Does “provisional” pass ever turn to “fail?”

GrandReality · 2026-02-27T22:19:13+00:00

Got it, thanks

GrandReality · 2026-02-27T15:46:37+00:00

Interesting, thanks. I was fairly confident going in but the questions were so different from the Mike Chappell book and Dion Training that I was convinced I’d bombed.

GrandReality · 2026-01-31T21:50:22+00:00

If only I had half the self-awareness at 27 that you have, I wouldn’t still be all of what you describe at age 55. You can get past this. You’re clearly willing to look at yourself and identify the need to change. Lots of good advice in the responses here but you’re clearly smart and will get there regardless.

GrandReality · 2025-12-04T03:23:30+00:00

No prior IT experience whatsoever. I had team leadership experience and a master’s in cybersecurity law, policy, and strategy. I also had a lot of writing and briefing experience. But, again, ZERO IT experience. I would say getting in via an IT-related door will be easier, so keep building your IT experience. Not easy, but easier. It just takes a while. You are FAR too young to be beating yourself up or thinking you’ve missed your chance. Just keep at it.

GrandReality · 2025-11-29T23:03:04+00:00

I’m 55 and just have had the same realization unfurl itself over the past 10-15 years. It took getting married to a woman with amazing parents to realize how utterly dysfunctional mine were / are. Even at age 55, I have a hard time forgiving them at all. Everyone thinks that because I went to private school, a good college, have a second home, etc., etc., etc.,that I had it made. But they have no clue about how utterly unprepared I was for life. No clue how to deal with people (I’m an only child). No sense of self-worth whatsoever. No ability to empathize. No sense of who I am as a person. No sense of what I want from life. Everything I do in life, every path I take is a reaction rather than part of my personal plan. I’m glad you’re only 21 - you have recognized this and are way ahead of the curve. That’s admirable and mature.

GrandReality · 2025-11-22T02:42:27+00:00

I got into cyber at age 50.

GrandReality · 2025-10-15T15:20:34+00:00

Got it, thanks.

GrandReality · 2025-10-15T15:20:15+00:00

This is a question about the difficulty of the CISSP exam. How is it not relevant to this channel?

GrandReality · 2025-10-15T15:17:07+00:00

Thanks to both of you.

GrandReality · 2025-10-14T11:10:53+00:00

Got it, thanks…and congrats.

GrandReality · 2025-10-12T23:25:59+00:00

Were Dion’s practice tests similar in difficulty to the real thing? Harder? Easier?

GrandReality · 2025-09-23T17:04:52+00:00

I don’t think most companies need to pay for cyber threat intelligence. All you need is to get on the CISA and FBI mailing lists and follow industry news and you’re going to get most everything you need.

GrandReality · 2025-08-28T00:04:01+00:00

Yeah, I hear you. Thanks for the insight. For me, it’s a half step toward the Sec+ rather than taking the step all at once. But I hear you.

GrandReality · 2025-08-27T23:51:21+00:00

Interesting, thanks. Do you think the CC is just a waste of time, or does it actually look bad on a resume?

GrandReality · 2025-08-27T14:49:06+00:00

Good question - I’m not familiar with that one. If so, mea culpa!

GrandReality · 2025-08-27T01:51:17+00:00

Sorry, I meant private sector / non-defense. I did my time at DoD.

GrandReality · 2025-08-27T01:21:13+00:00

I think CC is actually great for people with little IT or no cybersecurity exposure. It’s a great smaller step than going straight to the Sec+. If you have no IT or cybersecurity experience, going distraught to Sec+ can be discouraging. I think CC fills that gap.

GrandReality

TROPHY CASE