From: Marc La Porte (marc.a.laporte@gmail.com)
Date: Wed Feb 27 2008 - 10:29:43 ARST
Jeff,
Straight up, I am up for my first attempt this September, so I am not at the
place where you are now. But I can tell you that I've got this "I gotta pass
the CCIE" thing in my head for the past 4 years. Situations in life and
maybe even some wrong decision making have resulted in not having taken the
lab on an earlier date. I am a newlywed (married for almost 1.5 years) and
have an almost 3 months old daughter. My wife is supportive, understanding
(as long as I continue holding on to all my responsibilities to her, my
family, and others) and sees this is important for me, but has no clue what
Cisco is all about.
I am aiming for passing on the first go, realizing that there is only a very
small chance, because I don't know if I will be able to continue studying
for this monster if it takes me three, four times (or more).
All this to say two things:
- take comfort that a lot people are in your situation
- if you need a study buddy, then drop me an email (I am all the way in the
Netherlands, but who cares, passing the lab is what counts!)
Marc
On Wed, Feb 27, 2008 at 1:15 PM, Rik Guyler <rik@guyler.net> wrote:
> Jeffrey, take some minor comfort in knowing that there are others of us in
> your position. I too am on track for my 3rd attempt this May. My
> previous
> 2 attempts were futile (and 4/5 years ago) as well. After failing those,
> I
> had the same thoughts.
>
> While I was able to stay away from the CCIE thing altogether for some
> time,
> it gets in our blood. After about 3 years it started to gnaw away at me
> knowing that I didn't meet this personal goal. Forget the salary increase
> or work opportunities, it was a personal challenge that I hadn't been up
> to
> and that was the worst thing. Guys like us, we don't give up, at least
> without one hell of a fight.
>
> I have a wife, 2 kids, demanding job, etc., etc. so I know all about the
> time constraints. My wife is very supportive. My 4-year old daughter
> doesn't understand when I have to study instead of playing with her but I
> take comfort knowing it won't always be this way. My wife knows that I'll
> never be able to be happy unless I either pass or give it my absolute
> everything so she's with me as well.
>
> If you are really okay with giving up and moving on then do so. I
> guarantee
> your life will take an immediate upswing. You won't stay up long nights
> working out some crazy scenario or reading about some obscure technology
> on
> CCO. You won't have to worry about reading this and that all the time.
> Just think, those 4 hours a day you spend now could be for sleeping,
> playing
> with your kids or just hanging out with the wife or friends. But if you
> stop now and you're not *really* ready to just give it up and walk away
> then
> slowing down at this point is the worst mistake you can make. Believe me,
> I'm talking from experience. I wasn't ready and now really regretting
> getting out for so long. It was like starting all over again and it's
> been
> rough.
>
> Now I haven't passed just yet so I can't give you that perspective.
> However
> I feel better about this next attempt then either of my previous ones.
> For
> me the difference was changing my approach to my studies. For me the
> ticket
> was to do a lot more book time, reading the various books, RFCs, blogs,
> etc.
> There is so much out there now. My last attempts were based on a very
> high
> percentage of lab time, which is good but just not enough. Now I'm
> getting
> much more familiar with the technology behind the keystrokes. I'm also
> going to take one of the popular boot camps. Doesn't matter which one but
> having yet another perspective on things will only help. I find with
> every
> vendor (I have materials of some flavor from 3 of them) has strength areas
> and weakness areas.
>
> And your comment about a weekend study partner, I'll have to disagree
> with.
> Where else can you fire off an email at 3:00am and get a reply shortly
> after? There may not be too many study partners up at that time but
> there's
> almost always GS people online. I'm not anywhere near Maryland but if
> want
> an email study buddy then I'll be happy to join in. ;-)
>
> Rik
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nobody@groupstudy.com [mailto:nobody@groupstudy.com] On Behalf Of
> Jeffrey Biggs
> Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 6:54 AM
> To: 'Cisco certification'
> Subject: Down for the count.....
>
> Took the RS Lab for the 3rd time..no go.
>
>
>
> I am getting to the point where all the time and money I am spending is
> out
> weighing the reward here. Not to mention the family sacrifice that my
> wife
> and kids are making to allow me the time to study. The frustration is
> kicking in big time, I lab with Netmaster and IPExpert (this is not a
> knock
> on them, they have been GREAT) but I am just missing something.
>
>
>
> I have no one to study with because I live out in the middle of nowhere in
> Northern Maryland, so I have to rely on what I read or do and have no one
> to
> bounce it off of. I know I have the GS site, but that is not the same as
> having a couple of study partners to work with on a topic over a weekend.
> I
> am beginning to think that the "3 strikes you're out" rule is coming into
> play.
>
>
>
> I am not sure what else to do; is there anyone who can offer some
> assistance
> here? Been in this position and made it? I just have had it with the
> long
> drive down to RTP and back, spending $1500 (hotel cost and lab) for lunch
> and getting pissed off at every return. I put in at least 4+ hours a day
> studying and lab'ing. I have my own rack of equipment that I can access
> from work, so when things are slow there, I am lab'ing.
>
>
>
> Signed.
>
> Frustrated to NO end.
>
> JB
>
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