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In July 2024, I walked into the exam room with a sense of confidence that bordered on overconfidence. I had taken the Google Cloud Professional Security exam before and usually breezed through it in under an hour. This time, it was just a recertification—I thought, "How hard could it be?"
But as the exam began, I quickly realized I was in over my head. The questions were tougher, the scenarios more complex, and my past successes suddenly felt distant. Panic started to set in as I fumbled through the first few questions. The clock was ticking, and for the first time, I wasn’t sure if I would make it.
The hours dragged on, and doubt crept in. “Am I going to fail this?” I wondered. I had walked in without preparation, relying on memory and experience, but this test was a different beast altogether.
Despite the anxiety, I pushed through, determined to give it my all. By the time I submitted my answers, nearly the entire allotted time had passed—a stark contrast to my usual one-hour finish.
When the results flashed on the screen, a wave of relief washed over me. I had passed. But more importantly, I had learned a valuable lesson about the dangers of overconfidence and the importance of preparation, no matter how experienced you are.
Ultimately, this experience reinforced that humility and persistence are key, not just in exams, but in every challenge we face.
