Why Am I Here?

I know the journey of studying is a rough and tough one, but we all have one thing in common: we’re all in this together, answering the question of “why am I here?”

While this question may be open-ended, we all need to answer that question. Why am I right here, studying for the BCBA exam?

Some possible answers might be the following:

You might find that your why is in the paragraph above. Then again, you might not. Let me tell you what my answer is to the question of “Why am I here?”

When I graduated with my Masters Degree, I thought immediately that I could pass and recieve this amazing pay raise. Of course, I thought this before I truly started studying until my brain exploded. As I continued to fail the exam, my “why” answer changed. By the end of my study journey, I had truly come up with my perfect answer.

So, Michelle, answering the question, why are you here?

Growing up with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Other Specified, I was underestimated more often than not. I was told I wasn’t even going to graduate high school. I was called an “Autistic freak” when I was 15 by my own father. People told me I wasn’t going to become an independent person, doing anything on my own.

I chose not to believe those people and continue to push through, even if the BCBA exam was the death of me and my bank account.

Yes, I cried a lot when I failed the exam each time. Devistated at myself and the results, I questioned why I even wanted this. I questioned why I even tried anymore. The results returned the same each time-failed.

Like a good majority of you, I spent a lot of money trying to figure out what study tools were the best one for me. I thought I found it each time.

But then I decided on Rogue, I finally figured it out. Answering the question of why became simple.

See, just because I have a diagnosis of PDD-NOS doesn’t mean I can’t do something I love. It doesn’t mean I can’t be passionate about the field I’m in. It doesn’t mean I can’t take risks, it doesn’t mean I can’t fail, and it doesn’t mean I can’t pass the exam.

So why am I here? Because I know that I can do anything I set my mind to. If I work hard, if I change the way I study, if I push through my failure, and if I practice the areas I didn’t do so well in… results happen. No matter how many people underestimated me and my intelligence, I still  passed the exam. And if I can do it, so can you.

If you’re down on yourself, beating yourself up, or questioning yourself, just remember to answer the question… why am I here? Trust me: you have the answer, and it doesn’t take a BCBA to answer this.

-Michelle

Overwhelmed with which ABA course or study materials to go with? We’re here to help.