The Myth of Natural Talent
People love to make assumptions.
“You must be really smart to pass the CFA.”
“An actuary? You must be a math genius.”
“You probably just get this stuff easily.”
“You’re a finance guy—it’s different for you.”
It’s a comforting narrative. If success is the result of natural brilliance, then failure is simply a matter of fate. You either have it or you don’t.
But here’s the truth.
I’m not a genius.
I’m a stubborn mule.
What Really Got Me Through the CFA Exams
I didn’t pass because I’m unusually clever. (Although my mom might argue otherwise.)
I passed because I showed up.
Every day.
Especially on the days I didn’t feel like it.
I came into the office when it was still dark, locked myself in a boardroom, and buried myself in CFA books.
I drilled the same questions over and over—especially the ones I kept getting wrong.
I stuck with it when the finish line felt impossibly far.
It wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t fast. It wasn’t fun.
But it worked.
The Grit Pattern
Now that I coach CFA candidates, I see it again and again.
It’s not the ones with dazzling resumes who make it through.
It’s the ones who grind.
Who keep showing up.
Who push through self-doubt.
Who keep pressing repeat on the hard parts.
If you’re sitting for the exam, you’re smart enough. Period.
But that’s not the question that matters.
The real question is: Will you keep going when it stops being exciting?
System Over Spark
The candidates who succeed don’t rely on brilliance.
They rely on systems.
On structure.
On repetition.
On habit.
They work through the dip.
They steady themselves when the chaos comes.
They build discipline like muscle memory.
Passing the CFA isn’t about IQ.
It’s about consistency.
Over weeks. Over months. Over years.
It’s about reviewing when it’s boring.
Drilling formulas when your brain begs for distraction.
Trying again after mock exam scores crush you.
Mule Energy Wins
We glorify genius.
But we forget about grit.
The unglamorous grind.
The quiet refusal to quit.
The kind of mindset that says, “I’ll keep going until I get it.”
If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re cut out for this…
If you’ve doubted your ability, your intelligence, your capacity to succeed…
Good.
That means you’re exactly the kind of person who can pass—
If you’re willing to work like a mule.
