Motivation & learning style

Hello everyone, i am feeling like i am so dumb and can't learn anything it's just killing me. At start i am so motivated and so interested in stuff trying to learn and after 3 hours it's all gone.. and next day i don't have any interest to start it again... Maybe it's because that i want to learn everything in one row, i know it's impossible but still i want everything to get fast and now... Just somehow i think i don't have motivation because i don't know how to study or i am not used to study. Or maybe it's just my mental conviction. I'm interested in networks, thinking about getting CCENT, but i am thinking several years now... and it is killing me and demotivating and making me feel desperate... What is your way of learning stuff ? how you learn ?

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earweed

There are different strategies and approaches and not all people adapt to any one the same.
I used to read, then watch CBTs, practice test , review. For what I'm currently studying I'm altering it to watch CBT, read, practice test, review and it seems to be working fine for me.

Repo Man

I like creating a lot of short term goals that will keep me focused. I also like to document my study/lab time and set dates for when I want something to be completed.

You could make a plan for your CCENT by saying I will take the exam March 15th (not familiar with Cisco tests and prep time needed) and I will read 30 minutes a day and lab 30 minutes a day on average. Keep an excel file updated and hold yourself accountable.

agplt

earweed wrote: »

There are different strategies and approaches and not all people adapt to any one the same.
I used to read, then watch CBTs, practice test , review. For what I'm currently studying I'm altering it to watch CBT, read, practice test, review and it seems to be working fine for me.

Thanks for fast response, when you watch CBT are you taking notes of main points or smth, how much time you spend a day for studies ? I just get bored watching same thing twice, don't have enough patience..

agplt

Repo Man wrote: »

I like creating a lot of short term goals that will keep me focused. I also like to document my study/lab time and set dates for when I want something to be completed.

You could make a plan for your CCENT by saying I will take the exam March 15th (not familiar with Cisco tests and prep time needed) and I will read 30 minutes a day and lab 30 minutes a day on average. Keep an excel file updated and hold yourself accountable.

I have already done something like this, but just when i do my schedule i feel motivated, but after several days i quit, maybe it's because i am overworking, i want to get everything as fast as possible so i spend like 8 hours for studying and next day i don't feel like doing it anymore. And sometimes i just keep thinking why i am doing like this, why i can't remember those things, how i could forgot that ant etc. when i try to kick information into my head it's like starting to block everything and i can't remember what such stuff like what stands for CSMA/CD what's 3 hand shake, OSI model or something, i keep forgetting main objects...

Bl8ckr0uter

agplt wrote: »

Hello everyone, i am feeling like i am so dumb and can't learn anything it's just killing me. At start i am so motivated and so interested in stuff trying to learn and after 3 hours it's all gone.. and next day i don't have any interest to start it again... Maybe it's because that i want to learn everything in one row, i know it's impossible but still i want everything to get fast and now... Just somehow i think i don't have motivation because i don't know how to study or i am not used to study. Or maybe it's just my mental conviction. I'm interested in networks, thinking about getting CCENT, but i am thinking several years now... and it is killing me and demotivating and making me feel desperate... What is your way of learning stuff ? how you learn ?

I just read and lab. My motivation is $$$$ and being better than everyone on TE. Like seriously there are some monsters on here, pick someone and wage war with the gods lol

ibcritn

CBT Nuggets for CCNA was awesome! I had to switch gears for CEH/CISSP since my job required it....but I can't wait to watch the ICND2 videos again and become one with the Cisco IOS again.

CBT Nuggets Certification Packages

Don't study for 3hours straight (yet) make a goal...1 hour a day.

Priston

My Motivation is increasing my job marketability.

Cisco can be very hard to study for once you get to a certain point. I myself have gotten to the point where I either A: already know the stuff i'm studying or B: fall asleep studing.
Right now I simply want to take the CCENT and if I pass thats good but if I fail I'm just going to move on to Microsoft and come back to cisco some other time.

cisco_certs

I agree with Bl8ckr0uter.

My motivation is $$$$ , be the best in technology : RS, VOIP, wireless and security.

Being here in TE and seeing posters having CISSP, and CCIE inspires me.

Right now Mike (the guy that has lots of cisco certs inspires me). Im hoping 1 day i would be like him and be a CCIE. Gotta say that this forum actually inspires me to study even more.

EDIT: I forgot to tell you that I LOVE TECHNOLOGY! I love reading and learning new stuff and what I can do on networking, wireless, security and voip. my girl actually is jealous and cannot believe how much dedication i put on this. She was like " i dont know how you do that and I know i dont have that dedication".

mikedisd2

agplt wrote: »

Thanks for fast response, when you watch CBT are you taking notes of main points or smth, how much time you spend a day for studies ? I just get bored watching same thing twice, don't have enough patience..

And you pay the price for that. Maybe it's not strategies that you need but mental conditioning. Sounds like you want to cover as much ground as possible without seeing the sites. Because you feel that you've wasted so much time, it all has to be crammed in now. Only you can change this limiting paradigm that is keeping your wheels spinning. Otherwise it may just be many more years of nothing.

Hypntick

Bl8ckr0uter wrote: »

I just read and lab. My motivation is $$$$ and being better than everyone on TE. Like seriously there are some monsters on here, pick someone and wage war with the gods lol

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Bl8ckr0uter again."

I almost spit my code red up reading that one. I find that I'll watch some vids and try and keep pace with the reading. For this 70-676 there are a ton of labs to do so i'm trying to keep busy with that. I just like learning new stuff so it's easy on me. Now when I picked up the 70-680 book I went to snooze land, so I figured i'd switch it up to stuff I didn't already have a decent grasp on.

ehnde

You have to motivate yourself. There is no special trick. If you get right to the core of it you're talking more about self-discipline. You know that studying for and passing an exam will benefit you and further your goals, but you don't do it. Why? Lack of discipline. This problem is not unique to you - we all suffer from it. The great thing about discipline is that the moment you are presently in is the best time to start. No need to wait! The only moment you will ever have is the present moment. The past is gone and the future isn't here yet.

If that sounded like a bunch of zen gibberish just remember this: if it was fun AND easy, everyone would do it and there would be no job market for the skills you are attempting to build.

agplt

mikedisd2 wrote: »

And you pay the price for that. Maybe it's not strategies that you need but mental conditioning. Sounds like you want to cover as much ground as possible without seeing the sites. Because you feel that you've wasted so much time, it all has to be crammed in now. Only you can change this limiting paradigm that is keeping your wheels spinning. Otherwise it may just be many more years of nothing.

Now when i am thinking more and more about myself inside my mind i get that i am the only one who makes me feel like that and be like this, i need to change my thinking and try to think positive in the right way, because now i am just crushing my dreams like thinking i am not capable its not for me or i am not good enough for it... its just stupid but maybe i was thinking this way to long and it just started to be my life style or smth. First thing what i need to do is to prove myself that i am wrong and get certificated, try to study hard and study for real... not like you know watch video and don't do a thing, sometimes i think i could stay 24h reading articles about networks but it's only reading not studying, when i need to find out what's the problem i have so much motivation that i am looking, searching and doing stuff like crazy and can't stop till i resolve problem if i get so motivated in learning stuff, ohh man

agplt

ehnde wrote: »

You have to motivate yourself. There is no special trick. If you get right to the core of it you're talking more about self-discipline. You know that studying for and passing an exam will benefit you and further your goals, but you don't do it. Why? Lack of discipline. This problem is not unique to you - we all suffer from it. The great thing about discipline is that the moment you are presently in is the best time to start. No need to wait! The only moment you will ever have is the present moment. The past is gone and the future isn't here yet.

If that sounded like a bunch of zen gibberish just remember this: if it was fun AND easy, everyone would do it and there would be no job market for the skills you are attempting to build.

Yea that's main idea if it was easy everyone would do it but it's not you need to be motivated and self confident when you going to take test, but i need to learn that what i think is right to do now i need to start doing not to think about maybe i need to do this next day or i don't want to do... when i think about it i am to lazy.. i don't want to end at 40's and think what i did past these 20 years... i am now thinking what i did past this 22 years and i get that i did nothing and it depress me a lot, because when i see same ppl which are working with computer 10> years are already gurus or smth i get pissed off on myself why i am not this way, why i played games and lost my 4h/day in social networking... its... stupid to do.

gosh1976

spending 8 hours studying is a very long time and it is difficult to retain much from a study session that long. I've been known to study that long on a Saturday or Sunday but I took lots of little breaks and a couple long breaks.

It is much more realistic to set a goal of an hour or so of study per day and if you are going to study longer be sure to give yourself some good breaks to relax. For instance a bit earlier I was watching a server 2008 AD video. I got 18 minutes in and fired up the virtual machines and labbed the stuff I was just watching for 15 minutes or so. I'm watching a server 2008 video because I got frustrated and tired of OSPF last night while studying for the ICND2! Before I go to sleep I'll finish up that video it's a short one so not much more left to go and I'll probably do a little bit of reading for the CCNA and do a simple lab in packet tracer. I'll end up studying for the day for longer than an hour but probably not more than two hours.

It helps me to have other stuff to study. Tomorrow if I get bored with CCNA stuff I'll probably play with exchange or maybe write some simple C# program or something. I'm trying not to forget everything I learned in the beginning C# class over the summer before I take the intermediate class in a couple semesters! Since I'm not working in IT at the moment and haven't for a while now as long as I am learning something or refreshing some skills everyday I feel like I am accomplishing something. I want to be prepared for any type of position I might get an interview for!

gosh1976

agplt wrote: »

Yea that's main idea if it was easy everyone would do it but it's not you need to be motivated and self confident when you going to take test, but i need to learn that what i think is right to do now i need to start doing not to think about maybe i need to do this next day or i don't want to do... when i think about it i am to lazy.. i don't want to end at 40's and think what i did past these 20 years... i am now thinking what i did past this 22 years and i get that i did nothing and it depress me a lot, because when i see same ppl which are working with computer 10> years are already gurus or smth i get pissed off on myself why i am not this way, why i played games and lost my 4h/day in social networking... its... stupid to do.

Are you only 22yrs old? That is still young! sounds like you are being too hard on yourself. You should forget about what everybody else is doing. This habit is only going to cause you years of grief. There will always be the other person that makes more money, got promoted faster, has any easier time understanding polynomials or subnetting, has a better looking wife, or drives a faster car. Who cares?!?? I'm older than you by 12 years and due to some really poor decisions in the past I'm just trying to get my foot back in the door in the IT world. I'll be starting out on the ground floor again. I can't let it get me down and I don't worry about what my friends and peers are doing in their careers. I just worry about myself and work hard to get where I want to be. I work hard, I play hard, and I try to learn from my mistakes and make better decisions.

Sitting around on the pitty pot and feeling sorry for yourself and being pissed that you aren't a guru yet like that guy John or Bill you graduated with isn't going to get you anything except maybe a huge bar tab and an ulcer! So just get going spend 30 minutes studying and there you go you accomplished something tonight!

You should also explore all your options. I'm taking classes at my local University and it has helped in a number of ways: access to the lab at school, access to software, access to packet tracer and all the net academy stuff. I did A+, Net+, and MCDST all with the self-study method but there's something to be said for having deadlines in my classes. I do a combination of self-study and course studies. I'm lucky my current program qualifies me for a state grant (and anybody else that wants to do it) which covers most of my expenses and then pell covers the rest. So go on get motivated figure out a route to take and get moving and don't worry too much about it when the route needs to change as long as you continue to work towards goals.

agplt

gosh1976 wrote: »

Are you only 22yrs old? That is still young! sounds like you are being too hard on yourself. You should forget about what everybody else is doing. This habit is only going to cause you years of grief. There will always be the other person that makes more money, got promoted faster, has any easier time understanding polynomials or subnetting, has a better looking wife, or drives a faster car. Who cares?!?? I'm older than you by 12 years and due to some really poor decisions in the past I'm just trying to get my foot back in the door in the IT world. I'll be starting out on the ground floor again. I can't let it get me down and I don't worry about what my friends and peers are doing in their careers. I just worry about myself and work hard to get where I want to be. I work hard, I play hard, and I try to learn from my mistakes and make better decisions.

Sitting around on the pitty pot and feeling sorry for yourself and being pissed that you aren't a guru yet like that guy John or Bill you graduated with isn't going to get you anything except maybe a huge bar tab and an ulcer! So just get going spend 30 minutes studying and there you go you accomplished something tonight!

You should also explore all your options. I'm taking classes at my local University and it has helped in a number of ways: access to the lab at school, access to software, access to packet tracer and all the net academy stuff. I did A+, Net+, and MCDST all with the self-study method but there's something to be said for having deadlines in my classes. I do a combination of self-study and course studies. I'm lucky my current program qualifies me for a state grant (and anybody else that wants to do it) which covers most of my expenses and then pell covers the rest. So go on get motivated figure out a route to take and get moving and don't worry too much about it when the route needs to change as long as you continue to work towards goals.

Thank You very much ! I know everything myself but you just remembered me that i am doing this not show someone that i can, i am doing it for myself and for my own sake. I just somehow always was looking into other ppl and thinking how great it would be to be in their place and that makes me depress much more, i don't know why i am doing this its just kinda sick habit or what.. If I want something to reach i need to work and work hard to achieve it, i need to set my mind because sometimes i am so impulsive and just change everything so radical sometimes i want to be electrical engineer or smth next day i want to be network admin and etc. But it's time to set my mind what i want to be... because i can lost much more time as someone here already said.

tomahawkeer

Studying 8 hours straight at one time, is not a good idea. I find it best to put in 2-3 hours at a time (max), that way it gives your brain a rest in between sessions. This doesn't mean you cant do more, its just for me, I find it best to not go over that, otherwise I dont absorb it as well. Normally when im working on a class at WGU, ill put in a 3 hour session in the evening / night, and during that same day, I will have taken an hour or so during lunch to go over stuff as well. It works for me.

Bl8ckr0uter

gosh1976 wrote: »

Are you only 22yrs old? That is still young! sounds like you are being too hard on yourself. You should forget about what everybody else is doing. This habit is only going to cause you years of grief. There will always be the other person that makes more money, got promoted faster, has any easier time understanding polynomials or subnetting, has a better looking wife, or drives a faster car. Who cares?!??

I care...

Look dude I'm 23 and I feel so far behind. I feel you and understand completely what it's like. I don't know about you but I am pretty damn pissed off at myself. When I was in middle school I was in a program which taught me CSS/HTML and MySQL and had us designing websites for major corporations in competition. I am pissed I didn't push myself as hard as I could back then. I wish I had tried to get that internship at Kroger, or at least a job at Geek Squad when I was 15/16 and got my A+/N+/S+ and MCSE like I planned. I wish I had gotten straight A's and I wish I had taken the chance to go to OSU. I wish I had saved more money or studied more often. I wish, I wish.

Well I didn't...

Too bad lol! All I can do now is be the baddest mofo I can in every way that I can. That's all you can do as well. There is no changing the past, believe me I have tried and yes despite what some people will say you (because you are "young") you are behind. You are down but most certainly not out. You know why? Because you can create your future. You can make a choice and you can shape your outcome. 30 year olds here who are in a similar position (entry/student/etc) but diddy also made his first million by the time he was 18. What I am saying is don't think that you have to just be complacent because you are in your 20's. You can be a CEO/CFO you can be a chief engineer. It is possible. Personally I plan to be in the 6 figure range within 3-5 years. I believe it is possible, if I make the right choices. I think the same is true for anyone.

They say wisdom comes with age (and experience) so for a lot of people older people = wiser = better decisions. I think as young people we need to listen to the older people and learn from their mistakes and set backs so we can get "there" faster because we don't have to take 10 years worth of laps.

I went from helpdesk to admin in about 5 (well less than 3 if you consider the time from when I actually started trying to climb) and I know guys (and girls) who are twice my age who have been on a helpdesk for 10+ years. And it wasn't about ability. I am a lot more knowledgeable than some of them (at least of current stuff) but some of them knew/know way more than I do. But a lot of times it is about choices. They made a choice, I made a choice. They have been on a helpdesk for 10 years. I raised my salary by 60% in less than 3. Choices. It is the very reason that I am about to go read my web app hackers book even after I just got back from the gym and I am tired as hell. Just something to think about...

And no I am not special....Just blessed by God and driven by an idea. An idea of 10,000K (yes you are reading that right). But baby steps though lol.

erpadmin

(Sigh...)

I'm 33.

My had already trippled my father's salary years ago. My father was initially impressed...but always craps on me for not breaking six figures. He says I should have stayed in school, blah blah blah. I could have graduated at 21 like I wanted to. But I felt that partying and womanizing was much more important...and I'm working full time and as a college "dropout making more money than these teachers..." (I love that line...)

It was only in my later 20s that I started regretting the partying. But then I thought...if I did it, it must've been worth doing. So I own it. But I don't play catchup. There are plenty of guys in the late 20s and early 30s who are VPs, millionaires, billionaires. I can't hate on them...I can only hate on me because I squandered my time. But as I said, if I did it, it must've been worth doing. I'm on the path I'm supposed to be on...same as the rest of you. If fate/God/Bhrama/The Great Spirit wanted you to be a l33t admin making GaZ1lli0ns of dollars, you'd be doing it now. If you are meant to do it, you will do it. But the one thing that is difficult for youth to get (and this was definitely my problem) is patience.

Good things really do come to those who wait. Remember that.

agplt

erpadmin wrote: »

(Sigh...)

I'm 33.

My had already trippled my father's salary years ago. My father was initially impressed...but always craps on me for not breaking six figures. He says I should have stayed in school, blah blah blah. I could have graduated at 21 like I wanted to. But I felt that partying and womanizing was much more important...and I'm working full time and as a college "dropout making more money than these teachers..." (I love that line...)

It was only in my later 20s that I started regretting the partying. But then I thought...if I did it, it must've been worth doing. So I own it. But I don't play catchup. There are plenty of guys in the late 20s and early 30s who are VPs, millionaires, billionaires. I can't hate on them...I can only hate on me because I squandered my time. But as I said, if I did it, it must've been worth doing. I'm on the path I'm supposed to be on...same as the rest of you. If fate/God/Bhrama/The Great Spirit wanted you to be a l33t admin making GaZ1lli0ns of dollars, you'd be doing it now. If you are meant to do it, you will do it. But the one thing that is difficult for youth to get (and this was definitely my problem) is patience.

Good things really do come to those who wait. Remember that.

It's same for me i like parties etc. but now i understand that i won't get anything out of it and i need to be more mature.. now i get my pencil and taking notes on ccent video tuts, and i know, now i know ! i will learn everything, and i will take CCENT exam in January !

Thank you guys for your life experience stories, tips, inspiration and motivation ! This community somehow is amazing ! (sorry for bad en, need to learn it either...).

ibcritn

Bl8ckr0uter wrote: »

They made a choice, I made a choice. They have been on a helpdesk for 10 years.

Yes you can sit in helpdesk FOREVER if you don't take the time to upgrade your skills beyond helpdesk. People think its a natural progression (Sit in helpdesk for 3-5years and move to Admin) They say to themselves "All I am missing is the experience" Well thats wrong you NEED to upgrade your skills to Admin level to move to admin. People don't realize that and thats why they will never climb the ranks.

agplt wrote: »

and i will take CCENT exam in January !

Also be sure you are making realistic goals. Depending on your networking background CCENT by Jan. might require so much work.....that you get burned out. Remember this is a marathon not a sprint. (something I have to remind myself sometimes)

earweed

^^^+1
Don't rush it and suffer burnout. I did that recently. All my certs except the A+ listed on my sig +1 (Javascript specialist) have been earned since last October. I actually got the N+, Sec+, Proj+, CIW JavaScript, and the first 3 MCTS certs in a span of 7 months (causing burnout) and then it took a while to get the next MCTS as I was trying to push myself back into studying like I had during those earlier months.

ibcritn

earweed wrote: »

^^^+1
Don't rush it and suffer burnout. I did that recently. All my certs except the A+ listed on my sig +1 (Javascript specialist) have been earned since last October. I actually got the N+, Sec+, Proj+, CIW JavaScript, and the first 3 MCTS certs in a span of 7 months (causing burnout) and then it took a while to get the next MCTS as I was trying to push myself back into studying like I had during those earlier months.

Yep this is the same for nearly anything people want to accomplish. Typically, we rush rush rush and try to go overmegaload (a rate we can't live with) and we get burned out and stop completely.

You see it with personal fitness/weight loss, College, Certs, w/e else. Make a lifestyle change to studying for certs that you can live with long-term.

gosh1976

Bl8ckr0uter wrote: »

I care...

Look dude I'm 23 and I feel so far behind. I feel you and understand completely what it's like. I don't know about you but I am pretty damn pissed off at myself. When I was in middle school I was in a program which taught me CSS/HTML and MySQL and had us designing websites for major corporations in competition.<snip>

That might have been a poor choice of words! Of course I care and I get pissed at myself too. But, of course what I was getting at was the importance of not sitting around getting hung up on what the other guy is doing - getting pissed and depressed and doing nothing about it. I was alluding to the importance of converting that negative energy into something positive like the drive to move towards goals one sets for oneself.

Mike-Mike

yeah dude, set short term goals, that's what I do... say I have a Sybex book, I try to do one chapter a day, and then add a few days for error, and then give myself a few days of practice tests after the book is complete, and then I set a test day goal date...

I find I work better that way

earweed

Good idea with the goals being realistic. Set a goal of 1 chapter a day but some days you may just be "up" for more which just means you can learn more info and have more review time and a cushion in case anything happens which can mess your schedule up. Staying motivated isn't that hard if all you are "requiring" of yourself are baby steps.
Watching CBT's is the same way. Don't try to cram in a bunch of viewing at once. One area of study a day. If you're ambitious Watch the video and read the corresponding chapter that same day. Just don't overextend and find your own pace you're comfortable with.
Studying for a cert is like training for a marathon. You have to learn what your pace should be at the different stages and condition your mind to absorb all the material. Don't forget you're training to Finish (PASS the exam/ learn the material) first and later you can concentrate on trying to win it (raise your score/ study extra related material ).

Mike-Mike

I found with longer books, like the Sybex series, I usually am done after 2 chapters in one day... after that my brain is done learning, and it's futile to try to force it...

now today I may read 3 chapters of Darril's book, since the font is bigger and the chapters are smaller.... but you get the idea...

Daniel333

Just keep getting back on the horse. Break the problem into smaller chunks. And make it real world. Play with routers and switches. Next time someone asks you do for fun, tell them you are Geek and goof off with networking equipment.

Personally I stopped xbox, movies, D&D nights to give more of my free time to studying. At this point I actually enjoy policy routing. Sadly I have to admit it's not paid off as well as I would have hoped. But the certs are there nonetheless.

demonfurbie

I prefer to do a chapter a day then the lab work/videos the next day

So a 14 chapter book takes 28 days to do it all then igive my self time to do tests to brush up on the areas I need to

NetworkingStudent

agplt wrote: »

Hello everyone, i am feeling like i am so dumb and can't learn anything it's just killing me. At start i am so motivated and so interested in stuff trying to learn and after 3 hours it's all gone.. and next day i don't have any interest to start it again... Maybe it's because that i want to learn everything in one row, i know it's impossible but still i want everything to get fast and now... Just somehow i think i don't have motivation because i don't know how to study or i am not used to study. Or maybe it's just my mental conviction. I'm interested in networks, thinking about getting CCENT, but i am thinking several years now... and it is killing me and demotivating and making me feel desperate... What is your way of learning stuff ? how you learn ?

My motivation is to find a job in IT and to stay current with technology. I have found that at least in IT there is always someone that is better than you, or has more experience than you do with a certain technology. If you get behind it can cost you your job, a promotion, or even a raise.

I think you need to find your learning style and develop it. Some people learn better by doing, while others learn by seeing an example. On the other hand there are others that learn best by hearing the material and having it explained to them. I’m more of a mix of all these and I learn best when I use CBT’s like lab sim , mixed with books, notebooks(where I jot down my notes), and note cards.
Here is my advice----I would do the following:

1.Go to this site, it will give you some insight on your learning style.
What's Your Learning Style? | Edutopia
2. Watch this video it give me some insight when I was preparing for my certifications.
YouTube - Network+ 2009 Certification Overview And Study Tips
3. Study Skills | Howtostudy.org - When you hit the books - and they hit back.
My tips
• A don’t be so hard on yourself. (Studying for a certification is a learning process, not a race)
• Take a mental break for every hour you study.
• When you can explain what you are studying to someone else, then you remember it better. Sometimes I do this and it helps make the stuff stick.
• You should Study every day, but you don’t need to study for three hours every day. Some days it will be three hours a day, and sometimes it will be thirty minutes.
Good luck and happy studying!!!

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