Stop making excuses about getting your architecture license. Every month you delay pursuing your ARE exams costs you more than money – it costs you time, opportunities, and career advancement. This reality check explores why procrastination is your biggest enemy in the licensing process and how treating time as your most valuable resource will transform your approach to becoming a registered architect.
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Getting your architecture license shouldn’t cost a fortune, but somehow everyone’s complaining about the price tag. They’re mad about exam fees going up. Furthermore, they’re frustrated their firm won’t pay for study materials. Additionally, they’re angry about the cost of prep courses.
But here’s something that’ll blow your mind:
18 months after getting my license, I doubled my income.
And that’s not unusual at all.
Yet I still hear every excuse in the book about why people can’t move forward:
- “My firm won’t pay for it.”
- “I don’t have enough experience.”
- “I’m too busy with projects.”
- “The economy is terrible.”
- “I need to wait until conditions are better.”
Here’s the reality check you need:
These aren’t resource problems. They’re commitment problems.
Most people aren’t really concerned about experience or money. Instead, they’re just not ready to change their life.
I know because I made these same excuses for years.
My Money Excuse Era
A year after graduation, I desperately wanted a better life. I had over $100,000 in student debt and could barely make my loan payments. My small firm could only afford to pay for my AIA membership. Meanwhile, the economy was in shambles.
Every dollar mattered, so money became my biggest excuse.
I convinced myself I couldn’t afford to invest properly in this process. Consequently, I’d borrow outdated books from the AIA chapter library and wait three weeks when they didn’t have what I needed. Additionally, I’d hunt for free resources online instead of buying current materials.
I was always looking for shortcuts and cheap solutions:
- Too broke to make a real investment
- But somehow never too broke to keep paying exam fees every time I failed
- Always hunting for the cheapest option instead of effective study methods
Breaking the Procrastination Cycle
Money wasn’t my only excuse. I had confidence issues from struggling through high school that followed me into architecture school.
Did I really have what it takes to pass these professional exams?
I convinced myself I needed more “real-world experience” before I was ready. I had completely unrealistic expectations about what it would take to pass.
So I’d study just enough to feel somewhat prepared, take the test, and fail. Then I’d tell myself I needed to work longer before trying again.
Sound familiar?
From Blame to Procrastination Patterns
After failing several exams, I perfected the art of blaming everyone else:
- The AIA for not having better resources
- My firm for not supporting me financially
- The economy for being terrible
- I even blamed my parents for not paying for architecture school
However, I was just afraid to fully invest in changing my life.
I was stuck in this weird loop where I desperately wanted to be licensed, but kept sabotaging my own success. Every failed exam reinforced my belief that maybe I wasn’t cut out for this.
Moreover, this cycle of procrastination and blame kept me trapped. Every excuse became another reason to delay.
The thing I said I wanted most became the very excuse that kept me from achieving it.
The Life-Changing Realization
After years of this pattern, I had a realization that changed everything.
I wasn’t just delaying getting my license. I was putting my entire life on hold.
I started seeing opportunities everywhere that required a license:
- Better job openings
- Interesting side projects
- The possibility of starting my own practice someday
But instead of pursuing them, I kept telling myself:
“I’ll do that after I’m licensed.”
The longer this process dragged on, the more life I was missing.
It wasn’t just about career advancement anymore. It was about taking control of my future, my earning potential, my professional identity.
That’s when I realized the real cost wasn’t the money I was trying to save on study materials.
The real cost was time.
Every month I spent making excuses was a month I couldn’t get back.
Time became my most valuable resource, not money.
The Truth About Your ARE Investment
Here’s what nobody tells you:
Getting your architecture license will easily be the most important project you’ll ever work on in your career.
It’s a massive investment – we’re talking 700 to 1500 hours of your time. You’ll probably fail a few exams along the way. That’s completely normal according to NCARB’s own data.
But here’s the thing:
No other project will ever give you this kind of return on investment.
Within 18 months of getting my license, I doubled my salary from the opportunities it created:
- Better positions opened up
- Clients took me more seriously
- I could finally pursue projects that actually interested me
Every month you spend making excuses, waiting for perfect conditions, or trying to save a few dollars on materials is time you’re losing forever.
Your procrastination isn’t protecting you from failure. It’s guaranteeing you’ll miss opportunities.
Overcoming Procrastination: Start Now
Your excuses might be completely valid. Your concerns might be real:
- Money might actually be tight
- Your firm might not be supportive
- You might genuinely feel unprepared
Nevertheless, ask yourself this:
Can you afford to keep putting your life on hold?
Stop waiting for your firm to pay for everything. Stop waiting for more experience. Furthermore, stop waiting for the perfect study materials to magically appear.
Your time is more valuable than your excuses.
The clock keeps ticking whether you’re making progress or making excuses. Therefore, every day you delay is a day you can’t get back.
The question isn’t whether you can afford to invest properly in this process.
The question is: Can you afford not to?
Your Next Step
Get serious about this process right now. Today. Not next month when your project calms down. Not next year when you have more experience.
Respect this for what it is:
The most career-changing project you’ll ever undertake.
Give it the investment of time, energy, and resources it actually deserves.
Stop treating it like a hobby you’ll get to eventually.
Start treating it like your future depends on it – because it does.
Master Every ARE Topic with Self-Paced Learning
Ready to stop procrastinating and start making real progress? Our ARE 101 Course Membership gives you comprehensive study materials covering all NCARB objectives across every exam division.
You’ll get extensive video content, practice questions, case studies, and access to specialized courses like Building Codes 101, Mechanical Systems 101, and AIA Contracts 101.
We don’t sell individual courses – your membership includes everything you need to tackle the complete ARE journey at your own pace.
Get Structured Coaching and Community Support
If you need accountability and guidance to overcome procrastination, ARE Bootcamp transforms the overwhelming ARE process into manageable weekly steps.
This 10-week intensive coaching program provides structure, community support, and expert guidance that makes the difference between struggling alone and achieving licensure success.
You’ll get weekly live meetings, personalized feedback, tons of resources and study materials and ongoing support until you pass all six exams.
Your future self will thank you for starting today.
