Yesterday, I remembered that I had not scheduled my newsletter for this month. It has been a very busy month.

At first, I started thinking about what I could quickly put together. Then I said to myself, I am going to give myself grace and acknowledge that I just could not have written one this month.

So, I have made peace with it; I did my best.

For this month, my message is simple: Give yourself grace(Whatever this might mean to you.)

PS - I wrote this on my phone note app and edited around 9pm when I got home.

Let’s take reading as an example. Some days, you have an hour. Great, read for an hour.

Other days, life gets busy and you are tired so you only have ten minutes. Read for ten minutes. The consistency wasn’t the time spent but the fact that you still showed up.

This is why a lot of people break habits, because they make the goal too rigid.

They tell themselves:

“If I can’t do the full workout, there’s no point.”

“If I can’t study properly, I’ll do it tomorrow.”

“If I can’t give it my best, I’ll wait until I can.”

And slowly, tomorrow becomes next week. Then next month and, the habit disappears altogether.

Consistency has less to do with intensity and more to do with maintaining the relationship.

The relationship with the book, the relationship with the run. The relationship with the habit you’re trying to build. Because once that relationship breaks, starting again becomes much harder.

It’s very similar to the idea of giving 100%.

People often hear that and imagine operating at maximum capacity all the time. But that’s not what 100% means to me.

100% simply means giving what you genuinely have available today.

Some days, that’s a lot and some days, it isn’t and that’s okay. The mistake is comparing today’s capacity to yesterday’s capacity.

Life just doesn’t work that way, because we are human. Our energy changes, our responsibilities changes and our circumstances can change too, with no warning.

What matters is that we continue to show up with honesty about what we can give without beating ourselves up.

The goal is to keep showing up and keep the habits alive. Let the effort expand and contract as life demands. But never disappear.

CyBlack Conference 2026 is Here!

If you know me or you have followed me for a long time , you’ll know building CyBlack is one of the few things I am very passionate about .

We are having our 5th conference this year and I am looking forward to seeing old and new faces. If you are in UK. You can learn more about the conference and get a ticket Here.

If CyBlack has ever inspired you, helped you, or if you simply believe in our mission to build a stronger and more inclusive cybersecurity community, we’d be incredibly grateful for your support. Please donate Here.

Cloud Security Academy

If you have been looking for an opportunity to kickstart your Cloud security career . You are in luck as CybariK has it’s Cloud Security Academy starting soon. You can learn more about the academy by visiting CybariK’ website Here.

The module introduced two concepts:

• Epistemic uncertainty

• Aleatoric uncertainty

The names sound complicated, but the idea behind them is simple.

Epistemic uncertainty exists because we don’t know enough. Maybe we don’t have enough data, we haven’t asked the right questions or we don’t fully understand a situation yet. In other words, there is a knowledge gap. And because it’s a knowledge gap, there’s something we can do about it. We can gather more information, we can investigate further or we can improve our understanding.

However, Aleatoric uncertainty is different. It exists because some things are simply unpredictable. I mean, the world is inherently unpredictable and no matter how much information we have, there will always be variability. People can behave differently than expected, new threats emerge and unexpected events can happen. While you you can prepare for them or model them, you can’t eliminate them.

As I reflected on this, I realised how often organisations treat both types of uncertainty the same way. When there’s uncertainty, the instinct is often to ask for more data, more analysis or maybe more meetings. Sometimes that’s exactly what’s needed. Other times, we are not dealing with a lack of knowledge, we are dealing with the reality that some outcomes are inherently uncertain. And that’s an important distinction.

If the problem is a knowledge gap, the answer might be better information. But if the problem is inherent uncertainty, the answer is usually resilience; The ability to adapt, respond and to continue operating when things don’t go exactly as planned.

For cybersecurity in general, a lot of what we do is focused on reducing uncertainty; understanding our assets, identifying vulnerabilities or assessing threats.

Regardless, even the most mature organisations cannot predict every cyber event, every attack path, or every business impact with complete certainty. At some point, risk management becomes less about prediction and more about preparedness.

For me, that was probably the most valuable lesson from the module; Not every uncertainty can be solved with more information. Sometimes the better question is: Are we trying to learn more, or are we trying to become more resilient? The answer may completely change how we approach the risk.

Share Unencrypted Gist

Where did all the days go ?

This is a very random thought as I was wondering how many of us think “wanting something badly enough automatically means you’ll have the capacity to pursue it”.

In the last 5 months, I had registered for 2 half marathons because I really wanted to go for a half marathon this year. Both times, life happened and I did not go for any. The funny thing is, I had prepared for both. By prepared, I mean run a half marathon on my own, ahead of the marathon.

The first one I missed was not much of a struggle for me because I had the second one coming up. The second time? I struggled with how I was feeling and I am not sure I was ever able to put it into words how I felt about missing it.

When people talk about goals, they often make it sound simple: plan, stay disciplined, execute. But life is rarely that linear. What nobody really prepares us for is the experience of doing everything right and still watching things not work as planned simply because life has its own agenda, and it doesn’t consult you to achieve it.

I also think we’ve built a culture around the idea that failure to execute always traces back to a personal flaw; “you didn’t want it badly enough”. And sometimes that’s true but other times, you were ready and willing. You wanted it so bad but life was just not in your favour at that time.

I am a realistic person and I evaluate situations and act accordingly. So I’m not writing this to make excuses or to reframe falling short as some hidden blessing. I’m writing this because I think there’s a version of self-awareness that goes beyond discipline and it’s the ability to look at what happened, feel it fully, and be sure you are telling yourself the true story.

So wherever you are with your own goals this month. I just want you to pause for a minute and ask yourself honestly: did life get in the way, or did I get in my own way?

You might understand the vulnerability. You might see the issue clearly.
But explaining why it matters and doing it in a way people actually understand can feel overwhelming. If you’re early in your cybersecurity career, here’s something important to know; No one expects you to be perfect at this on day one.

Communicating risk is a skill you learn over time and you learn it by having conversations.

As a beginner, your first audience shouldn’t be senior leadership or external stakeholders.

It should be:

• Your immediate team

• Your manager

• More experienced colleagues

The idea is to use this conversations to understand the language that the organisation use and how to frame risk. Think of this as a safe environment to practice.

You also don’t need to sound authoritative or dramatic to communicate risk effectively. What matters more is for you to be;

• Clear about what you’re seeing

• Honest about what you don’t know

• Open to feedback

It’s okay to say:

“This is what I’ve observed can you help me understand how we usually communicate this?”

A common beginner mistake is jumping straight to fixes. Rather you should start with stating;

• What the issue is?

• Who or what could be affected?

• What happens if nothing is done?

Even a simple explanation like “this could expose customer data if exploited” is more effective than listing technical details without context.

In communicating risk as a beginner, you will find your explanations or wording being reframed or reworded. Take this as a feedback which is a part of your learning process. Pay attention to;

• How did they simplify it?

• What did they make emphasise on?

• What did they leave out?

That’s how you learn how risk communication works in your organisation.

Over time, you’ll develop your own way of explaining risk, one that’s clear, practical, and understood.

And like any skill, it gets easier the more you practise.

When people hear the word failure, I often wonder what goes through their mind. For me, its fear and I don’t think it ever disappears. I also don’t think anyone starts something wanting to fail.

This month taught it’s important to acknowledge that fear instead of pretending it’s not there.

With fear, you will feel something. Maybe scared, not ready or uncertainty.

And sometimes, when you say out loud, “This might not work,” or “I may fail this” it can feel like you’re being pessimistic. But I don’t think that’s always true because sometimes, it’s just you being honest about reality, acknowledging the gaps you can already see, the things you don’t know yet and the areas where you still need to grow.

I used to think the real problem was failing. But now I see it differently. The real problem is not trying because you’re scared to fail.

And yes, there’s a big difference. While fear is a feeling, avoidance is a decision.

The goal isn’t to eliminate the fear of failing. The goal is to make an intentional decision to “Go for it” despite how you feel. Because failure, as uncomfortable as it is, is not the opposite of growth. It’s part of it.

I mean, the thought of failing will never be a good feeling or something anyone will naturally look forward to. But it is something we can learn from, something that shapes us, stretches us, and ultimately moves us forward.

So maybe the question shouldn’t be: “What if I fail?”

Maybe the better question should be: “What will I learn if I do?”

And more importantly: “What might I miss if I don’t even try?”

I hope this helps someone to rethink their thoughts on failure .

This happens because you aware of the gaps in your knowledge and this reduces the level of confidence you have in yourself.

I used to think confidence was something you were supposed to have before you took on bigger challenges. Like one day you’d wake up and suddenly feel “ready and confident” to lead an investigation, make a call under pressure, or own the outcome of a risky decision.

What I’ve learned instead is that confidence usually shows up after you start moving and only because you moved.

Cybersecurity has a way of forcing that lesson. You don’t get perfect visibility, you don’t get complete information, or clean answers. What you are get are; logs that don’t quite line up, alerts that might mean five different things, and systems that were built with constraints you didn’t choose. And then you also get a choice: step into the ambiguity or step away from it.

And here’s the truth: growth almost always feels like you’re doing something a little too early.

Every meaningful step I’ve taken in this field came with doubt attached. Every increase in scope came with the thought, someone else probably understands this environment or task better than I do. But experience isn’t built by waiting for perfect certainty. It’s built by engaging with imperfect systems, making the best decision you can with the information you have, learning from the outcome, and doing it again with slightly better judgment next time.

Cybersecurity doesn’t need perfect people. It needs people who can think clearly under uncertainty, who can stay curious instead of defensive, and who are willing to learn in motion.

If you’re in a place right now where you feel stuck, hesitant, or unsure whether you’re “ready” for the next step consider this your reminder: readiness is often a result, not a prerequisite.

You don’t become confident and then do hard things.

You do hard things and that’s how the confidence gets built.

And sometimes, the most important career move isn’t a new certification, a new title, or a new tool.

It’s simply choosing to take responsibility for the problem in front of you even when you’re not fully sure you can.

I recently wrote about how cybersecurity regulations would evolve. You can read HERE

Leave a comment

Not just with other security professionals but with:

• IT and Infrastructure teams

• Engineering and Product

• Legal and Compliance

• Risk, audit, and leadership

• Sometimes people who don’t think about security at all

On paper, it sounds straightforward. In reality, it’s often messy, slow, and frustrating.

What I’ve learned over time is this:Most resistance to security isn’t about security it’s about workload, priorities, and trust.

The people we work with already have full plates and security is rarely the only or even the top thing they’re measured on.

So when we show up with requests, controls, or “urgent” findings, it can feel like extra work being added to an already overloaded day.

That’s why, for me, collaboration has worked best when I stopped focusing solely on what needed to be done and started paying attention to how I worked with people.

A few things that made a real difference:

1. Building relationships before I needed something

When security only shows up during audits, incidents, or escalations, it’s hard to build goodwill.

Taking time to understand teams, their pressures, and how they work creates context and trust long before difficult conversations happen.

2. Communicating in a way that doesn’t make work harder

Not everyone needs the same level of detail.

Some people want risk framed in business terms, some need clear technical context and some just want to know what exactly is expected and by when.

Being intentional about how and where I communicate especially in writing has helped reduce friction and confusion.

3. Respecting that security is rarely their primary job

Reluctance doesn’t automatically mean resistance.

Often, it means:

• Competing deadlines

• Lack of resources

• Previous bad experiences with security

• Or simply not understanding why something matters

Approaching conversations with empathy instead of urgency changes the dynamic entirely.

4. Treating collaboration as part of the job, not a distraction

Early on, I saw meetings and stakeholder discussions as things that pulled me away from “real” security work.

Now I see them as the work.

Security doesn’t succeed in isolation. It succeeds when people understand it, trust it, and feel supported not burdened by it.

If there’s one lesson I’d pass on to anyone building a career in cybersecurity, it’s this:
Your ability to work with people will often matter as much as your technical skills.

And when collaboration is done well, security stops feeling like an obstacle and starts feeling like a shared responsibility.

We talk a lot about formal mentors: scheduled calls, direct advice, structured guidance. But this year reminded me of a different kind of mentorship, one that often happens quietly, naturally, and without anyone naming it

Passive mentorship is the kind of learning that happens simply by observing the people we admire. It’s picking up someone’s discipline by watching how consistently they show up. It’s learning grace from the way they navigate difficult moments. It’s absorbing excellence by seeing how they treat people, handle their responsibilities, and stand by their values.

No meetings.
No agenda.
Just influence through presence.

This became real for me recently when I received a feedback from someone I work with. The feedback was so sincere that it made me pause. In reflecting on their words, I realised that much of who I’ve become professionally (and even personally) was shaped by people who never formally mentored me.

I learned from them without them ever trying to teach me.
I grew by watching, listening, and absorbing.
They modelled possibilities I didn’t even know I needed.

And that realisation felt… beautiful.

So as I wrap up this year, I want to share a few things that passive mentorship taught me:

• Your impact may be bigger than you think; Someone is watching how you lead your life and learning from it.

• Growth doesn’t always come from structured paths; Sometimes the most meaningful lessons come from moments, not meetings.

• You don’t need a title to inspire someone; Influence lives in authenticity, not hierarchy.

• Admiration is a quiet classroom; Pay attention to the people who naturally draw you in; they are shaping you.

This year reminded me that we are all both students and silent teachers. The people I admired became mirrors and without knowing it, they helped me step into a better version of myself.

As we enter a new year…

I hope we all stay open to the subtle lessons around us and just as important, mindful of the silent impact we leave on others. You never know who you’re mentoring just by being yourself.

Thank you to everyone who has crossed paths with me this year intentionally or unintentionally shaping my journey and experience. I’m grateful for every influence, every example, and every moment of unexpected growth.

Here’s to more learning next year.

To the people who never knew they were mentors but became them through the way they lived, worked, and led ; you’ve made more of a difference than you realise.

And to anyone striving to grow, pay attention to the people you admire. Your most powerful mentors may not even know they’ve mentored you.

On that note, I have come to to the last newsletter of the year! A big shout to you all. There wouldn’t be this newsletter without you.

Wishing you a Happy New Year! ✨

Lately, I’ve found myself thinking about time how it moves, how it shapes us, and how it waits for no one.

Time is such an interesting concept. It never stops. It doesn’t slow down to let us catch our breath. It just keeps moving. And if we’re not moving with it; learning, growing or trying , we end up standing still while everything else keeps evolving.

Think about a tool you didn’t know how to use six months ago. At first, it was frustrating. Maybe you doubted yourself or thought, “I’ll never get this.” But you kept learning, practicing, and asking questions. Now, it’s second nature. Or maybe a year ago, you didn’t know how to conduct a risk assessment, and today you do it almost effortlessly. Three years from now, it might feel so natural that you’ll laugh remembering how intimidating it once seemed.

That’s the quiet magic of time and moving with it.

But here’s the part that’s really been sitting with me lately; showing up today isn’t just about today. It’s about where you want to be in years to come

So, do you want to sit and let time pass you by, or do you want to walk with it; using every day as a small step toward the version of yourself you want to become?

Because it’s easy to say, “I don’t know how to do this,” and stop there. But the truth is, ten years from now, you’ll still not know unless you start today. Time isn’t going to wait for you. It’s going to move, whether you move or not.

So, show up even if it’s messy, even if it’s slow. Learn one new thing, take one small step, ask one curious question. Because time is going to move anyway and you might as well move with it.

Here’s to growth, patience, and the quiet power of showing up one day, one month, one year at a time.

Love and light!🫶

I spent the next few hours thinking about simplicity, not from security strategy perspective but from a general perspective

If you think about it, when things get complicated whether it’s your desk, your schedule, or your goals, the chances of something going wrong multiply; that’s what risk is; uncertainty made worse by clutter.

When you strip things down, your workspace, your routines, your goals; you also strip away uncertainty; simplicity is a quiet kind of risk management, the human kind. It’s about removing the things that can make you stumble; the fewer the moving parts, the fewer ways things can fall apart.

In our careers, we do this all time; we add more tools to feel efficient, more processes to feel organised, more words in emails to sound thoughtful or more projects to feel productive.

But every extra thing we add increases the risk of something slipping through; a missed detail, a delayed decision, a lost opportunity.

We think we’re making things better, but sometimes we’re just making them heavier.

Now, I want to start asking myself “What would this look like if it were simple” whenever things start to feel heavy or challenging. At the end of the day, simplicity isn’t about doing less; it’s about creating fewer opportunities for chaos and more space for clarity.

A Little Challenge for You

Next time something feels complicated or stressful, start by asking “What can I remove so it’s simpler and less risky?”

This could be:

• Deleting the extra step.

• Saying no to the optional call.

• Putting your keys in the same spot every time.

You’d be surprised how much “risk” disappears when you remove the noise.

Remember, “Sometimes the most secure move you can make is just to keep it simple.”

Love and light!🫶

Here’s the thing: I’ve always had a “talking threshold” and a “Peopling exhaustion” thing; this is how much I can talk in a day and how much human interaction I can have before I get exhausted. Once I reach those maximum, I become tired, like mentally tired.

This month, I found myself in a place where that threshold was tested. I have to speak, connect, and share in rooms where I didn’t feel entirely comfortable.

I remember sharing an experience and I was asked “How did you feel about sharing that ?”

Me: Nerve racking/ uncomfortable.

Few days of having the same routine, I suddenly feel like I could talk for a bit more and also my exhaustion around people had reduced. It felt like such a big win for me; it meant I could still be okay after going beyond my threshold, because I have a new threshold.

I thought to myself “You don’t know how far you can go, until you keep going far”

This month’s newsletter isn’t just about me. I want to speak to anyone building their career whether you’re early in your journey or somewhere in the middle and feeling stuck.

You may think you can’t move beyond where you are, You may think you’re not enough.

But here’s what I’ve realised:

Sometimes, you don’t know your true capacity until you’re forced to go further. Even if you stumble while at it, you’ll learn from it.

And that learning is itself progress.

So don’t be afraid of the uncomfortable rooms or those rooms that feel like they will stretch you. Step into them. Maybe, that’s where you need to be for growth to happen.

This month reminded me that growth isn’t about ease. It’s about being willing to be uncomfortable, to be vulnerable, and to push beyond your current limit.

If you’re reading this and doubting your capacity remember: you’re stronger than you think, but you’ll only find out by trying.

This isn’t about cybersecurity . Its a very random story of an experience and I think there is something to learn

It all started with a 150km challenge my friend Febi was hosting on the Nike Run Club (NRC) app; Run 150km in August. The math looked simple:

• 5km a day for 31 days.

• Or 10km for 15 days.

Easy, right? My brain said, “Easy Peasy. We’ve got this.” I told Febi I’d join but without downloading the app. (Spoiler: I downloaded the app.)

For context, I usually run 2–3 times a week and walk a lot. But on Day 1, I went all in: a 10km run like a pro. Smooth sailing, strong start.

Then, I looked at the leaderboard. Suddenly, it wasn’t just running or walking. It was a competition! People were climbing up that board like their lives depended on it. Someone had completed 30km by Day 2!

Excuse me, who’s chasing you ?😄😄

Now, I’m not typically competitive. My thing is: complete the mission, don’t worry about medals. But this time, something in me whispered:

“What if we didn’t just finish? What if we finished near the top?”

At first, I aimed for 1st. But with two people already over 30km ahead, reality tapped me on the shoulder. So I shifted the goal: Top 3.

The Day Everything Glitched

On day 5 (I think), I set out for a 20km walk. Four hours later, I came home feeling like a legend. Opened the app; the time was recorded but distance was zero😐

I was boiling. Furious. Ready to quit. I even texted my group of friends: “I’m done!”

But then I remembered something one of my favorite humans once said about maxing out your potential. I said to myself; “If I quit, I need to make sure it’s because I gave it EVERYTHING and there was nothing else left I could have done.”

So, I laced up again and went out for another 10km. This time it synced; Small mercy 🙏.

A few days later, it happened again; another sync failure, another 8km lost. By then, I was exhausted, frustrated, and clinging to 3rd place while someone was hot on my heels.

The universe really said: “Let’s test you.” but I refused to give up. I kept on walking until I had no more walk in me

What I Learned Along the Way

• Always start with your best. Day 1 energy matters. It sets the tone for the rest of the journey.

• Control what you can, laugh at what you can’t. Tech glitches will happen; life will happen. No need to fight battles against apps.

• Max out before you give up. Don’t stop because it’s hard. Stop only when you know you’ve poured everything into it.

• Slow down to soak it in. Chasing the leaderboard took me through new streets, random conversations, and neighborhoods I’d never been to .

In the end, I didn’t make it to 3rd place (someone literally ran all night before I woke up😅). But I did finish the challenge in the 4^th place. And I walked away with sore feet knowing that I gave it everything!

For me , the entirety of the month has been about challenging myself . I woke up everyday challenging myself to do something, pushing myself “maxing out my potentials” before saying “This is it”.

I hope you start maxing out your potentials 😊

P.S. My feet filed a restraining order against me after completing the challenge.

Back Story

With the help of my phone’s health app, I discovered a running routine designed to make running 10km feel more easily achievable and I committed to it with excitement.

I found myself pushing harder than usual. The app became a real motivator (with a little extra encouragement on the side too 😊), and I was proud of how far I was going.

Then came the shift...

Sometime in the month, I wasn’t feeling 100%, but I was determined to keep going. Surprisingly, my pace actually improved. I couldn’t believe it; how was I getting faster when I wasn’t at full strength? My body seemed to rise to the challenge… until it didn’t.

One leg started to ache. The strength I’d been leaning on was now “shaky”. So, I paused. I stepped back. I traded my runs for walks.

At first, it felt like I was giving up on progress but then I realized: this was progress. This was me choosing longevity over ego.

Well,

In life, in careers, in dreams, we often think that stopping means failure. That slowing down is weakness. That starting over is embarrassing. But the truth is:

Knowing when to step back is wisdom. Knowing how to pivot is power.

I took walks for a week and guess what? I didn’t lose my fitness. Because a pause is not a period it’s a comma so I used it to catch your breath

Maybe you're building a business, navigating a career shift, recovering from burnout, or just trying to keep up with life. Maybe things were finally beginning to flow and now you're forced to pause.

Don’t see it as the end. See it as a recalibration.

Sometimes, walking is the most courageous thing you can do, especially when the world expects you to keep running.

So wherever you are on your journey, remember; it’s okay to step back, to slow down, to catch your breath. The path forward isn’t going anywhere. And when you return, you’ll return stronger.

And A Final Thought…

There is strength in stillness.
There is purpose in the pause.
There is power in your pace even when it’s slower than you planned.

Keep going. Keep growing. Whether you're walking, running, or simply standing still; you’re still in the race. And that matters more than how fast you’re moving.

You’ve got this!

"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you." - Anne Lamott

And now you have the opportunity of having your first cybersecurity experience and you are panicking because you do not know what to expect? Don’t worry , a lot of us have been there. Your first cybersecurity experience is going to involve a lot of learning and confusion . You are not supposed to be an expert and that is the reason you were not hired as an expert.

However, your employer do have expectations and the one way to meet their expectations is to set a goal for yourself ; Learn how to learn on the job and learn fast!

Yes , learning fast. You are going to:

Google a lot of acronyms,

Figure out who actually knows what ,

Understand internal policies ,

Slowly connect the dots between what you have learnt and what is actually happening,

Feel lost and overwhelmed Then finally,

GETTING IT ALL!

I mean, you’re in your first year, maybe two. Everything is new and you’re trying to prove yourself, learn fast, keep up, and maybe even catch up. The First years aren't about mastery . It’s About Momentum and your job isn’t to be perfect. Your job is to show up, stay curious, ask better questions each week, and reflect on how far you’ve come.

You’re not “just” a noob. You’re a practitioner in progress. And this is where it all starts to take shape; learning on the job

How Do You Learn on the Job?

There are several ways to do this;

1. Own a few tools, don’t try to master everything: Start with 1–2 tools: Wireshark, Splunk, Nessus, etc. Get good at understanding what they do and why they matter.

2. Take messy notes: Your brain won’t remember everything. Use Notion, OneNote , whatever works. Document what you learn, mistakes you made, and how you fixed them.

3. Pair reading with doing: Don’t just watch tutorials. Open your home lab and do the thing!.

4. Ask questions , the right way: Don’t just say, “This isn’t working.” Try, “I’ve tried A and B, and it returned this. I expected X but got Y. Can you help me understand where I’m off?”

However, In your bid to learn a lot , you may encounter burnout because you will find yourself working/learning extra hours . This is what you should avoid ; Burnout!

Burnout doesn’t always feel like a crash at first.

Sometimes it feels like ambition.
Like hunger.

Many people burn out trying to break in. But here’s the thing: this industry needs you here for the long game. We need people who stay sharp, not just sprint to get in, only to flame out.

So be kind to yourself. Go hard when you have the energy. But step back a little when you don’t. Understand yourself and know what works for you.

Remember,

The best professionals are the ones who learned to stay steady. Not just sprint fast and flame out.

I paused and said “Hmmmm” to myself. While this was meant to inspire creators and builders, it carries unexpected wisdom for anyone thinking about their career; cybersecurity career as a reference here.

Because here’s the truth; security isn’t just about protection. It’s about understanding. And understanding starts with curiosity.

We tend to treat cybersecurity like a locked door: keep threats out, patch the holes, follow best practices, encrypt everything. That’s good. But I do no think that is the whole story.

Every protocol you use, every tool you rely on, every threat you hear about, it’s not magic. It’s been built, tested, maybe exploited, defended… and documented. Which means it’s all fair game for your curiosity.

Security isn’t just a checklist; it’s a living system. And the people who shape it aren’t always the experts. Sometimes, they’re just the curious ones who ask, “How does this actually work?”

In exploring your curiosity , you could be a ;

Re-interpreter; You explain it in a way others finally get

Refiner; You fix what others missed

Relayer; You reach an audience others overlooked

Remixer; You combine old tools into something useful

So yes. most things have already been done. But not by you. And that means , You still have something unique to discover and the difference here is ; you’re not starting from zero. You're starting from perspective.

So,

- That open-source tool you’ve never explored. Try it.

- That attack technique you keep hearing about? Learn how it works.

- That setting you’ve always ignored. Dig into what it really does.

Remember,

Build it anyway.
Write it anyway.
Design it anyway.

Because,

You still have something to discover.
You still have something to offer.
You still have something to shape - even if someone else started it.

Because…

It’s been done, but not by you

If you are in the UK , You do not want to miss CyBlack Conference 2025! . You can get your Tickets Here

On the bright side, I have been consistent with a monthly newsletter this year; a win 😊

The highlight of my month wasn’t something I planned. It was a surprise birthday party my friends threw for me 😆.

To be completely honest, my first reaction wasn’t excitement; it was panic. Walking into a room full of people, people who love me, triggered a wave of discomfort and anxiety that I wasn’t ready for.

Part of me wanted to disappear, to find an exit, to not be the center of attention. But in that moment, I realized something: sometimes courage isn’t something you summon from deep inside yourself. Sometimes you borrow it.

I borrowed courage from some of my favorite humans in the room; their belief that I was someone worth celebrating. I borrowed courage from the smiles in the room, from the love in the room, from the future version of myself who would look back and be so proud I stayed, from my future self who will look back at the memories and smile .

I didn’t feel brave. But I showed up, I showed up and stayed!

That’s the thing about fear; it tries to shrink us, to convince us that staying small is safer. But when we reach beyond it, even just for a moment, something amazing happens: the world around us expands too. We step into more!

You don’t have to be fearless to create a beautiful life. You just have to be willing to borrow courage when you need it and trust that one brave moment can open the door to so much more than you ever imagined; I randomly still think about my birthday weekend and smile because despite the fear , it was beautiful moment.

I think that same lesson applies to building your career.

There will be moments when you feel out of your depth; applying for jobs you’re not sure you’re "ready" for, speaking up in meetings, taking on technical challenges that scare you a little. It’s easy to think you need to feel confident first. But you don’t. You just need to move forward, even when fear is whispering in your ear.

Borrow courage from your mentors. From your friends. From your past wins. From the version of yourself who knows you belong here/there.

The best careers; like the best moments in life are built by people who showed up, even when it was hard. And you’re more ready than you think.

If you're in that 'scared to move' phase right now, just know that you're not alone. I'm rooting for you.

When was the last time you had to borrow courage? How did it feel? I'd love to hear your story.

Until next time- remember , “The best way out is always through.” - Robert Frost

I started volunteering very early in my career; I remember my first major volunteering experience was during the Cybersecurity awareness month while I was in the university. I volunteered alongside my friend (Tosin) with my lecturer (Mr Victor) to speak to secondary school student about staying safe online and career opportunities in cybersecurity. It was not the most comfortable(I struggled with public speaking) but it was sure a very good experience that I leaned and still lean on.

The energy after the experience was so good and fulfilling that I started looking for ways to make more impact; something I’ll call passion projects ; A place of fulfillment.

One thing about passion projects is that it fulfils you and gives you energy , a lot of it!

Your work can be something you are passionate about as well; I am passionate about my work but sometimes I need that extra dose of energy and I always get them from the passion projects .

Passion projects are pursuits that ignite our creativity and enthusiasm. These projects are often born out of a desire to explore our interests and express our talents in meaningful and /or impactful ways. Unlike typical work tasks, passion projects are fueled by intrinsic motivation and personal satisfaction.

These projects can also be seasonal , depending on how much time you have but one thing I have discovered from my experience is; there is a high sense of fulfillment in doing something you really want to do .

There is also a lot of self discovery you get from passion projects. I discovered my love for creating content from passion projects (Yes, I have managed several social media accounts. )

You should take out time, consider what hobbies or interests you have always wanted to get into or explore and do something about it .

I hope you find some time if not now but in the future to do something that really excites you and brings you a wholesome energy!

Remember , “You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” - Zig Ziglar

Here is the thing, it is you. The high and off days are part of who we are.

Instead of fighting the off days and trying to find same level of energy every time, I am learning to work with the low days as well; No forcing of productivity, work with my energy to get the work done.

Honestly, it can be frustrating because high energy for me equal to Efficiency. Oh well, high energy or not work must be done yea?

On low energy days, I try to focus on progress. I adjust my expectations and acknowledge that progress matters. If I thought I was going to finish a task in 2 hours, I adjust to maybe 5 hours but with the same goal “finish the task”. My low energy days simply means I’ll spend more time on a task than usual.

Energy will always come and go. Today might be slow, but tomorrow? Tomorrow could be the “electric energy” ;“the one that will shock you “ 😂😂😂

Trust the cycle, few days off day won’t derail your progress unless you let it.

The truth is, working with your off days is just as important as maximizing your energetic days. Productivity isn’t about perfection, it’s about persistence.

“Keep showing up, even at half-speed”

What strategies do you use to handle your low days? I’d love to hear about them .

Leave a comment

I know I used to jokingly say to myself “If I am as intentional in other aspects of my life as my career, maybe I will be in a better place”. This was my cue to be intentional about all the aspects of my life that are important to me. Over the years I have made a lot of intentionality in others but that is not the gist for today.

Let’s talk about being intentional about my career and what it means to me. Every year, I set career goals for myself (There was a year I honestly just went with the flow).

For me to set career goals for myself I ask myself some questions.

1. What could you have done better this year?

2. What do you want to do better?

3. What will help you achieve your short and long term goals?

4. Is there any certification you want to take next year? If Yes, why; if No why?

5. Is there any new thing you want to explore or learn next year?

Answering this question always gives me clarity and over the years, I have noticed that my career goals have become less (in numbers).

The intentionality here is that you are consciously ensuring that you are making an effort towards a goal; I remember telling my former manager I was interested in cloud security projects and this was right after I started studying about some Microsoft security process/product. I was only able to do this because earlier I had asked myself the questions above and I was lacking in cloud skills.

What does intentionality look like for me?

Intentionality for me looks like this;

Where am I and what is next?

I’d like to believe that this was easier for me to answer at the start of my career. I don’t know if it is the same for everybody As I grow in my career answering the question “What is Next” has become a bit tougher (I do find the answer. It’s just not as easy). For example when I worked in the Security Operation Centre(SOC), I knew I wanted to try something entirely different from the SOC when I asked myself this question.

What do I need to do to get to the “Next”

This aid my goal setting as I can Identify what skills or knowledge, I need to gain to help me get to the next phase of my career. If I need to talk to someone about the next phase, this is where I Identify that as well. I had earlier written about Learning and working, you definitely should read it.

What have I done wrong and how do I fix it?

I’ve made some wrong career choices and this helps me to evaluate them and also identify a fix if there is any. However, when there is none, this helps me become conscious of my mistakes for the future.

The intentionality has made me pay attention to the work I do and ensuring that I am working towards achieving my long-term career goals. I hope this helps you on being intentional for 2025.

Wishing you a great 2025!

“Don’t wait for the future to just happen, shape your future and live it “ - Patrick Cusack

Additional Read you may be interested in

Productivity Hack : Learn how to turn your day into Mini days

PS; I did not think I was going to write any newsletter before the year end . Thank you”@graciey” for the nudge.

Subscribe now