Here’s something that’s been on my mind lately….how do you use the jab to get inside* without being hit? The answer is, you don’t. When you jab and go inside to attack, inevitably you will take a hit – that’s the game, exchanges. So it is with cyber security, you put yourself out there, and you take a hit. You make some ground, you move back and back in behind the jab. The trick is staying consistent and diligent. Are we still talking about boxing, or cyber security? Yes.
This notion was particularly poignant for me last week, as I received the ‘unfourtunately’ email. We’ve all seen them land in our inboxes, with cushioning statements such as ‘high-calibre/large number (of) applicants’ and then the confirmation of what you already knew …you didn’t make the cut.
The lovely people at WiCyS informed me I hadn’t progressed to Tier 2 of the Cybersecurity Scholarship – which, to be frank, I expected. Due to time-sensitive work demands it was a logistical challengem however I threw everything I had, so I can sit happily with that. I’m so stoked for those who made it through, there are some absolutely stellar humans I’ve met who are very deserving of moving onto the next stage.
In response to my recent set back I kept working on a draft I’ve been messing about with for a few weeks now, and so, in no particular order here are my top 10 frameworks for thinking about styles in cyber and boxing.
1. The Counterpuncher Approach:
• Style Insight: Patient, strategic, and reactive. They wait for the right moment to strike and cleverly use their opponent’s aggression against them. They switch the momentum in their favour.
• Setback Application: When facing a setback like not progressing in a scholarship, adopt a counter puncher’s mindset. Instead of reacting impulsively, take time to reflect on the situation. After many years of meditation practice, I’m pro-responding over reacting, and this certainly applies to my career change goals.
2. The Pressure Fighter Approach:
• Style Insight: Constantly moving forward, pressure fighters give their opponents no time to breathe or think. I like this approach in boxing (at times) but in cybersecurity this is difficult for me as it feels more like a type-A, extroverted personality profile; which I certainly do not fit.
• Setback Application: I’ve been working on improving my networking skills; connecting and being pro-active in reaching out to people who’s work I’m interested in, as i know there are huge benefits (aside from camaraderie) such as finding future career opportunities.
3. The Out-Boxer Approach:
• Style Insight: Pretty footwork, distance management and precision define the out-boxer.
• Setback Application: Perspective is the key here, looking at the long-term goals. The last few months I’ve doubled down on this process by enrolling with the fabulous people of Code Like a Girl to cement my basic Python coding skills, and I’ve fallen hard for Python. Broadening my skill set, gaining new experiences, and shifting my focus away from strictly cybersecurity skills to other growth areas in the IT space has been a huge step forward.
4. The Brawler Approach:
• Style Insight: Chaos magnets! Brawlers thrive in the mayhem and are willing to take punches in order to land powerful punches.
• Setback Application: Honestly, when setbacks arrive sometimes you just need to embrace the chaos – take risks, try unconventional approaches, or tackle challenges head-on without fear of failure. This bold, aggressive strategy can sometimes break through where conventional methods fall short. I need to make an effort to embrace the chaos more!
5. The Switch-Hitter Approach:
• Style Insight: Switch-hitters change their stance and strategy to suit the situation, they keep their opponents guessing.
• Setback Application: In cyber these are the renaissance women and men who are armed with certificates, experiences and degrees for days. They jump into any challenge and remain flexible. They’re inspiring to see in action. Chameleon-like, they encourage me to build versatility into my approach.
6. The Soviet Style:
• Style Insight: Soviet boxing is known for its focus on fundamentals and precision, fighters train in a disciplined manner building accuracy, mental strength and endurance. In time, complexity increases, but only once the fundamentals are flawless.
• Setback Application: What are the fundamental skills needed for a career in cybersecurity? Which career pathway aligns with my interests and current and emerging skillsets? I have an idea, but need to work more with mentors to build the foundations.
7. The Mexican Style:
• Style Insight: Mexican fighters are famous for their determination and heart, they favour a come forward approach and leverage willpower and aggression to take punishment at the same time they are unleashing it. Mexican fighters do not back away from a challenge.
• Setback Application: Persistence, persistence, persistence. Use the head and the heart and keep moving forwards. One can keep moving forwards via every day tasks – like revision, reading cybersecurity blogs and taking on challenges like setting up a home lab. The word here is resilience, keep fighting no matter what.
8. The Jabber:
• Style Insight: The jab is the most important punch in boxing. The jab can close space, it can set up combinations, it can protect a fighter and keep them in the bout longer. Jabbing is an art of constant, precise, and strategic strikes intended to wear down an opponent over time. It’s about control, not knockout power.
• Setback Application in Cybersecurity: Studying Python daily, beginning challenges on platforms like Let’s Defend – these are all jabs. Even this blog is a jab, it allows me to reflect on and refine my process – and it allows me to share my story – perhaps someone else is struggling to find a way forward and reads this and thinks ‘yes, I need to keep jabbing!.’
9. Avoiding the ‘Knockout Punch’ Mentality:
• Style Insight: It’s a risky ploy to rely on a single, powerful punch to win a fight. The gamble might work a small percentage of the time, for the rest of the time the fighter is often over-reaching and vulnerable to attack because they’re off-balance.
• Setback Application in Cybersecurity: Adopting a cumulative approach by broadening skills and knowledge, doing the gritty day to day, night to night grind and building into the fight for a new career rather than swinging and hoping for the best capitalises on strategic, rational thinking and sets one up for longevity too.
10. Combining Styles for Success:
• Style Insight: Many of the most successful fighters will combine different styles and use this knowledge to adapt and apply in real-time in the ring.
• Setback Application in Cybersecurity: Using a consistent ‘jabbing’ approach and taking advantage of higher-impact efforts (like applying for scholarships) provides the integration of the disciplines (honed through daily-skill building like coding, network analysis, Hack The Box, CTF’s etc…) with the ability to see when larger opportunities appear and capitalise on them.
Summary
This has been a longer post than I intended, I did nerd out a little so if you’re still with me – thank you! As long as I’m jabbing away at my skills – in and out of the ring – everyday, with the increasing knowledge and confidence to go for the big punches when the opportunity appears then it’s all bueno.
We win or we learn, and this time around I get to learn, and for a lifelong learner – that feels like a win.
*inside: In relation to boxing, inside means within range of scoring points on your opponent by connecting punches. A good boxer leverages space and controls when they go inside and when they work from the outside.
Photo by Ray ZHUANG on Unsplash
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