The Opening: Why This Matters
Most people think CISSP and CISM require 18–24 months of grinding. I did both in 6.
Not because I’m a genius. But because I stopped studying like a test-taker and started studying like a decision-maker.
Both CISSP and CISM aren’t technical exams. They’re judgment exams.
Over the next six months, I’ll walk you through the exact system I used: which resources actually matter (spoiler: not as many as you think), how to study concepts instead of questions, and the mental framework that turns certification prep into genuine leadership development.
Why I Chose to Prepare for Both Together
Preparing for CISSP and CISM simultaneously sounds ambitious, but it actually made sense once I mapped the domains side by side.
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Essentially, CISM focuses on the “why,” and CISSP focuses on the “how.”
So instead of studying twice, I built one strong foundation and then layered the perspectives.