"Anyone who is successful in life has the ability to examine themselves and change their behaviour as much as possible to meet their goals." If this was a book, I would've hilghlighted the crap out of that sentence! Great video and thank you for sharing your experience!
I also have a 4 year old and I can relate to how it feels to make that sacrifice. The emotions you shared especially in your voice 😢. I just randomly bump into your channel but man what a gold mine of knowledge, keep it up my friend.
I am just quite intrigued by various study methods for achieving a CCIE, especially as someone with dyslexia who progressed from basic levels to graduating with distinctions. I’m well aware that there’s no substitute for hard work, as it often requires double the effort for me compared to others. However, there’s a certain fulfillment I get from this rigorous process. I appreciate your efforts in creating the video and offering advice. What I’ve found particularly beneficial is taking brief pauses-after reading a complex topic, I try to visualize it and break it down to its fundamental principles, then pause for about 10-20 seconds. Keep up the excellent work. It’s valuable to cultivate a community that provides advice and support.
Hey Patrick I hope I didn't seem like I was criticizing you personally for asking how I study. I was going off on a general rant. Also, you didn't mention that you're studying for the CCIE. That's different. That vast majority of the people asking me for advice have been studying for their CCNA for 3 years or have been "thinking about Network+ but just can't seem to find the time." I admit I have very little patience for guys who spend more time researching how to study than just sitting down and studying. I DO have actual tips and strategies (well some, nothing groundbreaking) for studying for the CCIE. If that's where you're at you clearly have already developed good study skills. So I'd be happy to elaborate on a few things that may help with the CCIE.
Hey Jeremiah! Great to see you back making videos. I know you've been on this journey for a while and have finally achieved your grail CCIE status. Have you decided to start applying to network engineering positions? Did your wife ever give you a hard time for being unemployed this long? You had such a unique opportunity to be able to take this much time off to pursue the CCIE. Hats off to your wife for holding down the fort!
-Achieved? Yes: CCIE #67696 July 24, 2023 (ua-cam.com/video/7ApjTvZEJfA/v-deo.html) -Applying? Yes. (It's been very rough with a 10 year gap. 8 years in a different field and 2 years unemployed. I plan on making a video about it soon.) -Hard time? No, for a couple reasons. At ~42 years old my wife decided that she had to have a child. When we got married, children were a "it'd be nice if it happens" kinda thing. And, by 42, it just happening was very unlikely. I had long since moved on from that idea. But my wife said, "Hey, I know you've moved on from kids. I know we're financially very comfortable. I know that our life and our routine is very comfortable. BUT, I'd like to completely upend all of that because I need a child." I said, "Okay." Then, after we exhausted the basic fertility treatments covered by our insurance, my wife said, "Hey, I'd like to spend $100,000 of our savings to increase the CHANCE that I can get pregnant." I said, "Okay." Then, once she'd become pregnant and we'd set down to plan our new future as parents she said, "Hey, I know you've spent the past ~8 years building your business, something you love, something that brings real purpose and meaning to your life, but the truth is you don't make enough money doing it. It was fine with just the two of us, but not with a child. You're going to need to shutdown your business and go back to Networking." I gave a heavy sigh and said, "Okay." Then, when our son was born premature with multiple medical issues, my wife said, "Hey, I know you've been really hitting it out of the park studying and making progress toward your CCIE, but I'm going to need you to back-burner all of that and spend that next ~2 years taking care of our son nearly fulltime." I said, "Bitch! Are you fucking kidding me?!?. Okay." So no, not only has my wife NOT given me a hard time, but she has been my biggest supporter and has repeatedly bent over backwards to ensure that I know that I have her unwavering love and support.
@@jeremiahwolfe LMAO!! This was such an awesome read. Love your personality and writing style. That touch of sarcasm is very much welcome. Having been in long term relationships, I sorta have a small idea of how you may have felt. I too was asked for a child when I wasnt ready. But that's a story for another day. Thanks for catching me up on where you've been. I have to apologize that it's taken me this long to respond. For whatever reason, I never received a notification that you responded. In any case, looks like I have some Jeremiah videos to catch up on. Hope everything is going well with the kid. At least by the time, he's 2, you'll be insanely booked up! What a unique opportunity. Kudos to your wife as well for the support. Take care!
Thanks. I have a little lull after finishing up the last two certs. Though, the upgrades for my lab arrived today, so probably no more time for videos for a while.
Good video. I think my biggest obstacle is the mental fatigue after work but it gets done. I am on the Firepower certification path right now. SVPN needs an update at some point :(
Great video as always! Completely agree with you on a lot of points that you made. The ‘world owes me a favour’ attitude is definitely a common one. We had an apprentice in my last role and I was stunned by his attitude. He came in thinking we would sit there and teach him, and often made the comment, ‘they don’t pay me enough’. I’m sorry, but you’re at the bottom of the hierarchy, and you complain about pay? The guy was getting paid to study, and it still wasn’t enough. I’d love to know how he’s getting on now as people won’t carry you forever!
What do you think about spaced repetition software like Anki, lots of good science behind active recall, spaced repetition, interleaving, etc. One of the best CCNA courses out there is Jeremy's IT lab's course. It heavily makes use of it. Pair that with labing and problem solving and you're good to go. Pairs well with written sources like textbooks too
IN MY OPINION: Generally, repetition (i.e. flash cards) are good for the rote memorization of facts. While there will almost always be some limited amount of memorization required, as you advance beyond the entry-level certifications you will require deeper knowledge and understanding that memorization does not provide. For example you can memorize OSPF LSA types. But you need to UNDERSTAND what they are and how they work to advance your career. Once you understand them, you won't need to memorize anything because they will make sense at a fundamental level. I'm not sure what "spaced repetition" and "interleaving" are, but I'll hazard a guess based on the name. That's how I studied for my CCIE. I hit each subject multiple times with each pass going deeper and deeper. So: A1-> B1 -> C1 -> A2 -> B2 -> C2 etc... The CCIE was the only time I felt such an approach was necessary, however. Associate and Professional level certs just don't usually take enough time to require such an in-depth approach. Regardless, as I say in the video, find what works for you. If you have a career in IT you will be studying and taking tests for your entire career. You'll have lots of opportunity to fine tune your specific study strategy. Just don't spend more time "learning how to study" than actually studying. Personally, little pisses me off more than when guys try to tell me how I'm doing things all wrong, then when I ask, they admit that don't have the certification. They just watch a lot of videos about studying.
@@jeremiahwolfe Thanks for the advice man, Sage stuff. And absolutely, you only used spaced repetition software once you actually understand something. But what it helps with is to not let the knowledge decay over time. Regardless, I would like to get youur thoughts on both the Cybersec and devnet offerings Cisco has?
Question: Would you still recommend the resources you mentioned in the SD-WAN video for the ENSDWI exam? Or did you find other resources during your CCIE study, which would be also great or even better for the ENSDWI exam?
I'm sorry, I don't remember what I said back then. That was quite a while ago. OCG is a little dated, but still useful. The documentation is an absolute must. And, if you can afford it, one or two months of Terry Vinson's sd-geeks.com might be good. He's really pumping out the videos lately, but his site's organization is severely lacking.
"Anyone who is successful in life has the ability to examine themselves and change their behaviour as much as possible to meet their goals." If this was a book, I would've hilghlighted the crap out of that sentence! Great video and thank you for sharing your experience!
I just love your bluntness. A breath of fresh air.
I also have a 4 year old and I can relate to how it feels to make that sacrifice. The emotions you shared especially in your voice 😢. I just randomly bump into your channel but man what a gold mine of knowledge, keep it up my friend.
I am just quite intrigued by various study methods for achieving a CCIE, especially as someone with dyslexia who progressed from basic levels to graduating with distinctions. I’m well aware that there’s no substitute for hard work, as it often requires double the effort for me compared to others. However, there’s a certain fulfillment I get from this rigorous process. I appreciate your efforts in creating the video and offering advice. What I’ve found particularly beneficial is taking brief pauses-after reading a complex topic, I try to visualize it and break it down to its fundamental principles, then pause for about 10-20 seconds.
Keep up the excellent work. It’s valuable to cultivate a community that provides advice and support.
Hey Patrick I hope I didn't seem like I was criticizing you personally for asking how I study. I was going off on a general rant. Also, you didn't mention that you're studying for the CCIE. That's different. That vast majority of the people asking me for advice have been studying for their CCNA for 3 years or have been "thinking about Network+ but just can't seem to find the time."
I admit I have very little patience for guys who spend more time researching how to study than just sitting down and studying.
I DO have actual tips and strategies (well some, nothing groundbreaking) for studying for the CCIE. If that's where you're at you clearly have already developed good study skills. So I'd be happy to elaborate on a few things that may help with the CCIE.
Loved the way you answered last question 😂
Hey Jeremiah! Great to see you back making videos. I know you've been on this journey for a while and have finally achieved your grail CCIE status. Have you decided to start applying to network engineering positions? Did your wife ever give you a hard time for being unemployed this long? You had such a unique opportunity to be able to take this much time off to pursue the CCIE. Hats off to your wife for holding down the fort!
-Achieved? Yes: CCIE #67696 July 24, 2023 (ua-cam.com/video/7ApjTvZEJfA/v-deo.html)
-Applying? Yes. (It's been very rough with a 10 year gap. 8 years in a different field and 2 years unemployed. I plan on making a video about it soon.)
-Hard time? No, for a couple reasons.
At ~42 years old my wife decided that she had to have a child. When we got married, children were a "it'd be nice if it happens" kinda thing. And, by 42, it just happening was very unlikely. I had long since moved on from that idea. But my wife said, "Hey, I know you've moved on from kids. I know we're financially very comfortable. I know that our life and our routine is very comfortable. BUT, I'd like to completely upend all of that because I need a child."
I said, "Okay."
Then, after we exhausted the basic fertility treatments covered by our insurance, my wife said, "Hey, I'd like to spend $100,000 of our savings to increase the CHANCE that I can get pregnant."
I said, "Okay."
Then, once she'd become pregnant and we'd set down to plan our new future as parents she said, "Hey, I know you've spent the past ~8 years building your business, something you love, something that brings real purpose and meaning to your life, but the truth is you don't make enough money doing it. It was fine with just the two of us, but not with a child. You're going to need to shutdown your business and go back to Networking."
I gave a heavy sigh and said, "Okay."
Then, when our son was born premature with multiple medical issues, my wife said, "Hey, I know you've been really hitting it out of the park studying and making progress toward your CCIE, but I'm going to need you to back-burner all of that and spend that next ~2 years taking care of our son nearly fulltime."
I said, "Bitch! Are you fucking kidding me?!?. Okay."
So no, not only has my wife NOT given me a hard time, but she has been my biggest supporter and has repeatedly bent over backwards to ensure that I know that I have her unwavering love and support.
@@jeremiahwolfe LMAO!! This was such an awesome read. Love your personality and writing style. That touch of sarcasm is very much welcome. Having been in long term relationships, I sorta have a small idea of how you may have felt. I too was asked for a child when I wasnt ready. But that's a story for another day. Thanks for catching me up on where you've been. I have to apologize that it's taken me this long to respond. For whatever reason, I never received a notification that you responded. In any case, looks like I have some Jeremiah videos to catch up on. Hope everything is going well with the kid. At least by the time, he's 2, you'll be insanely booked up! What a unique opportunity. Kudos to your wife as well for the support. Take care!
Missed Jeremiah videos, please keep recording!
Thanks. I have a little lull after finishing up the last two certs.
Though, the upgrades for my lab arrived today, so probably no more time for videos for a while.
Good video. I think my biggest obstacle is the mental fatigue after work but it gets done. I am on the Firepower certification path right now. SVPN needs an update at some point :(
Thanks Jeremiah. Needed that bluntness to me getting stagnant after failing my CCNP a while ago
Great video as always! Completely agree with you on a lot of points that you made.
The ‘world owes me a favour’ attitude is definitely a common one.
We had an apprentice in my last role and I was stunned by his attitude. He came in thinking we would sit there and teach him, and often made the comment, ‘they don’t pay me enough’. I’m sorry, but you’re at the bottom of the hierarchy, and you complain about pay? The guy was getting paid to study, and it still wasn’t enough. I’d love to know how he’s getting on now as people won’t carry you forever!
Loved the ending! lmao
Jeremiah's new standup routine
Oh my gosh! I am watching your video instead of studying about OSPF Lsa propagation through OSPF domain. I am wasting time! :D
I agree.
Great video very motivating
I remember when any Cisco cert was a big thing back in the time
With the creation of cloud and automation, it slowly lost it's appeal
I agree with being distinguished. It works!
no pain no gain :)
What do you think about spaced repetition software like Anki, lots of good science behind active recall, spaced repetition, interleaving, etc.
One of the best CCNA courses out there is Jeremy's IT lab's course. It heavily makes use of it.
Pair that with labing and problem solving and you're good to go.
Pairs well with written sources like textbooks too
IN MY OPINION: Generally, repetition (i.e. flash cards) are good for the rote memorization of facts. While there will almost always be some limited amount of memorization required, as you advance beyond the entry-level certifications you will require deeper knowledge and understanding that memorization does not provide. For example you can memorize OSPF LSA types. But you need to UNDERSTAND what they are and how they work to advance your career. Once you understand them, you won't need to memorize anything because they will make sense at a fundamental level.
I'm not sure what "spaced repetition" and "interleaving" are, but I'll hazard a guess based on the name. That's how I studied for my CCIE. I hit each subject multiple times with each pass going deeper and deeper. So:
A1-> B1 -> C1 -> A2 -> B2 -> C2 etc...
The CCIE was the only time I felt such an approach was necessary, however. Associate and Professional level certs just don't usually take enough time to require such an in-depth approach.
Regardless, as I say in the video, find what works for you. If you have a career in IT you will be studying and taking tests for your entire career. You'll have lots of opportunity to fine tune your specific study strategy.
Just don't spend more time "learning how to study" than actually studying. Personally, little pisses me off more than when guys try to tell me how I'm doing things all wrong, then when I ask, they admit that don't have the certification. They just watch a lot of videos about studying.
@@jeremiahwolfe Thanks for the advice man, Sage stuff. And absolutely, you only used spaced repetition software once you actually understand something. But what it helps with is to not let the knowledge decay over time.
Regardless, I would like to get youur thoughts on both the Cybersec and devnet offerings Cisco has?
you are inspiring me
Good stuff thanks for sharing
Question: Would you still recommend the resources you mentioned in the SD-WAN video for the ENSDWI exam? Or did you find other resources during your CCIE study, which would be also great or even better for the ENSDWI exam?
I'm sorry, I don't remember what I said back then. That was quite a while ago. OCG is a little dated, but still useful. The documentation is an absolute must. And, if you can afford it, one or two months of Terry Vinson's sd-geeks.com might be good. He's really pumping out the videos lately, but his site's organization is severely lacking.
Thank you Jeremiah.
Couldnt have said it better!
15:17 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Ha I see you sneaking in that last comment lmao
😂😂❤❤❤💚💚🫶🫶🫶✊🏻