5 Methods to Find Motivation to Study

You aim to achieve CSP certification, which can significantly enhance your professional prospects. Unfortunately, for some of us, it is a recurring annual goal. Finding the motivation to study is a huge hurdle. Most of us don’t like to study. We didn’t like it in grade school, high school, or college, and we liked it even less as adults with full-time jobs and home lives. Nonetheless, your goal of achieving certification is still hanging out there. A goal that puts you in a better position for promotion, a pay increase, or the next job. Imagine the doors that could open for you with this certification in hand.

How do we find the motivation to do anything we dread, even studying? What is that kick in the rear end we need to jump-start a study plan? Here are five (5) tactics to help you get motivated to study for the ASP, CSP, or CHST certification.

Focus on the upside rather than the downside. Too often, we feel the need to know as much as possible about each of the nine (9)domains to pass covered on the exams. The passing score is typically around 60%correct of 175 questions. That means you only need to answer 105 questions correctly. Don’t demotivate or burden yourself by thinking you need to know everything. You don’t! No one does. Focus on the upside, “I need to know enough to pass.” “I do not need to know everything” to pass. It’s like Goldilocks, “just right.” You need to know “just enough” to pass.

Find an accountability partner. Your partner can be someone who is also pursuing an ASP, CSP, or CHST certification or not. Either work, provided they know your goal and what you must do to achieve it. Schedule frequent “check-in” times to assess progress. Knowing your accountability partner is checking in this evening makes you more likely to study during the day. If it works for you, find an accountability partner that is part friend and part drill sergeant.

Rename your project. Words are powerful. Instead of scheduling “study time,” rename it “get that promotion” time, “make more money time,” or “find a new job time.” Renaming your project in a more positive light helps you to focus on the upside of studying. You still need to do the work but will be more motivated.

Reward yourself. Make a goal to schedule study time, or let’s call it “get that new job” time. Make a goal to complete five “get that new job” sessions this week. After you complete the fifth session, treat yourself to a nice lunch, dinner, or dessert. I like coffee most mornings. I also usually have one task I dread or have been putting off. I’ve learned to complete that task after sitting at my desk in the morning and then treating myself to a cup of coffee. List all the small rewards you can give yourself, then connect them with your study efforts.

Pay a friend. Invoke the “endowment effect” from behavioral psychology, which essentially says that we place a higher value on something we own than we would on the same object if we didn’t own it.  Find a really good friend and explain your plan to achieve an ASP, CSP, or CHST certification. Give your really good friend an amount of money that would hurt to lose. Finally, tell them not to return it until you have achieved certification. If the first four motivation tactics don’t work, this is the one to try.

Establishing a goal is easy. Implementing the plan is hard. Getting over the initial motivation hump is the biggest hurdle to studying for an ASP CSP or CHST certification. Studying is a dreaded necessity to achieve certification. It’s not fun, and the effort doesn’t pay off for several weeks or months. Sustaining the effort is equally tough. Getting back in the groove is easier with these motivation tactics.

Ready for the next step in your ASP, CSP, or CHST exam preparation? Explore our comprehensive exam prep materials under the Exam Materials tab, including guidebooks and practice tests. For any queries or further assistance, feel free to reach out to

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