Failed Switch twice - devastated

in CCNP
Hi everyone,
I am totally confused. I failed the switch exam the first time with a 770/1000. This time I failed with a 781/1000, but I felt a million times more prepared and I was already familiar with the labsims and felt that I was a million times better.
The weird thing is that the tiny amount of "feedback" that Cisco gives you at the end of the exam is inconsistent between the tests:
test one:
implement vlan based solution, given a network design and a set of requirements 56%
implement a security extrension of a layer 2 solution, given a network design and a set of requirements 100%
implement a switch base layer 3 services, given a network design and a set of requirements 56%
prepare infrasturcutre to support advanced services 100%
implement high availability, given a network design and a set of requirements 75%
test two:
implement vlan based solution, given a network design and a set of requirements 69%
implement a security extrension of a layer 2 solution, given a network design and a set of requirements 50%
implement a switch base layer 3 services, given a network design and a set of requirements 56%
prepare infrasturcutre to support advanced services 100%
implement high availability, given a network design and a set of requirements 83%
Feeling very bummed and don't know where to turn to next.
I am totally confused. I failed the switch exam the first time with a 770/1000. This time I failed with a 781/1000, but I felt a million times more prepared and I was already familiar with the labsims and felt that I was a million times better.
The weird thing is that the tiny amount of "feedback" that Cisco gives you at the end of the exam is inconsistent between the tests:
test one:
implement vlan based solution, given a network design and a set of requirements 56%
implement a security extrension of a layer 2 solution, given a network design and a set of requirements 100%
implement a switch base layer 3 services, given a network design and a set of requirements 56%
prepare infrasturcutre to support advanced services 100%
implement high availability, given a network design and a set of requirements 75%
test two:
implement vlan based solution, given a network design and a set of requirements 69%
implement a security extrension of a layer 2 solution, given a network design and a set of requirements 50%
implement a switch base layer 3 services, given a network design and a set of requirements 56%
prepare infrasturcutre to support advanced services 100%
implement high availability, given a network design and a set of requirements 83%
Feeling very bummed and don't know where to turn to next.

Comments
I only missed by 2% and 1% respectively but the second time I really felt that I had everything down...
Plus on the test today, I could ping everything that was supposed to be pinged in the labs, so I was pretty surprised about the result...
I can't understand why all the tests before this were so easy and now I feel like I am facing an impossible task.
Perhaps reading this book you suggested will help.
If there are any other ideas I am all ears.
Thanks.
PS- the Amazon reviews don't look promising: http://www.amazon.com/Implementing-Switched-Networks-Foundation-ebook/dp/B003UBAYX4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1361555835&sr=8-2&keywords=Implementing+Cisco+IP+Switched+Networks+%28SWITCH%29
Good luck, I'm sure you'll get this one knocked out.
Those reviews on that book look really bad.
Scheduled my third attempt for 30 days after that and hit the books/lab hard and came out on top. The lesson is don't give up- by the time you pass you'll be amazed how much better you are compared to your first attempt.
Thanks for the encouraging words.
I do admit, I took the exam one week exactly after the first.
I also admit that I am getting impatient, and am in a sorta CCNP doldrums where all I can see is getting this done with. I know I should find happiness one day at a time or whatever but I really have my eyes focused on one thing and this sure was a like a body shot to the liver.
So, I know it's not much help, but those fails DO ultimately make you a better engineer...of course a pass would be nice, but that's just how I view it! Take a step back, re-evaluate where you're at and what you need to work on..then hit the books/lab and you'll be good.
I had to comment on this, telling someone they are pretty weak doesn't help at all with the dilemma.
I`m doing the security ccna and its all sinking in, but I`m petrified of the exam, but you cant tell what the exam focus`s on, can you not help in a more constructive way? without saying how easy it was for you?
Now that's better encouragement and advice
So we should sugar coat? There is no one area in the score report with a low score that he could quickly get up to speed on to pass. All areas were weak and need help. People come here for honest opinions and advice. What good would a simple 'oh you can do it keep trying' do to help them?
And where in there does it say the exam was easy for me? I've never even taken this exam.
Or maybe it's a good time to take a week or two off from studying? Sounds like you might be burning out, which makes studying tougher. Are you under a time line to complete it? If not, maybe a break from the books will help you refocus on the task at hand when you return.
Thanks for the encouraging words. My time line is all self imposed and the burnout feeling is always alleviated after knocking another one down, which makes this a unique time so far in my cert journey.
Oh, and don't get burnt out. If you are feeling burnt out finish the test then take a break. If you get TOO burnt out it takes a long time to rebuild your motivation as it becomes a "sore" spot in your brain. Literally. You begin to associate displeasure to the activity and you learn that you don't want to do it anymore. Been there done that, as MRock can attest. He saw me do it. Twice.
Keep plugging away and you will get it next time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrD0pglTtdE
I think what he was trying to say is that, sometimes you come off too harsh, i have seen you do it in the CCNA forums as well. Sometimes a little encouragement from a good teacher goes a long way. The guy failed and he's obviously down and we know some things in life do not come easy and that we need to work hard at it. Thing is it's not what you said but how you said it. Anyway that's just my perspective reading through this.
Blue,
Just keep studying and give it your best, in the end you will succeed and will come out more knowledgeable and better prepared for your job in the future. Good luck and have fun
I just wish Cisco gave more precise feedback so I would really know what to do next.
I am thinking of buying this book. I wish it had amazon reviews but its not on amazon so if you say its so good I will check it out.
I think the most alienating thing for me is that Cisco gives really really vague feedback and I wish they would tell you what questions you got wrong so you could correct it by doing research.
Now I really don't know what to focus on...
Agreed. That ebook was my favorite study material for switch.
Actually it's not. One of the big things in CCNP SWITCH is understanding spanning tree and being able to quickly predict where the root/designated/blocking ports will be.
In GNS3, you can throw the 16-port ethernet module into four routers and voila, you have a basic switch lab. Basic vtp works, adding vlans works and spanning tree works.