It's not the critic who counts. Not the one pointing fingers from the safety of the stands. The credit belongs to the one who shows up. Dusted, bruised, maybe unprepared—still present. 

🎙️ Another Match: Talking with "Max" and "Raya" 

Stage one. The warm-up round. I met Max and Raya (not their real names—but the vibe is real). The pressure was cooking inside me like a Romanian moussaka on high heat. Netskope, CASB, Tufin—tech stacked and seasoned inside my head. I wasn't sure if I was ready, but when the clock ticked over and the video call lit up...

I remembered: The credit belongs to the man in the arena.

And I was in it.

Not a single technical question came flying at me. No "define TCP handshake," no "rate your firewall troubleshooting out of ten." Instead: "What do you love?" "What drives you?" "What makes your story yours?"

It wasn't a test. It was a conversation. And suddenly, I felt confident. Like I belonged.

⏳ Waiting Game & Chicken vs Eagles 

The next morning: silence.

Barth—the recruiter—said, "Just be patient." I get it. I'm not the only warrior waiting for the bell to ring. But then the email dropped…

Final stage. One step left.

I tell Orion (again, name changed—but you'd like this guy). He reads my face and asks, "Did you get it?" I shake my head. "Not yet." But I'm close.

He nods, "That's something. Be proud."

I am. But pride isn't enough—I don't want the job just to tick a box. I want to be the best that I can in the team.

Maybe I'm too optimistic. Maybe I'm just a chick in a nest full of eagles. But if I've got a beak… I can peak.

☔ Monday Mayhem 

This one's got drama.

My wife needed the car—medical tests. The interview was at 19:00. I finished work at 17:00. And because I live in England, of course... rain. Bus canceled. Plans cracked.

18:00 – still standing at the bus stop. I think, Cab or panic? Then someone says, "The last bus is in 10 minutes." I do the math. Risk it.

18:12 – bus shows. 18:50 – I burst through the door, slam the laptop open, coffee poured, face washed. No time to wonder if I'm ready. I show up.

🎯 The Final Interview 

She was smiling on the other end. Familiar. The same voice that once asked me: "Are you interested in a cybersecurity role?"

This wasn't cold or calculated. It was warm. Curious.

We talked about the role, the tools, the team. What I liked. What we could build. We weren't checking boxes. We were drawing blueprints.

And after an hour, I felt like I had already joined. But here's the thing: There's someone else, like me, also there. Same thoughts, same drive.

Did I get it? Am I the last one? Honestly… I don't know.

But I was there.

"At the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly…" That's me. Maybe not the winner. Maybe not the top pick. But I was in the ring. Covered in sweat, soaked in rain, high on hope.

No timid soul here. Just a man who showed up.