Achievement List

My list likely differs from what everyone else would choose to put on theirs.  The things on my list only require my mental investment to get them done.  I write down what I want to achieve & I put the list where I can see it often.  Each time I review it, there is a reminder that I still have unfinished business.

I also believe the Universe will give you what you set out to achieve because your daily actions will always be in rhythm with moving you toward your goal.  Asking or wanting, without action, will not get you where you want to be.  But believing you can do it, & seeing yourself already there, makes anything possible.  

Several years ago, I decided to achieve the designation of a Project Management Professional (PMP).  It was not a requirement for my work but managing projects is what my organization does.  The PMP exam is administered by the Project Management Institute & questions are based on corporate project management & not necessarily how Government manages projects.  

I would keep seeing PMP on my achievement list, but the Universe wouldn’t hand it to me because  I was not doing anything to make it possible.  Last December, I found a book in the trash at the office & my heart just doesn’t let me see a book get thrown away, so I dug it out & it happened to be an old PMP study guide – that was my “sign.”

It was now or never.  I ordered new study materials & started on my 4-month journey of teaching myself project management.  I studied something EVERY night after work & on weekends.  I would read the material, listen to podcasts, or take online practice exams to test my knowledge.

In the beginning, my scores ranged from 50-60%.  Not good enough to pass, so I kept studying & kept taking the practice exams.  Slowly, I began to increase my scores. After two months, I was now ranging around 70-75%, which would likely be passing, but I needed to do better to feel confident enough to pay the fee to sit for the exam.  After two more months, I was averaging 90%, so I decided it was time to do it.

It was windy & rainy on exam day.  I was soaked navigating my way to the testing location but did not let that dampen my spirit.  The exam was timed.  There were 180 multiple-choice questions.  The questions were lengthy to read & the average time to answer each was 72 seconds.

Others that shared their exam experience would say they used all their time or finished with only minutes to spare.  I was done & had more than an hour left over.  I was beginning to think I had missed an entire section of the test because of my speed.  Imagine my amazement when I pushed the last button to submit & I got the pop-up that said, “Congratulations, you have passed the exam!”

So, now I will check that off the list & think about what I want to work on next. Because, after all, I’m just a girl who decided to go for it.