{"id":95,"date":"2025-03-22T21:48:43","date_gmt":"2025-03-22T21:48:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sme-access.com\/?p=95"},"modified":"2025-03-22T21:54:21","modified_gmt":"2025-03-22T21:54:21","slug":"my-cissp-journey-from-pause-to-passing-at-100-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sme-access.com\/?p=95","title":{"rendered":"My CISSP Journey: From Pause to Passing at 100 Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Achieving the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)<\/strong> certification was a long and challenging journey for me. After an initial false start in 2021<\/strong>, I finally passed the exam in March 2025<\/strong> on my first attempt<\/strong>, with the exam stopping at 100 questions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re considering CISSP or currently on your study path, I hope my experience helps you navigate your own journey!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Starting and Stopping: A Lesson in Commitment<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I first set my sights on CISSP in 2021<\/strong> but quickly realized that I wasn\u2019t consistent<\/strong> enough in my preparation. The combination of a demanding job, personal commitments, and a lack of structured discipline led me to put CISSP on hold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fast forward to November 2024<\/strong>, I decided it was time to fully commit<\/strong>. This time, I knew I needed a structured plan, a strong routine, and the right mindset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

My Study Plan: Discipline and Consistency<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After enrolling in a 5-day CISSP training course<\/strong>, I designed a study plan<\/strong> that worked for my schedule:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udcc5 Daily Study Routine<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • 1.5 hours of study each day<\/strong> (best time for me: 5:30 AM<\/strong>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Additional review sessions on weekends<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    \u23f3 Total Study Time<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • ~3600 minutes<\/strong> (60 hours) of focused, structured study<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      How I Structured My Study Time<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      To make the most of my study sessions, I followed a strategic approach:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \ud83d\udd39 Weekdays (1.5 hours per day):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • 30 minutes:<\/strong> Reviewing notes & mind maps<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • 30 minutes:<\/strong> Watching video lessons or reading the Official Study Guide<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • 30 minutes:<\/strong> Practice questions & analyzing incorrect answers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        \ud83d\udd39 Weekends (4-6 hours total):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • Deep dives into weak areas<\/strong> identified through practice questions<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Full-length practice exams<\/strong> every other weekend<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Reviewing and reinforcing key concepts<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          \ud83d\udca1 Best Study Strategy I Used:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          • Teaching what I learned<\/strong> \u2013 Explaining concepts to myself or others helped solidify my understanding.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Active recall & spaced repetition<\/strong> \u2013 I regularly revisited topics to strengthen retention.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Practice with scenario-based questions<\/strong> \u2013 CISSP is not about memorization; applying concepts is key.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
            \n\n\n\n

            Study Materials That Helped Me Pass CISSP<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            I used multiple resources, each contributing differently to my learning:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u2705 5-day training course<\/strong> \u2013 Gave me a structured plan to start with.
            \u2705 Mike Chapple\u2019s LinkedIn Learning course<\/strong> \u2013 Solid foundational explanations.
            \u2705 CISSP Exam Cram Full Course (All 8 Domains) \u2013 Pete Zerger<\/strong> \u2013 Highly recommended
            \u2705 Destination CISSP book: A Concise Guide<\/strong> \u2013 A to-the-point<\/strong> resource.
            \u2705 Destination Certification Mind Maps<\/strong> \u2013 Helped with quick reviews.
            \u2705 Official Study Guide<\/strong> \u2013 Used for deeper dives into complex topics.
            \u2705 Learnzapp<\/strong> \u2013 Excellent for practice questions and reinforcement.
            \u2705 50 CISSP Practice Questions \u2013 Master the CISSP Mindset<\/strong> \u2013 Took this twice<\/strong> for mindset training.
            \u2705 Why You Will Pass the CISSP \u2013 Kelly Handerhan<\/strong> \u2013 Helped with confidence and key concepts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \ud83d\udd39 No single resource is enough<\/strong> \u2013 A mix of materials is key to getting different perspectives on the concepts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n\n\n\n

            Key Takeaways & Exam Strategy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            Throughout my preparation, I picked up important lessons<\/strong> that helped me pass:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \ud83d\udd39 “Think like a manager” \u2013 but not always.<\/strong> While CISSP is about security leadership, sometimes the correct answer requires a technical understanding<\/strong> as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \ud83d\udd39 Understand the \u201cwhy, how, and what\u201d behind each concept.<\/strong> Don\u2019t just memorize definitions\u2014know how security principles are applied in real-world scenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \ud83d\udd39 Practice applying knowledge, not just recalling facts.<\/strong> CISSP isn\u2019t a memory test; it challenges your ability to think critically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \ud83d\udd39 Mindset matters.<\/strong> Approaching the exam with a problem-solving mindset helped me eliminate wrong answers and choose the best option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n\n\n\n

            Final Thoughts: Advice for CISSP Aspirants<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            \ud83c\udfaf Discipline is key<\/strong> \u2013 A structured routine helps you stay on track.
            \ud83c\udfaf Choose your study materials wisely<\/strong> \u2013 Don\u2019t overwhelm yourself; focus on resources that help you understand concepts.
            \ud83c\udfaf Practice, practice, practice<\/strong> \u2013 Take mock tests<\/strong> to develop the right approach for answering questions.
            \ud83c\udfaf Stay confident!<\/strong> CISSP is tough, but with the right strategy, you can pass.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            If you\u2019re on your CISSP journey, keep pushing forward! Feel free to share your study strategies or ask questions<\/strong> in the comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            #CISSP #CyberSecurity #CertificationJourney #StudyTips<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            Thank you \/ Merci \/ \u0634\u0643\u0631\u064b\u0627<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            Achieving the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification was a long and challenging journey for me. After an initial false start in 2021, I finally passed the exam in March 2025 on my first attempt, with the exam stopping at 100 questions. If you’re considering CISSP or currently on your study path, I hope […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-container-style":"default","site-container-layout":"default","site-sidebar-layout":"default","disable-article-header":"default","disable-site-header":"default","disable-site-footer":"default","disable-content-area-spacing":"default","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[11],"class_list":["post-95","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-certification","tag-cissp-cybersecurity-certificationjourney-studytips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sme-access.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sme-access.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sme-access.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sme-access.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sme-access.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=95"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sme-access.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":97,"href":"https:\/\/sme-access.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95\/revisions\/97"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sme-access.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=95"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sme-access.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=95"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sme-access.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=95"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}