The Reality of Self-Study

This week has been a game-changer for my CompTIA Security+ self-study journey. I finally gained access to CompTIA’s study lab, and let me tell you—it’s been an eye-opener. Over the weekend, I tackled Lessons 1 and 2, pushing through as much as I could. I managed to complete everything except the assisted lab for Lesson 1, and for Lesson 2, I knocked out the lesson itself and the PBQs.If anyone out there thinks they can just jump into this course with zero prior knowledge and breeze through it, let me stop you right there—you’re mad. Seriously. This is not just a ‘watch a few videos and pass a test’ kind of deal. The depth of knowledge required is intense, and the amount of self-study needed is staggering.Optima has provided the online course that I’m following, and as part of that, I now have access to CompTIA’s learning portal. But here’s the kicker—I’m quickly realizing that there’s possibly more self-study required than actual online class time. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.Don’t get me wrong—I’m loving every moment of it. The content, the challenge, the hands-on learning—it’s all worth it. But for anyone considering buying a course and expecting to just ‘wing it’ to a cybersecurity job, think again. I see so many online reviews claiming that different cybersecurity courses are scams and don’t work. I guarantee that most of those people didn’t put in the work. They assumed they could pay for a course and just be handed a career. That’s just not how it works.In life, you only get what you work for, and this certification is no exception. It’s challenging, it’s demanding, but I know the reward at the end will be worth every ounce of effort. Time to keep pushing forward!