I'm not going to sugarcoat it: I failed FAR in October and again in January. Both times I scored in the low 60s, which honestly felt worse than just bombing it completely. I knew the material wasn't clicking the way it needed to, so before my third attempt I completely scrapped my old routine and started over.
The biggest change was switching from just reading to actually doing problems under timed conditions every single session. I found a solid AICPA practice test bank and drilled it daily — not to memorize answers but to get comfortable with how they word things. I also grabbed a new study guide that broke down governmental accounting differently than my previous one, because that section was destroying me. Spent about 4 hours a day for 8 weeks straight.
Third attempt: 79. I cried at my kitchen table. If you're stuck in that 60s purgatory, I promise the wall isn't permanent — you just have to find the approach that works for your brain, not someone else's. Happy to share specifics on what resources I used if anyone's curious.