Typically, goals are achieved with some type of will involved. Without that explicit will or desire to complete them, there is not really much of a point to completing them.

Also, there is a large list of certifications and licenses for a job, and somehow I feel that it is not uncommon to not have the time to prepare for them. Which makes having goals to master a skill and take a exam somewhat difficult. Not everyone has the time from work to sit down and study, which is why I believe it is important for not only the company to be flexible though also the employee.

Though there are many options for exams and retake. This is not always offered for exam or any given scenario. My suggestion, or the best bet would be to study the material and be will prepared before even purchasing the exam, because in the case of a no-show or an error in taking the exam, this could cost a few dollars or more. Another idea, is to consider talking to your employer or company about paying for exams, because many companies will offer and pay for your exams to obtain your certification. That probably goes without saying that if the company is investing in you, you might have to be ready to invest in them, and for unknown amount time.

As I have learned, some of the exams, seminars, training sessions, could be consider  arguably, not cheap, another reason having a objectives for exam preparation is so important. Without goals in mind, the will to achieve success in exam taking and certification, could seem cumbersome and exhaustive. So, schedule, plan, and organize well before the anticipation of an exam, to avoid any type of unnecessary sacrifice to complete a certification.

There are other options to paid certifications such as, going back to school for a degree, taking online training courses for certificates. I also find it useful that if you really do not want to pay for exams, and still have goals to reach as far as a certification, one could master or study the skill, as if you were going to take an exam, without a obtaining certificate. This could show initiative, and may reduce the chance that having a certification could be consider braggy.

All and all, keep goals simple, well defined and reachable. Especially with certifications, because even though the flexibility may allow or seem like achieving goals in certification is easy. One can never know what could happen, between the studying and preparing for exam and what could occur on the actual day of a certification exam.