and see how we can overcome each one of them to become CBAP.

Lack of Motivation

We might be thinking that, we are already motivated to become a CBAP. Then why we are not attempting? Because there is another thing then motivation and is called, Affection. We want to become a CBAP because we like to be one, and that is not enough to motivate us to make the ball rolling. So what is required to be highly motivated to enable us to attempt for CBAP? According to Steven Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” in which he mentioned that “Start with end in mind.” and that is the thing required to make us motivated enough to attempt. Consider asking following questions from yourself to create the motivation (and record the answer on a paper for first 4 questions).

1. Why you want to become a CBAP?
2. What is stopping you to become a CBAP?
3. What benefit it will bring to personal life or personality (honor, prestige, satisfaction, success)
4. What benefit it will bring to professional life (promotion, better opportunities, recognitions)
5. What will be your feeling when you come of exam center as a Qualified CBAP?

Lack of Time

After answering to the questions of Motivation, all you need is schedule 1 hour (for 2 days) and 2 hours (for rest) per day, starting from today. Try to arrange the time of evening after your work and dinner. Try to make it simple e.g. don’t try to look for some library place which will take you another month to find. Don’t worry just schedule the time and see the magic of Motivation & Concentration

Lack of Concentration

Right now if you are thinking that you have a problem of Concentration & Focus i.e. you cannot focus on something for a long time especially books, let me tell you that research prove that every human being have this problem, so you are not the only one facing this challenge. All of us have this issue and it can be improve. According to the article of Mind Tools on “Self Mastery”, concentration & focus comes with practice. So may be when you are trying to read the book, you cannot sit more than ½ hour and get bored or sleepy, don’t be worried and try to improve your concentration by little increase e.g. try to sit the maximum time you can and read the book and note the time you spend, next day try to sit for more time than before, this way you can increase your concentration & focus from ½ hour to 2 hours & then 3 hours per day. Also consider reminding yourself on following before starting your studies.

1. Concentration & Focus is in your hand and you can improve it by practicing.
2. What is stopping you to become a CBAP?

Lack of Efforts & Will

Once you are aware of your motivation, scheduled time to study, trying to concentrate, it is enough to prove that you are putting efforts & you have generated high power of Will to achieve it. But you also have to remember the Concept of Will Curve, according to Mind Tools article on “The Flow Model”, the will power of an individual for some goal decreases as the time passes. Therefore, you have to get the maximum benefits out of your initial Will (i.e. before your Will start decreasing). If the initial stage of Will is used properly, it creates the stage for the Goal you set and even after decrease in Will you can carry on with the motivation to achieve the goal. Try doing the following to get maximum benefit of your initial Will:

1. Create a routine for reading by seating maximum hours possible every day (2 - 3 hours).
2. Tell your family, friends & colleagues that you are preparing and you will be attempting the CBAP in next 2(x) months
3. Update your Linked In Status as “Preparing for CBAP”
4. Put a stick note on your computer screen saying “Prepare for CBAP Daily”

Point # 6 “Don’t know what & how to study and how to apply for CBAP” will be covered in detail with help material in next article on July 6^th 2012.

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