This post is somewhat of a tangent, but I hope the message is well-received, and that it hits home for some of you out there. I believe there are two types of CCIE candidates: Those who are born with the gift of retaining information, or otherwise smart- or those who make up for their lack of natural skill with nothing more then hard work and persistence. I fall into the second category. I am not the smartest, or most skilled network professional by far. I am, however, one of the few who will put in the necessary time to bridge the gap between the two. While it may take some guy 1 hour to catch onto a subject and understand the theory, I am the one drawing diagrams, listening to audio clips in the car, and researching the subject at work, to reach the same level of understanding. But I believe that having that level of motivation is what makes me who I am, and why I feel unstoppable when it comes to certification and/or professional development. What does this all have to do with you? Read on.

I am a true believer that anyone can do what they want..with the necessary work. I don’t think I could be the next American Idol, but I do believe if I was dedicated enough, I could be a successful professional musician. Why? Because although some level of natural talent helps, it’s not the only factor. If you have the right mindset, nothing can stop you. A favorite quote of mine is by Thomas Jefferson. He said:

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal. Nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”

As humans, we hold so much potential within ourselves, but so very few people exercise that potential, and push their limits. I’m not just talking about going to school and getting a bachelors. I’m talking about someone deciding that they are going to start the business they always wanted to despite the odds..or the kid growing up who wants to be a millionaire. Why not? By no means am I suggesting you throw caution to the wind and go on tour with a rock band instead of going to college. All I am saying is, if that’s what you want to do, you can.

That being said, ask yourself this- what is holding you back from attaining your goals? Whether it’s to become a CCIE, or attain a Master’s degree, the path of a thousand miles begins with one step! As humans, we are inherently afraid of that which we do not know. I still encounter subjects that I’m “afraid” of. My solution these days is to attack them, and focus all of my attention on them. Before I know it, I realize there wasn’t much to them. The hardest part was just the initial shock of being emersed in something which I knew nothing about!

So whether it’s studying for the CCIE, or CISSP, MCSE, or for your degree…hit the books and never stop learning. Even if it’s only learning something new per day- keep at it!