CISSP Study Plan – Day 25 of 55 | Using “How to Think Like a Manager” in Your CISSP Prep
- Luke Ahmed
- Oct 3
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 5
"The definition of building your legacy in silence, just doing what you have to do. The result speaks for itself Yani!"– Luke Ahmed
Today is Day 25 of Yihenew’s CISSP study plan, focusing on the benefit of using the book “How to Think Like a Manager for the CISSP Exam.” Unlike traditional study guides, this book doesn’t throw endless facts at you. It puts you into situations that mirror the exam, where you have to decide what the manager would do first.
Key Areas Covered:
Practical Scenarios — instead of memorization, you’re walked through real-life decision points that echo CISSP exam questions.
Bridging Technical to Strategic — the book helps you practice shifting from “engineer mindset” to “risk-based decision-making” without overexplaining or being repetitive.
Question Format — each section feels like the exam, forcing you to pause, reflect, and choose the best answer (not just the technically correct one).
Confidence Building — by working through the scenarios, you train yourself to stop second-guessing and start spotting exam traps faster.
Casual Fit — the style is conversational, making it easier to absorb than a heavy textbook, but still rigorous enough to prepare you for the hardest questions.
CISSP Exam Tie-In — this book is about practice in exam thinking, not memorizing more content.
In this CISSP study plan session, Yihenew highlighted how using the book alongside course material and practice questions makes the study experience more real — less about cramming, more about recognizing how the exam really frames problems.
Quick CISSP Practice Question
When answering CISSP exam questions, what should guide your decision-making?
A. Technical accuracy of the option
B. Business and risk alignment
C. What you’ve configured at your current job
D. The newest tool or framework
✅ Correct Answer: B. Business and risk alignment
Explanation:
The CISSP isn’t about showing you can configure a firewall or run a scan — it’s about showing you can make security decisions in a business context.
Technical accuracy matters, but if it doesn’t fit risk management or governance, it won’t be the right choice.
The exam tests your ability to elevate thinking above your current role and see the broader impact.
Think Like a Manager: When you’re stuck between two good answers, ask: Which one protects the business and aligns with risk and governance? That’s the CISSP way of thinking — and exactly what my book is designed to drill into you.
👉 Can you take the Yani Challenge?
55 days of consistent CISSP prep, tackling one domain at a time, using only the resources below:
Course
Luke's CISSP Course (2 months access, $89.98)
One-to-one Zoom sessions with Luke Ahmed (2 weeks before exam)
Books, Notes, and Practice Questions
All-In-One Study Guide by Shon Harris (Around $45)
Sybex 10th Edition (Around $52.55)
Total Cost: approxiamately $250 depending on your geographic location. Yani is located in East Africa.
📚 Study Plan (55 Days of Dedication):
- Weekdays: 2–3 hours of focused study—late nights and early mornings (5 AM).
- Weekends: 5–6 hours of deep study sessions.
Pass CISSP in first attempt within 100 questions.
Yani's biggest expense was his time, committment, consistency, and dedication! It was worth it because he passed first attempt in 100 questions using the above resources only.
If Yihenew could do it, so can you.
All the best Future CISSP. You can feel free to contact me anytime as well.
Thank you.
Luke Ahmed
