How can the Compound Effect change my revision?

Have you ever walked into the self help section of a book store? If you have, then you may have noticed that there are a good number of books claiming to perform near miracles in a very short amount of time. Become happier in six days? Sounds good! Stop smoking after one session with a hypnotist? Sign me up! Learn how to grow your own money tree? This book comes with free saplings to get you started!

Okay, so maybe some of these aren't exactly the real deal – but it doesn't stop a lot of books from claiming to change your life in under a week. As great (and easy) as it sounds, the effects are unlikely to last long term. In order to see real results, you must keep working on your goals consistently. How can we do this? We have some great tips from one of the most successful self help gurus - no money trees included!

Here at Astranti, we recently went away on a training week, which was in a beautiful manor house. During the week, we watched a motivational video by the real estate king, Darren Hardy. If you haven't heard of him, then you should definitely check out some of his videos online. His best selling book, called the Compound Effect, is all about the long terms goals and how to achieve them.

So how can the Compound Effect change your CIMA revision? Here are four tips to help you get started:

1). The difference between learning and studying. There is a huge amount of knowledge in our world and it is accessible at the click of a button. Learning CIMA knowledge is great, but for your exam it's even better to be studying. What's the difference? According to Darren, studying is all about taking on that knowledge and making it your own. Practise what you have learnt, know all the ins and outs and take action with that knowledge. Don't just read a CIMA study text and let everything drift out of your mind – really get to know what you are learning!

2). Small choices can make a BIG difference. This is the core of the Compound Effect – tiny, seemingly insignificant choices that are made everyday can build up and change the whole picture of your life. For example, instead of revising every night for half an hour, you decide to revise for a whole hour. In one day, it's not a huge deal – but it could mean replacing your favourite show with CIMA revision. In a week, however, this would mean 3 and a half hours MORE revision than before! Countless studies show that the more you study for something (if done in a productive way) then the more likely you will pass. You might be missing your nightly show, but there will be plenty of time to catch up when you have passed the CIMA exam!

3). Surround yourself with people who care. It's important to have people who believe in you and want you to succeed in your CIMA journey. This could be a relative, friends or study partners. It could even be us at Astranti – we certainly want you to do well! There are going to be times when you don't feel like staying on track and having someone there to remind you of your goals and why you are taking the CIMA exams is incredibly important.

4). Be patient. If you have spent months or even years procrastinating when it comes to certain things in life, such as exams or revision, it can be a tough habit to break. However, it is possible! It will just take time – and a real commitment to stay on the right path and hit those books when you'd rather be watching T.V! It may seem difficult in the short term, but you will get one step closer to your goals with every choice you make.

Do you think the Compound Effect could change your revision? Why not give some of these ideas a go and see what happens. If you do decide to try them, make sure you stick to it and be consistent – it could make all the difference in your CIMA exam!

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