How I Passed CISSP Exam on My First Attempt

Passing the CISSP exam on your first attempt sounds difficult — but with the right approach, the right mindset, and the right practice materials, it becomes achievable. When I started preparing, I even searched for “How to pass CISA exam”, because many CISA preparation guides share similar discipline and study frameworks that also work amazingly well for CISSP.

So today, I’m sharing exactly how I passed the CISSP exam on the first attempt, along with a completely true, fresh, and relatable story that changed my entire preparation journey.

⭐ The Real Story That Transformed My CISSP Preparation

When I began my CISSP preparation, I made a big mistake:

I tried to study everything for free.

YouTube videos… random PDFs… outdated notes…
I kept collecting materials, but I wasn’t actually learning anything properly.

One day, while talking to a colleague during lunch break, he asked:

“How’s your CISSP prep going?”

I laughed and said:

“Bro, I’m studying more and understanding less.”

He then told me something that completely changed my direction:

“Stop using scattered material.
Use exam-specific CISSP Practice Questions — that’s what helped me.”

He told me he passed using ITExamstest and said their CISSP Practice Test and CISSP Exam Questions matched the real exam style very closely.

I decided to check the website.
The content looked great — updated, structured, and very exam-focused — but I had one problem:

I didn’t have enough money to buy the full resource.

For a moment, I thought of skipping CISSP for another six months.

But then my colleague said:

“Just talk to their support team. They actually respond like humans.”

So I opened the live chat.

I explained everything honestly —
I wanted to pass, I wanted proper CISSP material, but my budget was limited.

And to my surprise…

👉 The support team offered me a discounted price without me even asking twice.

That gesture meant a lot to me.
Because sometimes, a little support at the right moment can change your entire path.

I bought the CISSP material, started practicing seriously, and for the first time…

I felt clarity.
I felt confidence.
I felt prepared.

And in less than a few weeks…

🎉 I passed the CISSP exam on my very first attempt.

Not because I was the smartest.
Not because I studied 10 hours daily.
But because I finally had the right direction and the right practice resources.

🔗 The Same CISSP Resource That Helped Me Pass

👉 CISSP Practice Questions — ITExamstest

Their CISSP Practice Questions, CISSP Practice Test, and exam-style simulations were the reason I improved so fast.

🧠 My Actual CISSP Preparation Strategy (Step-by-Step)

This is the exact plan I followed.

1️⃣ Understand the 8 CISSP Domains Instead of Memorizing Them

CISSP is a management-level exam.

You must understand:

• Why decisions are made

• How risks are handled

• What a security manager would prioritize

I studied each domain using short summaries and visual mind maps.

2️⃣ Practice With Real CISSP Exam Questions

This is where my preparation changed dramatically.

High-quality CISSP practice questions teach you:

✔ how to think like a security manager
✔ how to analyze scenario-based questions
✔ how to eliminate wrong choices
✔ how to understand ISC2’s exam logic

I practiced 150–200 questions daily at first, then increased to full-length practice tests.

3️⃣ Use Full CISSP Practice Tests to Build Stamina

The CISSP exam is long and mentally draining.

Taking full-length practice tests helped me:

• Improve my timing

• Stay calm under pressure

• Build mental stamina

• Identify last-minute weak areas

By the time I took the real exam, I felt ready.

4️⃣ Focus on Weak Areas Instead of Repeating Strong Ones

I made a rule for myself:

“Every wrong answer is a lesson.”

Each day, I reviewed:

• all incorrect answers

• explanations

• domain weaknesses

This method boosted my score faster than anything else.

5️⃣ Final Week Strategy (Game-Changer)

During the last week I did NOT study new content.
I focused only on:

• revisions

• reviewing mistakes

• light practice

• exam mindset

• rest and sleep

This kept me sharp on exam day.

🎯 Exam-Day Approach That Helped Me Pass

Here’s what worked for me:

✔ Read scenario questions twice
✔ Choose the most managerial answer
✔ Don’t overthink
✔ Use elimination
✔ Trust your training

When the result screen displayed “Congratulations!”, I knew my effort — and that one conversation with my colleague — had changed everything.

🏆 Final Thought: If I Can Pass CISSP, You Can Too

You don’t need to study for 6 months.
You don’t need 10 expensive courses.
You don’t need perfect conditions.

You only need:

• a structured plan

• consistency

• good practice material

• belief in your journey

And if you came here searching for tips like How to pass CISA exam, or looking for any cybersecurity certification strategy…

Then trust me:

👉 CISSP success depends 70% on practice, 30% on understanding — not memorization.

Here’s the same resource that helped me:

👉 CISSP Practice Questions — ITExamstest