Inside the Box: How Constraints Can Make You a Better CPA Candidate

The CPA Exam Playbook with Blake Carroll · Sep 3, 2026 · 16m

What if having more time, more resources, and more options isn’t always better for CPA candidates?

Sometimes the constraint is what makes you focus.

That’s what I’ll be talking about in my next episode, using ideas from David Epstein’s book "Inside the Box."

We’ll look at why CPA candidates can get stuck searching for more instead of making better use of what they already have, and how the right limits can improve focus, decision-making, and execution.

Sometimes the better question isn’t, “What else do I need?”

It’s “What do I need to remove?”