Finding motivation to prep

Rising junior applying for summer 2021 roles and I've recently hit a wall when it comes to finding motivation to prep. I've been aggressively networking but barely started an interview guide so I know that I'm behind most others. How have you found motivation to continue through prep? What tips/advice do you have for someone like me that seems to have hit a wall?

Any insight is greatly appreciated.

13 Comments
 

Whether its for a good/bad reason if you want something enough you’ll find motivation.

Look this is a job that can kickstart your career. At 21-22 you can be making a 6 figure salary and the potential to make seven figures in your mid 30s. If you’re good with your money you could probably retire by early/mid 40s. Not sure what other motivation you need

 

haha yeah fair question. I should've added that I just finished finals and I'm a little burnt out because of that. It feels like there's no time to rest

 
Most Helpful

Honestly man the guide doesn’t take that long to memorize. If you understand the big concepts most of the questions are pretty intuitive, you won’t necessarily have to memorize everything.

Right now your absolute number one priority is networking – what good is knowing technicals if you don’t get interviews?

At the same time – what good is networking if you botch the interviews? Realistically you’ll need to be on standby until October to be fully prepared for a first round with only a few days notice.

That said, networking is #1 right now but dont neglect the guide. Break it up by section. Do EV and Equity Value for 3 days, DCF for three days, behaviorals for three days, and so on. Write down a study plan and stick to it. Remember that a good study plan is one that you will actually follow so be reasonable with your planning, it doesn’t need to be insane.

If your motivation is low now, that problem will be solved once you get a first round and the sense of urgency kicks in. It’s just way better to start now. You don’t want all of your hard work to go to waste because you couldn’t explain WACC

 

Motivation comes from how bad you want something. Until the moment you have an offer in hand, you need to put recruiting at the top of your priority list. You need to convince yourself that it's the most important thing in your life right now that needs effort and attention. Coming from a non-target POV.

"Markets can stay irrational longer than you can stay solvent."
 

Bump. Kinda in the same boat. I think the fact that you're not seeing immediate results and there's no sense of urgency (many apps are not gonna open until July) that contribute to this problem. But when it approaches July though, BAM it hits you in the face. Trying to be more conscious of this and more self-motivated as well. Would appreciate any insights.

 

I did almost all my guides prep with a buddy. Get someone to do it with you, hold each other accountable, and prep together. It made me actually read knowing that my friend was going to meet me in an hour and grill me on the questions, and was more helpful than just doing it myself. I think it helps with accountability/motivation and also with general understanding of concepts

 

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