How A Two-Time Cable Skills Champion Trains For The Cable Skills Challenge

We talk with Doug, a two‑time Cable Skills Challenge champion, about how disciplined practice, mental prep, and a service mindset led to back‑to‑back wins. He shares the drills, the mistakes, the fiber testing nerves, and why process beats polish when the clock is running.

• recreating event stations with racks, 110 blocks, conduit, and 25‑pair 
• judge feedback turned into checklists and step maps 
• OLTS and OTDR anxiety, tool familiarity, and Softing impressions 
• visualization before sleep and memorizing ITSIMM steps 
• speed over cosmetic quality under timed rules 
• staying calm to fix a wrong port termination 
• awards night signals and realizing the overall win 
• career impact, choosing to judge, and mentoring first‑timers 
• why you should apply for 2027 and how to prepare 
• family support and good luck charms that anchor focus

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Transcript

Welcome And Livestream Invite

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Hello Mike is welcome to another episode of Let's Talk Cabling. This is a special episode you don't want to miss.

SPEAKER_03 0:23

Stay connected. Stay connected. Do it right.

SPEAKER_02 0:31

Welcome to the show where we tackle the tough questions submitted by apprentices, installers, technicians, project managers, estimators, IT people, even customers. We are connecting at the human level so that we can connect the world. If you're watching the show on YouTube, would you mind leaving us a five-star rating? The simple little steps help us take on the algorithm so we can educate, encourage, and enrich the lives of people in the ICT industry. Wednesday night, 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, what are you doing? You know I do a live stream on TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and everywhere else I can figure to send a thing. We get to ask your favorite RCDD. And you know that's me. Don't even try to train like I'm not. Your favorite RCDD. Questions on installation, design, certification, project management, estimation. I even do career path questions.

SPEAKER_01 1:22

But I can hear you know, Chuck, I'm driving my show at Wednesday nights at 6 p.m. going over to work. I don't want to crash. Relax. Just breathe in.

Introducing Doug’s Back‑To‑Back Win

SPEAKER_02 1:32

I record them and you can watch them at your convenience. And while this show is free and has always remained free, would you mind clicking on that QR code right there? You can buy me a cup of coffee. You can even schedule a 15-minute one-on-one call with me after hours, of course. So I'm still getting I'm still processing all of the videos from the Bixie Conference. I have well over a hundred videos. I don't know if all of them will make it to social media, but I got lots and lots of videos. So you're going to see stuff filtering out over the next couple of weeks. But one of the things I've filmed was uh at the uh we I we filmed a lot at the Cable Skills Challenge, but we also filmed the awards banquet. And this year's awards winner is not only somebody I know, somebody who I consider a friend, and he's done some pretty amazing stuff. He's got a pretty amazing story. Yeah, the thing is, Doug, he didn't just show up and win. He put some effort into this, he's done it a couple times, and uh I wanted I wanted to get him on some maybe, maybe inspire the next cable skills challenge. Welcome to the show, Doug. How you doing, my friend?

SPEAKER_00 2:40

Thank you. I'm doing wonderful, Chuck. Wonderful. Thanks for having me on. It's a pleasure.

SPEAKER_02 2:45

Well, but first off, congratulations on your 2026 Cable Skills Challenge. That makes you 2025 and 2026. That's saying something. That is absolutely saying something.

SPEAKER_00 2:57

Yes, uh definitely did my best uh to try to compete. And uh there were a lot of uh great competitors in the field, so uh definitely difficult uh challenge, but always fun to get get involved in it.

SPEAKER_02 3:13

Well, uh first I want to talk about the uh not the actual competition first, I want to talk about the the before that. What made you decide to compete this year? I mean you 2025, I mean you let the walk through this 2025, you won, you got the cable skills challenge. What made you decide, okay, I want to do this again next year?

Why Compete Again And Preparation Timeline

SPEAKER_00 3:32

So when I competed in 2025, actually during my uh awards speech, I challenge each and every competitor to come back, each and every competitor to do their best to prepare for the next year because I was coming back to compete in 2026 and I wanted to defend my title. So when I said that, I definitely uh believed that uh I was gonna come back and give it my all to win the second year in a row. So that was my plan.

SPEAKER_02 4:06

So let me ask you this how far out did you start prepping for this year's event?

SPEAKER_00 4:13

So this year's event, I started prepping probably around October, uh kind of looking at things and and kind of looking forward to what's what's coming down the pike uh just to see if I really need to you know better myself, look at some things. Uh, what did I do wrong last year? Uh what can I change and adjust this year? So I'd say about October, kind of started looking over notes.

Practice Lab Setup And Drills

SPEAKER_02 4:43

Well, you get some really great feedback from the judges on what you did on certain things and stuff. So that would be, I think, would be a good foundation on what to you know, actually try to practice on and improve on, you know, for for the next competition. Um, what did your practice sessions look like? Do you do you have do you have 66 blocks and 110 blocks on your wall home and you practice?

SPEAKER_00 5:05

So actually, I built out a rack at work that had you know patch panels. I put in a conduit into a uh plate, uh four square box with a plate. I actually put up a 110 block. I ripped off some old 25 pair that wasn't being used. I mean, I tried to rebuild uh event A and event B here on site. So I did buy some materials uh to try to basically put myself in that ring and do everything I can to better myself and basically decrease my time. Uh, because it's a timed event. So yep.

SPEAKER_02 5:52

They have to have some kind of a judgment point because you know everybody can terminate. Well, I don't say everybody can terminate, but a lot of people can terminate blocks and patch panels and stuff like that. So you gotta find a way to differentiate between those. Yeah, I knew it was timed, but what part challenge worried you the most going in?

Fiber Testing Fears And New Tools

SPEAKER_00 6:09

So going in, I always worry about the OTDR and the OLTS. And I know that's kind of crazy, but the OLTS, you're you're kind of on the spot and you have to set the reference and and calculate uh a budget loss, and then the OTDR, we don't we don't use an OTDR much on our site because we're all within our data center, but we use OLTS. Just this year, they incorporated softing, which I was not familiar with. Uh and a little note, softing, once I used the equipment, I was honestly pleasantly surprised how easy it was to operate and how user-friendly it is. But uh doing the the fiber testing, I would say to me, might not be any anybody else's uh I guess shortcoming, uh, but for me, it always brings up a little anxiety, and I don't know why.

Mental Prep, Notes, And Visualization

SPEAKER_02 7:19

It's funny you mentioned anxiety because it kind of almost almost segues to the next question because you know, doing the physical stuff, practicing the physical stuff, that's that's I think that's the easy part. How did you prepare yourself mentally? Because you you you probably had it technically down pretty well, but how did you battle it mentally to make sure you put yourself in the right mental spot to compete?

Time Investment And Overlearning

SPEAKER_00 7:42

So there is definitely a mental aspect of it. Uh, and I'll get back to the preparation. It really comes down to the preparation and and going forward to the competition. Uh after each competition, I created notes. After I the first year I lost and and didn't really compete or didn't win any events, uh I actually jotted down a lot of notes. And I asked each judge, what did I do good? What could I improve upon? Now they don't have to answer those questions, but I felt it was and it was right for me to ask those questions. So mentally, what I do every year is again, I jot the notes down, and what I do is I go through those notes. I went through the itzum, I created a uh basically a uh process of from one to 20, the first step, second step, third step, and then what I do is I actually visualize that in my head after I memorize those steps. I visualize it and kind of do some sort of meditation, and then I will practice at the rack. So it's there's definitely a lot of mental mental preparation for it, but not only that, there's a I guess you have your subconscious that plays a role into this competition. So you have your subconscious telling you you're not doing good. Are you doing this right? How can you, you know, how can you do it better? Are you doing are you gonna be able to get done in the amount of time that's allotted for the event? But I would say mental is one thing, but it also comes down to physical because event A and event B take a toll on your body physically. When you walk out of that event, you can you definitely feel your muscles. There is there is some fatigue. So there is there is a physical part of it too.

SPEAKER_02 9:48

Let me ask you this. How many hours do you think you spent both in the mental preparation process and the actual practice part of this process?

Event List And What Judges Evaluate

SPEAKER_00 9:59

So it probably changes from the previous year to this year, but I know this might sound crazy, but most most nights that I go to bed after I start reading through the event A, event B, and all the events, the eight events, seven events I really have to study. I actually go through the steps in my head prior to going to sleep. I know that sounds crazy, but it's just it's it's that visualized visualization of each step. It's memorizing each step. Because when you get into the event, you don't want to have to look at the sheet and make sure you're getting each step correct. Uh, you want to have that memorized. So probably a little bit too much of a prep, but that's what I did.

SPEAKER_02 10:51

Is there such a thing as too much prep? Is there? I don't know. Probably not. And you know, and I I totally relate because, you know, yeah, obviously for the podcast, you know, I I've had people ask me before, you know, how do you come up with how do you come up with all these ideas for show topics and stuff? It's because my brain never shuts off. I mean, I could be laying down in bed, you know, waiting to fall asleep, and that 30 32 seconds it takes me to fall asleep from time. My head hits the pillow and I actually fall asleep. I got something. Um I'm still thinking about the podcast. I'm still thinking about stuff, and I I come up with ideas all the time. So I understand. I certainly understand that that mental process. So it sounds like like you you put in all the work, you know, put in a whole bunch of work before you even walked into that room. Now, if you don't mind, let's shift and talk about what it was actually like when the clock started. Okay. So the first thing I'll talk about is because you mentioned there's eight events, right? Do you have to know what all those eight events are off the top of your head?

Competition Culture And Mentoring Mindset

SPEAKER_00 11:50

Yes. I knew you were going to ask that, so I have a little cheat sheet. That's fine right above my my camera. But uh event A is structured cabling, system insulate installation. Event B is copper termination, fire stopping, and bonding. Event C is fiber terminations, which includes uh fiber splicing, uh fusion splicing, and mechanical splicing. Then there's uh cable assembly, which you have to do three different cable assemblies. There's cable troubleshooting, uh otherwise known as the table of death, which other people have come up with that, not me. Uh the OTDR testing, the OLTLTS testing, and then uh the last one, which some people might see might not think of it as important, but professionalism and orientation. And what they do is they really look at your resume. Uh, the second you submit your application, they're starting that that looking at everything and how you're handling yourself, your email etiquette, and how you handle yourself uh get with all the judges and with all the other competitors. So uh there's a lot that goes into it.

SPEAKER_02 13:01

Oh wow. Wow. So walk us through that moment when you I mean, I know you guys have like a pre-event kind of meeting orientation thing before you actually do the competition. Yes. Um talk a little bit about that. I mean, how's that how does that feel? I mean, you're walking in there, you got you know a bunch of other people you're competing against. I mean, is it like a brotherhood kind of thing? Like you could you kinda I guess feel like you're all in the same ship, or is it like truly like uh like the Super Bowl where you don't want to talk to somebody else because you know they're competition?

Walking Into The Arena: Year‑By‑Year

SPEAKER_00 13:33

I take it a little different than really looking at it as a competition. Uh I'm I'm I look at it as a competition, it's not against every other competitor, even though it really comes down to it is a competition. I look at it really as a competition within myself. I'm competing with myself and everything I studied, everything I looked at, all the steps. Am I going to follow those steps? Am I going to be able to do it correctly? Am I going to be able to focus on quality? Am I going to be able to focus on the speed? Uh am I going to get it done in time? So when it comes down to me, my goal is to support and kind of be a mentor to each and every competitor. I really try to reach out to the first timers and let them know that, you know, have fun. Try not to get in your head. Have fun in this event and come back next year and you know, jot your notes down and come back next year and prepare kind of like I did, you know, because uh there's a lot that goes into it. And I want them to know that it's okay if you make mistakes the first year. It's okay if you don't complete an event. Because that's what happened to me my first year.

SPEAKER_02 14:47

How many times did you actually compete? I know you won twice, but how many times did you compete?

SPEAKER_00 14:52

So I competed for uh three years. So 20 2024, 2025, and 2026.

SPEAKER_02 14:59

So I think that's a pretty good batting average. 66%. 66%.

SPEAKER_00 15:05

Well, and again, the first year I uh I competed against TJ Pate. Uh I was told he competed seven times and he's won three, but he was also against some uh uh up against some tough competition. But uh I was proud to see TJ get his three-peat uh the first year I won, or first year I competed.

SPEAKER_02 15:27

So let's talk about the moment you actually walked into the the the competition area. Like talk about that moment. How did you feel when you walked in? Because obviously you were veteran, you've been in two other times, but but it I you know I found is you know it's always each time's a different experience. So how did you feel that moment? Yes.

Handling Mistakes Under The Clock

SPEAKER_00 15:47

So I I'm gonna kind of go over each year because in 2024, when I entered the the ring, I guess you want to call it, I was extremely nervous. I didn't know what to expect. I I really I mean I set up for I helped set up for the event, but still not knowing the time, the 45 minutes, how how quick that time will go. Uh the next year, I walked in not expecting anything. I didn't go in expecting to win. I went in to prepare myself to to better do better than what I did the year previous year, but I wasn't as nervous the second year. This year, going into the the events and walking into that arena, I I would say I was more excited just to be back. Uh be back in the arena. It it's it's it's a fun event, it's an amazing event. So uh I would say it's kind of excitement.

SPEAKER_02 16:54

So when you walk into the competition area, what really surprised you once the challenge actually started?

SPEAKER_00 17:00

You know, honestly, I don't think I I don't think there's really anything that surprised me this year. Uh I think knowing what I did the previous years, I was kind of ready to enter that arena this year. So there wasn't really anything that I I I mean, I don't know if I should answer that, but there really wasn't anything that surprised me this year.

Balancing Speed, Process, And Quality

SPEAKER_02 17:24

I I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I mean, that's just as that just shows the preparation you put on the front of that, right? Um what what when you're when you're doing your your I I love when you said it because you know I I'm I get asked all the time about well, Chuck, you know, there's other are there other low voltage podcasts? They're not my competition. I'm my competition. I just want to be 10% better than I was last week. That's my goal every week, right? And uh so I don't I mean I'll do anything I can lift up other people. Let me ask you this thing. You're in the arena, you know, even though you prepped, I something still probably went wrong or almost went wrong. How did that how did what was that and how did it affect you?

Awards Night And Realizing The Win

SPEAKER_00 18:05

In event B, I I'll just go back, I'll I'll I'll kind of go back a little bit. So there was a guy named Luke uh that wanted to stand next to me in event A, event B to feed off my energy. And it just so happened that once he got to his event and he started doing his event, I actually fed off his energy too. So we kind of like fed off of each other, but Luke was extremely efficient in what he was doing, and we were going back and forth uh with a 25-pair. He was keeping up of me with a one-pair punch as I was using a five-banger. So shout out to him real quick. But I'll get back to the mistake that happened. I was working on event B and I was trying to test the ceiling connector that I terminated, and I was getting no connectivity. The fluke kept saying tone, tone, tone. And I knew something was wrong, but I kept looking at the ceiling connector, and what ended up happening is I actually put on the patch panel, I was supposed to put it on port eight. And the patch panels were labeled one through six, one through six, one through six, one through six, and they don't have that continuation seven through twelve, thirteen, nineteen to twenty-four. I actually put them on port nine rather than port eight. So I made a mistake. And what I have to do in that moment is realize that it's like Ninod, uh, he's one of the judges. He told me after the competition, you're you're human. You made a mistake. It happens to the best of us. I mean, if you're if you're not human, you're not going to make a mistake. Like, so basically, you made a mistake, it's okay. And what I had to do is I had to collect myself in that moment and realize that I have time to finish this event. I just have to focus on the mistake I made and not focus on the mistake. So I fixed the termination, was able to get it to pass, and I actually completed the event. I want to say with about five minutes left.

SPEAKER_02 20:15

15 minutes per session, or it's how does that work out?

SPEAKER_00 20:20

For each uh event. So event A and event B, 45 minutes. And some of the events, uh like the OTDR and OLTS, they'll kind of combine them together. Uh so there's it depends on the events, but they have a whole schedule. I still don't know the entire schedule and how they do it, but uh they try to fit all of the competitors uh into all the events at different times.

SPEAKER_02 20:46

So let's talk about the balance between speed and quality, right? Because I mean, you're being judged, you got somebody looking over your shoulder. I I know when I used to teach the Biggsie classes and I used to be, you know, at the end when you do the test, you know, I could I literally watched many people had no problems terminating stuff and doing stuff in the class. But as soon as you put the timer on and I'd be looking over the shoulder, you know, it just they would just kind of lose composure. You know, then you start worrying about, well, I gotta get this done quickly, I gotta get this done quickly. But you also gotta get it done quality. So how did you manage that balance between speed and quality?

Career Impact And Giving Back As Judge

SPEAKER_00 21:22

Just to give everybody an insight, if this is your first time like hearing about the cabling skills, there's a lot that goes into it, and you have a judge looking over your shoulder. Sometimes you have uh individuals that are filming or taking pictures of you, and then all the way around the entire arena, you have uh audience that is watching your every move. So when it comes to that speed and quality, you've got to kind of have tunnel vision and you have to focus on the task at hand because if you get Too involved in looking around your stress level just it will go through the roof. So, in terms of quality and speed, in my opinion, speed is the utmost importance in these competition in this competition. Quality, not so much. Really, what it comes down to is following the it'sum. What does the it's um say? If you follow installing structured cabling system, if you if you're following the it's um verbatim, step one, step two, step three, step four, that is the most important thing. And then next is speed. Quality, you're not looking on making your your cabling perfect, you're looking at getting done within that 45 minutes, and quality is kind of less important than speed. I know that that sounds crazy, but when you get to a job site or you're working for a customer, quality is probably the utmost important importance, and it's not speed.

SPEAKER_02 23:05

So when you're in and competing, did you have a moment where the thought crossed your mind that, hey, I might actually have this this year?

Stepping Aside To Inspire New Competitors

SPEAKER_00 23:15

No. Actually, uh, I know I talked a little bit about my subconscious. Uh I sometimes doubt myself inside. Uh actually, with the way Luke was competing next to me in event A and event B, I truly thought that he could be the next cabling installer of the year.

SPEAKER_02 23:38

So you're sitting at that table, and you know on the on the screens, they run the the slides to talk about the winners of each each of the events, right? So as you're watching this those slides come up and stuff, yes. Describe the moment when when your name was called.

Mentoring Without Giving Answers

SPEAKER_00 23:56

When they go through the individual events, that can give you kind of a that can give you kind of a feeler as if you placed or not. And my family was there sitting right next next to me, and they knew the stress that I was going through the entire day, wondering if I even placed any events, since I had some issues going into it. But when I saw uh the events be enlisted, the first two events, event A and event B, which could possibly be the events that have the most points, uh, I won those two events. Uh, you know, the emotions start going. Did I did I do this? Did I win? Okay, let's see the next next two events. Then they list C and D, and I won D. And I'm like, okay, I won three three events so far. No one else has won two. And then they announce the the G, which is the professionalism and orientation, and I won that one as well. Once those screens get populated, and I realize I got four out of the eight events, it was pretty evident to me that I had a really high 99% chance that I that I took home the crown. But uh then I had to wait for the next the next reveal, which then they bring the trophy up and and talk about the the winner.

SPEAKER_02 25:22

Yeah, winning is easy, and kudos to you because you know I know that it's not the easiest thing in the world. Um let's talk about now that you've won it, what's what's the next thing? Let's turn this win into inspiration or roadmap for others. And I love that you actually kind of touched based on that when you did your um when your when you did your speech. So winning this event, has it changed has winning this event changed the way that you see your career?

Advice For Future Challengers

SPEAKER_00 25:48

Winning the event, honestly, probably is not gonna like change my my career path or maybe go down a different path. I love uh I work for CBRE out of Columbus, Ohio, at the State of Ohio Computer Center. Love my job. I've been here almost 10 years. I have great support from uh management, and I don't see really taking a step away from where I'm at currently. But you know, what I what I want to do is get more involved in uh basically being a judge uh with the competition that I was in. Uh helping I'm gonna keep helping set up for the competition every year. Uh last year I actually had a chance to go to Bixie Japan and set up for that competition and blow the whistle for the competition in Japan, which was an honor. Uh just an amazing trip in like personally, but then being able to go and blow the whistle for Bixie Japan, the cabling skills, uh, was just an amazing, amazing.

SPEAKER_02 26:57

So I know you said in your speech that you you were not going to compete next year. Any chance that you might change your mind?

SPEAKER_00 27:06

Well, that's kind of why I wanted to make that uh make that statement publicly, so I didn't change my mind. And and it's it's kind of twofold. Uh knowing that the competition is pretty much the same every year, I feel like it's not fair to constantly compete knowing that you have competed numerous years and know what's coming down the pike. But I also feel I want I feel like it could possibly be pushing away people from applying to the competition. And I wanted to publicly also say that so that all the other competitors feel that they can come back and have that chance to win win the competition. So my my goal is also to motivate. Motivate.

Good Luck Charms And Family Support

SPEAKER_02 27:57

What about since you're not competing next year or ever again, and I know you talk about being a judge. Being a judge, does that limit your ability to maybe mentor future competitors?

SPEAKER_00 28:12

I know that being a judge uh during the competition, you're limited in your your communication with with each each individual competitor. But I have already reached out to a lot of the competitors during the last competition, and they've texted me some questions. And uh I definitely want to help mentor the other competitors as much as I can without giving them the answers, of course. But you know, just try to motivate them and let them know because really what it comes down to it it's letting them know that if you look through the it'sum and you look at that event, follow the itzum word by word. You might have to go through many of chapters to find those answers, but really those eight events are well, I guess the seven events are focused on the it'sum and how things need to happen and the proper process of those of those things. So uh yeah, I I always look forward to meeting each and each competitor, and again, I have a lot of their numbers and uh reach out to them often. So me and TJ and Rich always communicate.

SPEAKER_02 29:30

Yep. And and an elite, an elite brotherhood, because there's not many people who've won that. Not many button. Let me ask you this what advice would you give somebody who's thinking about competing in the 2027 Cable Skills Challenge?

Daily Learning Content And Community Thanks

SPEAKER_00 29:45

I'm looking at you. Don't think about it. Do it. Here's the thing they cover your conference. Yes, you have to pay for your travel, yes, you have to pay for your hotel and your food. But the thing is, you are being brought into that competition to showcase your skills. And once you get involved with a competition, if you're a if you're a young buck, I know I'm a little older, but if you're a young buck, it opens so many doors. There are so many people reaching out to you. There could be a different avenue you take. Maybe you're doing copper all the time, but you get involved in this competition, you do well in fiber, and someone says, Hey, you really did well in this fiber, fiber termination. Would you be interested in joining the company and you know heading up the fiber fiber division? There's so many opportunities. So I'm looking at you, you in the camera, I know you're listening to this. Don't think about it. Send your application in. I think applications start, I want to say October, November, but you can't win if you don't apply. And you can't compete if you don't apply. Highly recommend getting involved, doing your best. Learn the first year, come back and compete to win the second year.

SPEAKER_02 31:10

Great advice. Again, congratulations, my friend. Super proud to even be considered in the uh a a friend with you. I do have to challenge you though. I do have to challenge you.

SPEAKER_00 31:23

There we go. Right here. Right here. I got it. Yes. I got it. I'm a lucky, lucky man with having one of these.

SPEAKER_02 31:33

So one of the things you did at uh when you were doing your acceptance speeches, you talked about your your good luck charms, and you went through well like four or five of them. Tell us what they were and how did they how did they help inspire you and help calm the nerves and and get you to the finish line?

Closing Gratitude And Takeaway

SPEAKER_00 31:50

So I don't know if it is purely the good luck charms, but the first year I had no good luck charms in my possession. The second year I had some good luck charms. I know I had a little dinosaur for my youngest, but this year my youngest motivated me with a little uh Lego man. And of course, it has no hair because I'm most of the time bald. So this is a little little worker. My wife's uh four-leaf clover. I had my son's 24 karat Pokemon, and then my wife wrote this my second year that no matter what the outcome, you are a winner to us, and that meant a lot to me. And this is one of the things that I kept with me after the first year I won and kept it with me the second year, and then let's talk cabling, Chuck Bowser. I got this coin last year at the conference. Here's the thing Chuck Bowser is instrumental in what he does, he has been doing it for years.

SPEAKER_02 32:59

Oh, the podcast! Five years, five years, 340 episodes.

SPEAKER_00 33:04

That's awesome. So, you know, I I was able to get the one of what 25? This is the 20, this is 24 of 25. But Chuck Bowser is instrumental in everything he does and all the platforms. He puts out daily little abbreviations, you know, uh work area outlet. What is it? What's what's the abbreviation for it? You know, you can answer questions, you can do likes, you can do loves. The most important thing is like, follow, subscribe because you constantly see those things daily. And I don't know if you know this. This might be the first time that I've told you this, but my first year competing, I realized I need to follow you more because who knows? Some of those questions on the actual test that we have to take, David Richards, let me go through. So I started going through all your podcasts, all your posts to look at your questions to see if there's anything that could help me on the actual written test. And there was some stuff that I think helped me. So thank you.

SPEAKER_02 34:09

Every weekday morning at 8.10, usually 8.10, I put out the acronym challenge. And I go through all the different books and all that stuff. And then uh I think right now I'm doing an alphabet series. I'm working through A, B, C, D, E. And then on in the afternoons, I do Monday afternoon, I do um Project Management Monday, all from the the uh Project Management Method Method Manual. Then I do TDMN Tuesday, Wednesday's name this tool Wednesday, Thursday, you like this one. Thursday is it's um Thursday, where I take tidbits out of the ITSM and post it out there. And then Friday is um Pro Tip Friday. I do one of the 147 projects I got on my website. And those go out every single week. And then on top of that, I do other other edit uh other videos and post too as I see them come along and stuff. So so congratulations, my friend. I I'm so super proud. It's awesome. Um, just to just to be in the same arena with you, and you're right. I was walking around the cable skills chair, I was taking pictures and stuff and doing film and stuff like that. So you were you were being watched. Yes, you were being watched.

SPEAKER_00 35:19

And I will say uh one thing I noticed that I I sniffed a lot during my speech. I was so nervous, I was sniffing a lot, but I appreciate you capturing that moment uh because I'm gonna have that with me forever. So thank you very much.

SPEAKER_02 35:35

My pleasure. Yeah, we're uh we're on worst enemy because when I go back and listen to episodes of myself, I look at them and go, I messed that up. I messed that up. You know what? Just the progress is just one step in front of the other, you just keep moving forward. Yes, you get 10% better every single time. So congratulations again, my friend, and thank you for coming on the show. I appreciate you.

SPEAKER_00 35:57

Thank you. Pleasure being on the show for the second time.