I have to admit. I am not the worlds most patient and understanding person. I see the world as black and white. You want to pass and do the work or you don’t want to do the work which of course means you won’t pass. Simple really.
This week I have had 3 students pass their CCNA using howtonetwork.net and 3 people e-mailed me to say that they were cancelling their membership. Each person’s failure to take the exam or pass it comes down to a single factor which I feel is the single most important thing you need if you are going to be a success in anything.
The word is ATTITUDE!
Student 1 – e-mails me saying ‘I am cancelling my membership to the site. I joined a week ago and took the exam seven days later and failed. I may rejoin at a later stage when I decide to have another go.’
This joker expects something for nothing. I have never heard of anyone passing anything worth passing with one weeks studying. Let alone one of the hardest ones.
Student 2 cancelled. I wrote her an e-mail asking if she had passed yet or was she leaving for another reason. She replied ‘Unfortunately, I have not yet passed my CCNA. In fact, I’ve only just resumed my preparations last week. I subscribed to your site almost a year ago but, due to work and school, was not able take advantage of your site. So, I had been paying for a service I wasn’t using and can’t continue to do that.’
So, firstly it isn’t her fault she hasn’t taken the exam yet. It is her work and schools fault. The rest of us sit at home all day long studying as we don’t have jobs to go to.
Second, if she has resumed her studies, why not stick around for one more month, use the resources and then pass the exam? Then the years membership would actually have been a sound investment.
Student 3 – e-mails saying ‘Is there any chance you can give me six months free access to the site? I have a member now for 9 months but this year (2009) haven’t had a chance to log in at all. Times are hard so if you can’t give me free access I will just cancel.
Sweet Lord! Here’s a hint. If he can’t be bothered to use the site when he is spending his own money, will he log in when it is me paying for his access?
If this guy just knuckled down and passed then times wouldn’t be hard because he would be a Cisco engineer and could go freelancing.
END OF RANT!!
Okay. I had to get all that off my chest. The three students passing more than makes up for these three wasters who expect life to give them something for nothing. In five years time they will be in the same job, blaming others for their lack of time and success.
I keep saying, to pass the CCNA takes about 60 days at two hours per day. It takes 90 days tops if you are dedicated and consistent and take responsibility for your time and your life.
Thanks for reading.
