Let's face it.

You are working 9 to 5.

And putting in the hours even after 5.00 PM.

You want to do a cloud certification, so that you'll have a better chance at the next job interview.

But you don't have time for classes.

So, you choose to self study.

On the first day you have a great start. You read, watch videos, and even make some notes.

But things don't go as expected. Many months pass. Zero progress. Why?

Your brain is not wired to sit down and study for an exam that's coming further ahead in several months. The brain has work more urgent than that. Often, the brain tends to seek activities that gives instant feedback (or rather instant pleasure). And studying, specially self-studying is not giving any.

To self-study effectively, you need a plan. Without a plan, your studying effort falls short as the brain gives way to other activities that it thinks is more urgent.

How to create a self-study plan in 3 steps

You can create an effective self-study plan in 3 steps.

Yes, in just 3 steps and it comes complete with a system for measuring progress, so you can quickly catch up even if you fall back. And you get your long-pending cloud certification exam done in the next three months.

Let's get started.

Step #1: Clarify to yourself why you want to get this certification

If you don't have a strong why you don't have a reason to do anything. So, we must first discover why you want to get this certification?

Get a pencil and a notebook.

Ask yourself why you need this certification and write down the answer.

From the answer, ask why again and repeat until you cannot ask any more meaningful questions.

Like this.

Of course, your answers will be different. That' why you must go through this exercise and find why you want to earn this certification.

Knowing that you want to get a certification is one thing. Knowing why you want it is the real reason that motivates you to act.

Now take a pencil and paper and do it.

I know what you are thinking. "I don't need pencils or papers. I can do it in my brain".

Yes. You are smart. But you need to do this exercise on paper. And have the answers in writing. Otherwise the reason why you want to get this certification done gets buried under a zillion other tasks in a to-do list.

Once you have the answer, write on a new sheet of paper and continue to the next section to create a study plan.

Step #2: Set down a study plan and fix the exam date

Now, you know clearly why you want get this cloud certification done.

Let's create a weekly study plan.

For each week write what you are going to do and the amount of time in hours.

I have allocated 10 hours. If you can put more hours, it's OK. If you think that 10 hours per week is more than you can handle, I recommend not going below 7 hours per week. You need to allocate at least one hour each day to make your study productive.

Don't try fancy graphics on your plan. Plans are best when kept simple.

Three months would be the maximum study time I would recommend for most cloud certification courses out there. Yes, even if you are a beginner. So, if your study plan goes beyond 12 or 14 weeks, I urge you to reconsider it.

OK. Now you have the plan in writing. What should I do next?

Go and book the exam date!

Yes. You must book the date and pay the money.

This is a commitment. It's like having an accountability partner. Once you book the exam, there's no other option but to study and sit for the exam.

Step#3: Measure the progress

A plan without progress measurement is not worth it. How can you know where you are in the plan without an indication of the progress?

Progress measurement is best done in small steps. Then, if you slip, you can correct before things go out of control. So, let's measure progress daily.

Here's the template you can use for daily progress measurement.

Again, no fancy graphics. Keep things simple using paper and a pencil so updating the daily progress is not a burden.

At the end of each week, cross out the week in the weekly plan.

If you could not complete the intended work for the week, put in some extra hours in the next week to catch up. Cross out the last week once the intended work for that week is completed.

This crossing out is also a powerful visual feedback and will motivate you to achieve a continuous progress with a continuous series of weekly cross outs.

After the plan is completed, go and do the exam.

Good luck!

Tips

This #3 step plan is all you need to get your next cloud certification completed. But here some bonus tips also.

Tip #1: Fix the study time in the morning

Doing a full-time job, your study hours are pretty limited. Often to the early hours or late in the evening.

Many choose the evenings. Stay one more hour in the office and study.

Cool. But it's likely to be skipped.

Look. You are tired after a hefty day. Your brain is yearning for reasons to skip studies. If you've also got some unfinished work at the end of the day, your brain will give you a guilty feeling for leaving it out for the next day, urging you to skip the studies.

So, set aside one hour in the morning for your studies. Sure, you will have to wake up one hour earlier. But, it's not going to be difficult once you get used to it. And, you don't have to do it for your entire life. It's just three months.

Tip #2 Find a buddy (if you can)

Having a study buddy is fun and encouraging. You can be an accountability partner for each other. Sometimes you can teach each other. It's surely more enjoyable than studying alone.

But, yeah... your ability to find a buddy depends on having a friend who shares the same goal as you do.

Tip #3 Reward yourself when you achieved a week's work

After crossing out a week, have a small treat - like eating a cookie. This is an effective encouragement to get the next week's work done - but please mind your health also.

OK. That's it for this week.
Hit reply and let me know how your plan went on and how successful it was.