From Failure to Triumph: Your Red Hat Exam Comeback Story

[Chetan_Tiwary_]

Failing an exam is a tough blow; since it involves a lot of time, hardwork and cash, but it doesn't mean it's a complete waste. Sometimes, failure can reveal hidden opportunities for growth. Passing these exams is challenging, and even the most dedicated learner may encounter setbacks.

Just like the Avengers faced their darkest hour against Thanos, we too face challenges in our Red Hat certification journey. 

The Exam  : “You're Strong, But I Could Snap My Fingers And You'd All Cease To Exist.”

But remember, even the mightiest heroes faced setbacks before emerging victorious. Let's explore how to overcome exam failures and emerge stronger, armed with knowledge and determination - The Avengers way !!

1. Recharge / Refocus Like Dr. Bruce Banner:

• Take a Break: Step away from the study table / laptop and clear your mind.
• Return with Renewed Energy: Approach your studies with a fresh perspective. Learn Unlearn & Relearn

                                        “That’s my secret Cap…I am always angry”

2. Analyze Your Strength & Weaknesses like Tony Stark:

• Identify Knowledge Gaps: Review your exam results to pinpoint areas where you struggled. Refer the exam objectives link for the same. If you score less than 50% in a topic / objective - restart that whole concept fresh, If you got more than 50% - revisit those labs!
  
• Strategize for Improvement: Use this knowledge to focus your studies and develop a targeted approach for those exam objectives. Revisit the recommended course. 

“It's not about how much we lost. It's about how much we have left."

3. Enhance Your Learning Arsenal like Black Panther:

• Explore Different Methods: Try various learning techniques like video courses, hands-on labs, preliminary exams, and explore official documentation to take help in exams. 

“How is never as important as why”

•        Seek Expert Guidance: Consider mentorship like expert chat as available in Standard and Premium learning subscription in Red Hat training or take help from this community of learners for support and advice.                                                                                                 
  

“You're Not The Only One Cursed With Knowledge”

 4. Connect with your fellow Avengers like Steve Rogers:

• Connect with Fellow Learners: Collaborate with others preparing for the same exam.Use the course groups in this community for the same. In doubt - always feel free to ASK. Do not think about the level of doubt - just ask. 
• Learn from Each Other: Share knowledge, discuss challenging concepts, alternative methodologies and benefit from diverse perspectives.

• Revisit those labs : Redo those labs independently and without looking at the solution, if you face any issues try to troubleshoot on your own like how will you do in the live exam. 

“I can do this all day”

5. Master the End Game like Dr Strange:

• Develop Effective Strategies: In the exam practice time management, question analysis, and read exam instructions.
• Be a fox : Exploit exam tweaks and apply shortcuts e.g. copy paste, ssh into multiple terminals to work on next tasks while one is taking time, do only what is asked, always go for persistent configurations etc -  like a cunning fox.

“There was no other way!”

6. Reward Yourself like Thor :

• Set Smaller Goals: Break down your study plan into achievable milestones as per the objectives and sub objectives of the Red Hat exam.
• Celebrate Your Achievements: Reward yourself for conquering challenges and staying motivated.

"I choose to run towards my problems and not away from them."

Even in failures, there's always a silver lining. Focus on the positive, stay motivated, and use this setback as a learning opportunity. Channel your inner Red Hat warrior and overcome this challenge. Your Red Hat certification is within reach, and this failure might be the very catalyst you needed to achieve it.

“This is it. The fight of our lives — and we're going to win. Whatever it takes.”

[Deanna]

@Chetan_Tiwary_ this is an inspiring, valuable and relatable article - thank you so much for sharing! I have seen countless others use the community for words of wisdom, general advice and support as they pursue the path to certification. Thank you for sharing this thoughtful piece!

[Trevor]

I really love the 3rd bullet, in item #4.  Labs (hands on) is so, so critical (levels above
important), when it comes to developing functional skills and knowledge that will
enable an individual to perform in the practical (real) world!!!  Of course, with Red Hat
exams being 100% performance based, that's yet another reason to become a 
juggernaut with lab activities.  

Knowing the theory is absolutely important, but the practical is what's being assessed
on those industry-recognized RHEL cert exams!!!

That's a master recipe provided by Chef Chetan

[Wasim_Raja]

@Chetan_Tiwary_ Absolutely correct, thanks for sharing.

[Miracle27]

I appreciate the analogy. Sometimes a fresh perspective makes all the difference in the outcome. 

[Blue_bird]

Very Inspiring..! 

Thanks for sharing..! @Chetan_Tiwary_ 

[RH-Yamato]

I would like to share my recent experience.

Last week, I finally passed the Red Hat EX229 exam with a perfect score, on my third attempt.

My first score was 92, my second was 162, and on the third try I achieved 300.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/yamato-sakai_redhat-redhateepeexeeaeepeewedi-activity-736731744280662...

In my case, the most helpful way to improve was to carefully analyze what I could and couldn’t do after each attempt. In performance-based exams, it’s not only about knowledge but also about how we set things up by ourselves under time pressure.

In addition, I initially thought the ROSA exam would not include many AWS-related questions, but that assumption was wrong. I realized I needed to study AWS more thoroughly, and that extra effort made a big difference.

To master it, I spent a lot of time practicing and created my own steps for answering each question. For every question, there were multiple possible solutions, so I evaluated them, compared the options, and chose the best approach for me.

And it’s not only about memorizing the answer steps, but also about understanding the concept behind each feature and why it is needed. Without that understanding, our memory might only be temporary. But if we truly grasp the concepts, our learning becomes much stronger and longer-lasting.

Through this “zero to hero” journey, I learned that hands-on practice combined with root cause analysis is very important. When I failed the exam the second time, I was disappointed. However, thanks to those two experiences, I became stronger and was able to achieve a perfect score.

---

One more thing—this is my favorite video to motivate myself:
Shia LaBeouf – Just Do It!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXsQAXx_ao0

When I prepared for the Red Hat exam, I adapted the lines from this video as follows:

---

Type it!
Just type it!
Don’t let your studies stay as theory.
Yesterday you said, “I’ll practice tomorrow.”
So just do it!
Make your commands run true.
Just type it!

Some people only read manuals,
while you are going to log in and try it for real.
Nothing is impossible!

You should get to the point where anyone else would give up on an error,
and you’re not going to stop there.

No! What are you waiting for?
Test it!
Just test it!
Yes you can!
Just solve it!

If you’re tired of only reading again and again,
stop avoiding the terminal!

[Chetan_Tiwary_]

@RH-Yamato Thank you for sharing your journey with us ! 

and wow, a perfect score! That iss incredible. Congratulations! Your journey really shows what is possible with hard work and a great attitude.

I love how you pointed out the importance of balancing your knowledge with hands-on practice, especially under time limits. That is a crucial lesson for anyone taking a Red Hat exam. Your experience will definitely help others.