From: Larry Letterman (lletterm) (lletterm@cisco.com)
Date: Wed Feb 27 2008 - 14:36:51 ARST
Great post Rik..I agree with you..My sympathy with you Jeff..I did
exactly as you did..
I tried it twice, did not make it..decided to move on with my life..as
Rik says,
Most on the list are not quitters, Most of the guys/gals on here are
damn good engineers..
For me it became risk/reward and was the time/work worth it..I decided
that other stuff
In my personal life was more important..as Rik says, it's a personal
goal, and sometimes some
Goals just don't happen..just don't feel you are alone if you decide its
unreachable..
Larry
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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