FREE RESOURCES

Everything you need to start.

No paywalls, no gatekeeping. Take the blueprint, follow the roadmap, build the lab. This is the map I wish someone had handed me.

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO

Pick your path through this page.

This page has a lot on it. Tell me what you are here for and I will point you at the exact sections that matter, in order. Everything below still exists either way.

1Choose Your Goal 2Learn 3Build 4Prove Your Skills 5Get the Opportunity 6Keep Growing
Goal 01

Break Into Cybersecurity

Land your first role in security, from zero to job-ready.

Goal 02

Break Into Tech

Get into IT more broadly, not security specifically.

Goal 03

Build Technical Skills

You know the basics. Time to get hands on.

Goal 04

GRC & Security Management

Governance, risk, compliance, and leading a security program.

Goal 05

AI + Cybersecurity

Using AI as a working tool inside a security role.

Goal 06

Get the Job

You have the skills. Now win the interview.

Goal 07

Build Your Brand & Business

Consulting, personal brand, and turning skill into a business.

No structure, just the resources

Explore Everything

Not sure yet, or you just want to see it all? Skip the paths below and browse the full library.

See the full resource library ›
NEXT · LEARN

The free Career Blueprint.

DECODE is the Wake Up X Career Blueprint: the six-level path from Entry to Executive, the Curiosity Compass, and the core frameworks that connect all 12 books. Zero experience to executive thinking, no degree required.

Want the whole 12-book library in one file? Get it all in one download, with clickable navigation ›

DIAGRAM · CERTIFICATIONS

The certification roadmap.

You do not need all of these. Pick one per tier that matches your target role. Skill and proof beat a wall of badges.

1FoundationsGet in the door
CompTIA A+CompTIA Network+CompTIA Security+
2Hands-on / AnalystProve you can do it
CompTIA CySA+CompTIA PenTest+(ISC)² SSCPBlue Team Level 1
3ProfessionalLevel up
(ISC)² CISSPAWS SecurityAzure Security (AZ-500)OSCP
4Leadership & GovernanceLead the room
ISACA CISMISACA CRISCISACA CISACCISO
Next: build the lab that proves it › Free study resources ›
DIAGRAM · HOME LAB

Build a home lab.

Proof beats a resume. A couple of virtual machines on your own computer is enough to practice attacks, defense, and detection. Here is a simple starting architecture.

Your PC · Hypervisor (VirtualBox, VMware, or Proxmox)
Kali LinuxThe attacker
↓
pfSense FirewallRouter & segmentation
↓
Windows ServerActive Directory
Windows / LinuxVictim machines
SIEMWazuh / Security Onion

Attack from Kali, defend and detect with the SIEM. Document everything: that documentation becomes your portfolio.

Next: pick your tools › Get Build It, free ›
BONUS · INTERVIEW PREP

The Job Interview Toolkit.

Five free downloads to walk into your next interview ready: a cheat sheet, a quick start guide, a story bank worksheet, a full interview blueprint, and a KPI tracker to run your search like a pipeline.

Interview Cheat Sheet Quick Start Guide Story Bank Worksheet Job Interview Blueprint Job Interview KPI Master Form
Next: the procedures that run it ›
BONUS · THE OPERATING MANUAL

The Master SOP.

Twenty two standard operating procedures that turn the whole library into something you can run: job search, interviews, home lab, alert triage, incident response, AI verification, consulting, and the quarterly career review. Every framework is indexed to the book that defines it. Fully clickable, so you can jump straight to the procedure you need. Free, like everything else here.

Master SOP · PDF, 52 pages, clickable navigation
MY SECRETS

What I actually read and listen to.

No affiliate links, no sponsors, no padded list. These are the creators, tools, and books I use myself, organized by the things I cover. Take what fits where you are and ignore the rest.

START HERE · MY LIBRARY

The 12 books I wrote for you.

Everything below this section is somebody else's work. This part is mine. I wrote these because nobody handed me a map, and all twelve are free.

Start with these three.

If you read nothing else, read these. They are the doors into the rest.

DECODE: The Wake Up X PlaybookBook 0, the foundation. The six level path, start to finish. Read this first.
I Just Have To Wake UpThe story layer. The memoir. First generation to founder, told straight.
Comfort Is ExpensiveThe story layer. The mindset shift that got me moving when nothing else did.
The rest of the pathBooks 1 to 9
  • Break InHow to actually land the first job, not just apply for it.
  • Build ItReal skills and a real lab, not resume lines.
  • Think Like a Cybersecurity ProfessionalThe mindset behind the tools.
  • Business FirstTurn a technical win into a dollar or a risk number.
  • Lead Without a TitleInfluence before anybody promotes you.
  • AI for IT and CybersecurityUsing AI as a working tool, not a headline.
  • Build Your BrandBe findable before you need to be.
  • The Consultant MindsetThink like the person they call in.
  • Level UpGrow without burning yourself down.
Browse all 12 books ›
WHO I LISTEN TO

The creators I learn from.

Grouped by the things I cover. None of this is sponsored, nobody paid to be listed, and most of them do not know they are on it. Not an endorsement of everything they have ever said, just where I go to learn. Every entry also tells you what it is not good for, because no single source is good at everything.

Showing all 11 categories

Cybersecurity

  • NetworkChuckThe anchor. Homelab and networking taught like you are sitting next to him, building in the first ten minutes instead of sitting through theory.Broad rather than deep, so you outgrow it once you specialize. Heavily sponsored.
  • John HammondMalware and CTF walkthroughs. Watch him think, not just click.Assumes the basics. Cold start feels like a firehose, and it is not career advice.
  • Black Hills Information SecurityFree webcasts from people doing the work for real clients. This is what a security team actually sounds like.Long, barely edited, and aimed at working professionals rather than beginners.
  • David BombalNetworking and cybersecurity taught with real gear and real labs, from CCNA fundamentals up through ethical hacking.Broad guest-interview mix alongside the tutorials, so quality varies by episode.
  • Ryan M. MontgomeryReal offensive security work from a working penetration tester, including live vulnerability research.Assumes technical familiarity. Some content is confronting by design, not for absolute beginners.
  • Loi Liang YangEthical hacking and penetration testing walkthroughs, tool by tool, technique by technique.Fast paced and tool heavy. Pair it with fundamentals or it will feel like memorizing commands.
  • Dr. Eric ColeLife of a CISO: a former CIA case officer turned Fortune 50 security advisor thinking out loud about what it actually takes to lead a security program.Executive and strategic, not hands on. Skip it if you want a tutorial, not a boardroom conversation.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

  • CyberSecGRCBuilt entirely around getting people into GRC. Answers the practical questions nobody else covers.Narrow by design. It will not help you with technical security.
  • UnixGuyGRC fundamentals and blunt commentary on what the job market actually looks like.More career guidance than technical depth. Opinionated, so treat it as one view.
  • GRC AcademyFrameworks walked through with real examples instead of abstract theory. Solid for NIST, ISO and audit work.Dry, and framework content ages when standards revise. Check dates.

IT & Infrastructure

  • Techno TimHomelab builds and self hosting. The blueprint for the environment you practice in.Hardware heavy, so following along gets expensive.
  • Christian LempaDocker, automation and self hosted infrastructure, with clean architecture diagrams.Inconsistent schedule, and intermediate level. Not a starting point.
  • Jeff GeerlingProof you do not need a corporate lab to learn enterprise skills. Real hardware, real budgets.Niche hardware focus, and experiments sometimes fail on camera by design.

Hacker Perspective

  • Darknet DiariesBest overall. Real breaches, real cybercrime, and the human side of an attack. The best on ramp for anyone who thinks security sounds boring.Context, not instruction. You will not learn a technical skill from it, and some episodes are heavy.
  • The Hacker MindBest for how hackers actually think: the motivation, the psychology, and the methodology behind the attack, not just the outcome.Interview led rather than hands on, and it is produced by a security vendor, so read it as one perspective.
  • Malicious LifeBest for the history. Major attacks, malware, cyberwarfare, and how hacking evolved into what it is now.History and narrative, not a tutorial. Also vendor produced, and episodes lean long.

Business

  • The Diary of a CEOLong, honest founder interviews. Steven Bartlett asks the question most hosts skip.Increasingly broad, and episodes run long. Guest quality varies.
  • My First MillionBusiness ideas dissected in real time. Trains your eye to spot opportunity.Entertainment more than instruction, and it skews to tech businesses.
  • How I Built ThisThe messy middle of building something, not just the exit.Survivorship bias by design. You only hear from the ones who made it.
  • The School of Hard KnocksStreet interviews with real people. No gatekeeping, no polish, which is the whole philosophy here.Short form and surface level. Wealth framing will not land for everyone.
  • The Game, Alex HormoziOffers, pricing and acquisition. Nothing decorative, everything built to apply.Blunt to the point of abrasive, and weighted to service businesses.

Communication & Influence

  • Sales GravyJeb Blount on prospecting and objections. Short, practical, no theater.Less energizing if motivation is what you need. B2B weighted.
  • Anthony IannarinoConsultative selling and negotiation. Useful even if you never carry a quota.Enterprise focused, so less use for small ticket work. More concept than script.
  • Grant CardoneNobody pushes harder on the idea that persistence is a trainable skill, not a personality trait.Polarizing intensity and heavy self promotion. Separate the instruction from the pitch.
  • Sabri SubyWhere selling and marketing stop being separate departments. Practical acquisition mechanics.Funnels toward his own agency, and platform tactics go stale fast.

Marketing

  • GaryVeeEarly on nearly every platform shift for a decade. Worth following for the trend spotting alone.Repetitive, and the hustle framing is not sustainable advice for everyone.
  • Seth GodinThe clearest thinking anywhere on marketing that respects the audience: permission, remarkable ideas, serving a specific group.Philosophical and short-form. You will not get step by step tactics here, more a way of thinking.
  • Neil PatelThe technical side of getting found, explained plainly.Promotes his own tools throughout, and SEO advice ages fast.
  • The Futur, Chris DoThe best content anywhere on charging what you are worth.Aimed at creative freelancers, so some will not map to technical careers.
  • Russell BrunsonUnderstand his funnel framework and you understand how most online businesses actually turn visitors into buyers.Nearly everything routes back to his own software, and the tactics can drift high pressure. Take the framework, leave what does not fit your ethics.

AI

  • Lex Fridman PodcastLong form with the people actually building it. Depth over takes.Three to four hours an episode, and it ranges well past AI.
  • Matt Wolfe and The Next WaveThe most efficient way to stay current without reading everything yourself.Tool review heavy, so it dates fast. Verify claims before adopting.
  • Nate HerkLess theory, more here is the workflow and here is how it runs.Assumes comfort with automation tooling, and workflows break as APIs change.
  • Dan MartellAI and business through a founder's operational lens. Strong on systems and leverage.Funnels toward his coaching, and assumes you already run something.

Leadership

  • Jocko WillinkOwning outcomes you did not cause is the hardest leadership lesson there is, and nobody teaches it harder.Extremely long episodes, and the intensity does not fit every workplace.
  • HBR IdeaCastHarvard Business Review turning real research into something you can use Monday.Academic in tone, and aimed at people already managing.
  • The Learning Leader ShowHow leaders actually think, not just what they achieved.Interview driven, so quality varies by guest.
  • John C. MaxwellHe has been teaching this longer than most of us have been working. The fundamentals are timeless.Traditional rather than tactical, and content repeats across his catalog.

Mindset & Motivation

  • Mel RobbinsPractical psychology for actually starting. She explains why it works, which makes it stick.Broad self help rather than business specific, and concepts repeat.
  • Ed MylettHigh performance habits, with the interviews to back them up.Motivation forward, so lighter on concrete instruction.
  • MotiversityFor the days the alarm wins. Use it as fuel, not a substitute for work.Pure motivation, zero instruction, and the effect fades fast.
  • Sandeep Swadia, TheMitMonkHomeless teenager, then monk in training, then MIT, then the C suite. Rebuilding from nothing, with the frameworks to show for it.Newer channel with a smaller catalog, and it blends spirituality with strategy.

Law of Attraction

Here because mindset shaped my path as much as any technical skill. Take what serves you, leave the rest.

  • The Secret, Rhonda ByrneThe book that put this in front of the mainstream, and where most people start.Widely criticized for implying thought alone produces outcomes. A starting point on mindset, not a substitute for action.
  • Bob ProctorThe most actionable of this group. Bridges mindset work and real goal setting.Heavy promotion of paid seminars, and repetitive across decades.
FEATURED · THE STACK

The lab I keep building.

Hardware and software I actually run, and keep expanding, in my own homelab mode. You do not need all of it. Pick one piece and build.

Ubiquiti / UniFiNetworking hardware. My go to for homelab and enterprise style Wi-Fi.
CiscoFoundational networking gear and the CCNA track.
MicrosoftAzure and 365 certs, plus the infrastructure side.
UnraidHome server and NAS operating system for self hosting.
ZimaBoardCompact single board server. Often paired with Unraid and UniFi.
VirtualBoxFree virtualization. How I run several lab machines on one box.
n8nAutomation and workflow builder. Central to how I build with AI now.
ClaudeAI assistant I use for automation and homelab workflows.
ChatGPTThe other AI assistant, usually shown side by side for comparison.
Next: the lab tooling ›
FREE EDUCATION

A real free path to your certs.

You do not need debt to get into this field. I did not have a degree for years. What I had was free material and the discipline to work through it. One of these is California only. The other two are open to anyone, anywhere.

Calbright College California onlyThis one is personal, I have earned certificates here myself. A fully online California community college: tuition free for adult Californians, and they cover the certification exam costs too, including CompTIA A+, Network+ and Security+. Open to any California resident 18 or older with a high school diploma or GED, regardless of immigration status. They will lend you a laptop and a hotspot if you need one. Heads up: self paced means nobody is chasing you, and some programs need prior IT experience to enter.
LinkedIn Learning Open to anyoneBroad, professionally produced courses across IT, security, business and leadership, and the certificates post straight to your profile. Frequently free through a public library card, so check before you pay. Heads up: the certificates carry little weight with employers on their own, and the coverage is wide but shallow.
YouTube Open to anyoneStill the single best free resource available. There is enough structured, free study material on there to take you from zero to certification ready without spending a dollar, if you know where to look. Heads up: no structure and no accountability, you build your own curriculum. Content ages fast, so always check upload dates.
TOOLS & LAB SYSTEMS

What to actually build with.

The software behind the lab diagram above. Grouped so a beginner and a working analyst can both find their row fast. Every name links out to the official site. Anything marked has paid plans as well, but you do not need them to learn: the rest is free or open source.

SIEM, blue team and detectionDefend and detect
  • LetsDefend Free tierA SOC-in-a-browser: real alerts, real triage, real incident response, built for defenders. Belongs on your list right alongside TryHackMe and HackTheBox.
  • WazuhOpen source host monitoring: endpoint agents, file integrity, log analysis, MITRE ATT&CK coverage. The easiest first SIEM for a homelab.
  • Security OnionNetwork focused. Bundles Suricata, Zeek and the Elastic stack for full packet capture and IDS.
  • Splunk Free tierThe industry standard. Learning SPL is the most transferable thing on this list for SOC job listings.
Offensive and practice platformsGet hands on
  • TryHackMe Free tierGuided, beginner friendly labs and learning paths. Start here.
  • HackTheBox Free tierHarder and less guided. The step up once the fundamentals are solid.
  • PortSwigger Web Security AcademyFree, and the standard for web application testing practice.
Core lab softwareWhat labs run on
  • Kali LinuxThe default offensive security distro.
  • Metasploit and MetasploitableExploitation framework plus an intentionally vulnerable target to point it at.
  • WiresharkPacket capture and traffic analysis. Foundational, learn it early.
  • pfSenseOpen source firewall and router. The backbone of most lab networks.
  • VirtualBox and VMwareVirtualization. How most people run several machines on one box.
  • Docker Free tierContainers for spinning up Splunk, ELK, DVWA or Wazuh fast, without building full VMs.
Next: get interview ready ›
THE BOOKSHELF

Every book on my shelf.

Read or currently reading. Grouped by theme so you can find your lane, but nothing is cut. You do not need to read them in order and you do not need to read them all.

Mindset and discipline13 books
  • Atomic HabitsSystems beat goals. The most practical book on this list.
  • Can't Hurt MeWhen you think you are done, you are not.
  • The Power of HabitShows you the loop behind the habit so you can rewire it.
  • Ego Is the EnemyThe thing that wins it for you is often the thing that loses it.
  • You Are a BadassA push for the weeks you are talking yourself out of things.
  • Unfu*k YourselfBlunt correction for the voice in your head.
  • The Power of One MoreThe margin between good and great is smaller than you think.
  • Mind HackingTreats your own thinking like code you can debug.
  • How to Get and Stay MotivatedMotivation as a system, not a mood.
  • Think and Grow RichDated in places, but the chapter on persistence still lands.
  • The 7 Habits of Highly Effective PeopleThe foundation. Start with the end in mind.
  • So Good They Can't Ignore YouSkill first, passion follows. The antidote to bad career advice.
  • On FirePerspective. What you do with what happened to you.
Money and wealth6 books
  • The Psychology of MoneyBehavior beats math. The best money book I have read.
  • The Millionaire Next DoorWealth is quieter than it looks.
  • The Total Money MakeoverA plain plan for getting out of the hole first.
  • The Millionaire FastlaneArgues against the slow default. Worth the argument.
  • The Art of Spending MoneyThe other half of the equation nobody teaches.
  • Hustle Harder, Hustle SmarterAdapting when the plan stops working.
Business, strategy and thinking7 books
  • TractionHow to actually run a company instead of reacting to it.
  • Good to GreatWhat separated the companies that lasted.
  • The AdvantageOrganizational health beats strategy. Lencioni makes the case.
  • Prediction MachinesAI framed as cheap prediction. The clearest business lens on it.
  • Algorithms to Live ByComputer science applied to real decisions.
  • Thinking, Fast and SlowWhy your gut is confident and often wrong.
  • The 10X RuleCardone on setting targets high enough to matter.
Sales, influence and people6 books
  • InfluenceCialdini on why people say yes. Read it to recognize it being used on you.
  • How to Win Friends & Influence PeopleOld and still correct.
  • How to Talk to AnyoneTactical, for anyone who freezes at events.
  • The Like SwitchRapport from an FBI angle. Useful and slightly unsettling.
  • Sell or Be SoldYou are selling whether you call it that or not.
  • The Closer's Survival GuidePractical closing language.
Marketing3 books
  • This Is MarketingGodin on serving a specific audience instead of shouting at everyone.
  • Magnetic MarketingDirect response. Blunt, and it works.
  • Traffic SecretsWhere attention comes from and how to keep it.
Leadership5 books
  • Extreme OwnershipTake the blame, keep the authority. The one that changed how I lead.
  • Dare to LeadBrown on the courage side of leading people.
  • Leadership Strategy and TacticsWillink's field manual version.
  • A Higher LoyaltyComey on decisions when the pressure is real.
  • The Art of WarStrategy stripped to the bone. Read it slowly.
Cybersecurity and certifications3 books
  • CISSP Official Study GuideThe reference for the exam. Dense, and necessary.
  • CISM Study GuideFor the governance and management side.
  • Social EngineeringThe human attack surface, which is still the easiest one.

Authors on this shelf: Grant Cardone, Charles Duhigg, Jen Sincero, Dale Carnegie, Brene Brown, Morgan Housel, Robert Cialdini, Gino Wickman, Cal Newport, Ed Mylett, James Comey, Daniel Kahneman, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Dan S. Kennedy, Seth Godin, Ryan Holiday, Jocko Willink, Stephen Covey, David Goggins, Dave Ramsey, Napoleon Hill, Russell Brunson, MJ DeMarco, Jim Collins, James Clear, John O'Leary, Patrick Lencioni.

An honest gap: AI is one of my four pillars and it has its own book in my library, but my bookshelf is thin on AI specific titles. The three AI creators above are where most of my AI intake comes from right now. When that changes, this section changes.

Now read the 12 I wrote, free ›
KEEP LEARNING

Where to go next.

LISTEN

The Podcast

Real, unscripted stories from people who broke in. New episodes regularly.

Hear the episodes › WATCH

Video Episodes

Full conversations and clips on YouTube.

Watch now › CONNECT

The Community

Find mentors, peers, and the connections you were missing.

Join the community › GET INSPIRED

The Story

From curiosity at 13 to leading in cybersecurity. Proof it is possible.

Read the story ›

Take it, and pass it on.

These resources are free because someone should have handed them to you sooner. Grab the blueprint, then help the next person up.

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