2018 In Review, 2019 In Motion

2018 has been an incredible year and perhaps my most productive one to date! I spent the first six months waiting to start work. Even with taking the time to watch a questionable amount of One Piece (all of it), I still made sure to get work done on some personal and professional goals. I certainly did learn a ton along the way!

2018 Accomplishments:

1. Started CuneoCode!
   • The Lesson: Having a website to archive thoughts, ideas, and advice has really enabled me to scale out the level of impact I can have for people more than I thought it would! Posting consistent content is also much more difficult than I thought, definitely something to improve on.
2. Played the crypto market and came out ahead before it all came crashing down!
   • The Lesson: Investing in crypto is like investing in a business. Support the companies who are actually solving a problem, not just xyz coin that only has good marketing. However, keep in mind that cryptocurrencies are heavily influenced by sentiment and far too volatile to be considered anything other than speculation. For now at least.
3. Took a bunch of Cisco certification exams to renew my CCNA, earn my CCNP, AND pass the CCIE written exam!
   • The Lesson: I have already covered a bit of what I learned as far as study disciplines in my Industry Certifications article, so I will not list what I learned about that here. Instead the other big lesson I learned is just how much I do not know about networking! All the complex interdependencies of different protocols and design decisions that can go into a network can be quite overwhelming. The further I go into my CCIE lab preparation the more respect I have for those already certified, and the more motivated I become to join the CCIE ranks!
4. Started working at Cisco!
   • The Lesson: In a company with thousands of crazy intelligent people, we all can suffer from imposter syndrome. We may wonder how we earned our place among the other ~18,000 people in Vegas. What we need to realize is that someone believed in our potential long before extending an offer. They saw a glimpse of what we can bring to the table, that we are a valuable asset to the team. I learned to embrace that belief and work toward contributing my best to the team.
5. Started my Master’s with the Georgia Institute of Technology!
   • The Lesson: It is possible! This time last year I had ZERO intention of pursuing a Master’s degree in computer science. But when I learned about Georgia Tech’s online masters program, and that it would not cost an arm and a leg; I figured there was no reason not to start working on my degree. Work, certification studies, and class is not an easy balance to strike, but with some discipline it is certainly possible!
6. Got involved teaching and mentoring my alma mater!
   • The Lesson: Giving back to the Business Technology department at the University of Miami by teaching some intro tech and analytics classes, while mentoring the next generation of students was incredibly fulfilling. The biggest lesson here was to understand different peoples motives and learning styles. Framing the lesson in a way that relates to the student’s motive and style is much more effect than simply communicating information with no context.
7. Started writing a book!
   • The Lesson: Marketing.

2018 is looking good, but my goal is to make 2019 an even stronger and more impactful year!

2019 Goals:

1. Earn my CCIE number by the end of Q2.
2. Publish my book by the end of Q1.
3. Mentor more people both at work and from my alma mater.
4. Publish content consistently, 1 article a month and 3 recommended reads a week to start.
5. Continue to perform well at Georgia Tech.
6. Sharpen my network programming and automation skills.
7. Spend more time outdoors enjoying nature, and unwinding.

What are your goals for 2019? Let me know!