Thank you for your post. I’m 6 months into the journey to learn pen testing on my own, and I’m attempting to lay foundational groundwork (networking, security, programming, OS, etc… i want all the knowledge) over the next couple years. I only recently immersed myself in this world. I’ve always stayed at the edge of everything. Learning enough of all topics to wear many hats but not truly understand something at a deep level. I finally committed to this goal because I feel it will be a rewarding climb that will keep me inspired and interested. Your detailed post confirmed things I considered and will push me to learn what I didn’t understand.