Hi Team.
To start with My Journey for “CISSP” started around 2 (June, 2018) years ago, however the actual thought in my mind that I should become a CISSP came in 2015. But never moved a step ahead, because didn’t felt like doing it due to busy work schedule and fear of failing due to people keep saying its very tough and many people failed it.
However, my journey started in the month of June,2018. Yes, I recently checked one of my notes files (Word document) which I had created on the mentioned date. Then I don’t study that great initial days. I hardly study for 30 mins a day. I usually preferred going to Gym Vs CISSP.
It went on same way for around one year, I work & workout but not CISSP. Later realized the importance started studying, spent enough amount of time. Then finally before exam I took almost 9 days of Vacation along with two weekends. Scheduled the exam on Monday, 24thAug 2020, as I felt it Auspicious day for my Exam, Seriously . Studied hard for all the available 9 days with a Plan to revise Sybex & All in One Questions were around 1200, Udemy Questions 1000, Wiley – 1320, Mobile apps, around 1000, then Udemy Videos on Week domains, yes this is all in last 9 days before exam.
However, there was also a plan prepared before the two months of the exam to just complete the books. First I started with Glossary of 92 pages, for which I almost spent 10 days, but later this also helped me a lot to re-collect and understand the terminologies, concepts, cable types, few technologies, and many more. So I felt it nothing is wasted here.
The amount of time what you spent for CISSP is good for your become comfortable with understanding the technologies and how things work.
Please do keep testing yourselves, whenever you get a chance, try to answer the questions. I would highly recommend our Study Notes and Theory Facebook group, as that’s where I got motivated and understand people from different part of the world. And people study, the strategy, what to learn, where to spend time, how many hours to read, how people make use of time to study wisely. on top of everything said, please do not compare the capability of one with other, as it differs for everyone.
To be honest, though I wish to pass on first attempt, I was also having the fear of failure. However, keeping the fear of failure in mind, I did my best to utilize the time to the maximum. Last 10 days, no jogging, no home workout, food comes to my room, my son hardly seen me once or twice. Prayed well to feel better and confident. Also prepared my mind to face the failure even if I loose 850$. So at the last week, it was like mixed emotions, prepared my mind that I have to fight one day, so let it be now. Tried hard to stay focused and not get diverted for any reason. Never walked out of the house for any unnecessary reasons. Studied till 2 or 3 AM everyday on my Study vacation.
Finally, when I was done, there was 20 mins remaining, he asked are you sure that you are done and don’t want to review the questions. I said yes, I am done and don’t want to review. And it was such a happiness when I saw the printed paper with My name and Congratulations, you “PASSED”.
Thanked God, my wife, Son, Friends, My manager, etc. because I was so happy to announce, that I am CISSP now.
Materials used:
1. Sybex Glossary – Studied Twice, once when started and before exam,
2. Sybex Material – 7th edition & 8th Edition – once long back,
3. All-In-One, Shaon Harris, post Sybex study,
4. 11th Hour – Next to All of above said materials,
5. Simplilearn – Video material, this was the first Video material, started even before Glossary, -- Once,
6. Cybrary – When it was free, Once,
7. Skillset – Youtube, only for clarifications on few topics,
8. Sunflower notes – didn’t go through fully,
9. Personal Notes while I study on Word file, for reference,
10. Studied OSI layers and Network layer protocols separately, Wiki,
11. Kerberos, RADIUS, Diameter, workflow learnt from different sources,
12. Udemy – helped me a lot with Thor’s explanation, Questions, completed only Chapter, 3,4,7,8. With Udemy have done all questions.
13. Question bank worked:
a. Wiley – 1320 – two times
b. Mobile Apps – 1500 – two times
c. Sybex test bank – 800 – once
d. AIO – around 800 – Once
e. Udemy -- 1500
f. Facebook – SNT – Group mostly and every time I am in Facebook I try
to answer to the least one question, even from CISM group.
14. Finally reviewed Process guide – Once.
Thank you ALL for reading my story, please stay focused, motivated. Stay in this group, prepare, discuss, test, monitor your progress.
Yes, anything which is “Monitored will Improve”. Thank you ALL. Be confident that you can Crack the exam and become CISSP.