I remember envisioning myself as a web developer. I was in Chicago at the time, with no money saved up and two months until my lease would be over. It was January, and it was too cold to go out and do anything. So I started researching about a career in tech. Fascinated by the world of apps and websites, I bought a couple courses on android development and dove in with no sense of direction.
This did not work out.
I procrastinated and become stuck in, as Tony Robbin said it, “the mañana effect.” Soon enough, I gave up. Moved back to Hawaii. And settled for a mediocre job.
But Life has a way of slapping you in the face when it matters most.
I was about to settle into a bussing job and landscaping gig. And I dreaded the thought of going to work.
One day, when I was on my way to work, I just thought to myself, “Is this it?”
I pulled over. And I decided right then and there to quit my bussing job. Next, I went to the nearest Starbucks, pulled out my Android phone, and began researching anything that would give me direction.
I liked the idea of building apps and websites. So I started to research online bootcamps. I found a ton of schools, but Firehose really caught my attention. The name reminded me of when I talked to my brother about becoming a firefighter. I looked at the curriculum, read the wonderful reviews and many positive stories from past students, and watched some videos about a day in the life of a web developer.
This was the start.
Shortly after, I began to go down this exciting new path:
I took their 2 week course on HTML and Ruby, which took me 4 weeks to accomplish.
I cancelled all unnecessary expenses. I worked a full two weeks at my landscaping job to make enough for a deposit and extras.
I started the first week without giving up.
But Stuff happen
See, I wrote this in 2017 not knowing that it resonate with me more in 2022. At the time, when I was looking for a place to belong. I wasn't in the right mindset then. By the time I finished the coding bootcamp, my high was gone. I didn't know where else to go from there, no path to follow. So I went back to what I know best, work to just make ends meet and living life in the comfortable zone.
I found this post when I needed the most because 4 years after wrote this, I am at this spot again but this time, I am much different. I found that I have consistent flow of motivation that make me feel energize and desire to advance my skills in this ever changing world of web development. Continue below:
I can tell that this is the beginning to something very fascinating, and I’m so excited.
My emotions are driving my motion. And the direction is forward.
Here’s an interesting pattern that I’ve noticed since I started:
Interest >> Hobby >> Passion >> Vision
You can’t just skip to passion. That is, unless you were fed that passion since you were a kid, kind of like Tiger Woods! Many people gain interest, then interest turns to your activity…your hobby. Once you practice your hobby with extra intensity and drive, it becomes passion. The next step is that passion becoming vision.
Here’s the point of this: you can never settle for less.
Stop looking at your limitation and start looking at your assets. As soon as I stopped letting my self-doubt get in the way, I was able to take a massive action toward my ultimate goal. I’m now beginning to understand what it means to start with the end in mind.
I want to inspire and contribute to the ever-changing world.
Wow! Sometime you have to go back and see why you started this journey in the first place. This is what I should be written now!. Back then, I didn't believe any of it, but I am now.
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