Kevin Beaver's Security Blog

You won’t become an expert overnight, but….

I’m reading a great series of books called Speed Secrets on how to be a better car driver and am finally starting to realize the investment I’ve made. The techniques in these books really do work. I’m confident they’ve made me a more alert and conscientious driver – even on the street just driving back and forth to work. That said, I’ve come to terms with just how much I didn’t (and still don’t) know about this subject. Even after reading and re-reading these books for over a year and half, I’m still no expert. Formula One is still a ways off! 🙂

What I’ve learned in this other area of my life is something that applies directly to what we do for a living in information security. In no line of work – especially information security – can you simply read a book or take a boot camp course or get a degree and magically become an “expert” all of a sudden.

No matter how much you study a new subject – information security or otherwise – you won’t become an expert overnight. Expertise is built upon many different experiences including successes and (especially) failures in your career day in and day out year after year. But if you start learning about information security now and stick with it each and every week, before you know it, you’ll undoubtedly be very good at what you do. Then after a relatively short period of time – even just a few years – you will have made yourself into an expert.

There’s a lot to be said about such an accomplishment and the feeling that goes along with it is indescribable. I’ve always used the “fake it until you make it” mantra in my career and other personal areas of my life and it REALLY works! So, start today and do something about making yourself a better person. It’s an easy choice with huge payoffs in the not too distant future.