April 13, 2022
I’ve been strongly encouraged to document my work journey, especially through this extreme learning phase. I’ll begin with an overview, then break down a couple of things I’ve taken away from each stage. Here it goes:
Overview — What has happened
- Hired
- Meet everyone and role responsibilities laid out
- Intro to a new industry
- Work trip
- Sprint
Hired
The day I officially began as a full-time worker, I was ecstatic.
The month prior, I had been doing small projects here and there, familiarizing myself with the people and the responsibilities.
It was the perfect easement into a role that I had never done before.
Advice: Put your best foot forward, become a fast learner, and then commit to doing whatever it take to become the best damn [insert job role here] anyone has ever seen.
That’s something I do very well — I commit entirely to the things I’m doing. I ask every question, read every book, talk to every person, build iteration after iteration, and convince myself to become excited. I also don’t allow my ability in a certain moment to discourage me. I know I can learn, and I continue moving forward.
Meet Everyone and role responsibilities laid out
I may be biased, but I think I’m working with some of, if not, the best people in my industry. That was a real “down-to-earth” moment for me.
When I’m around people that are obviously so much smarter than me, my first response is to stop talking and start listening.
I did that, and continue to do that.
My skills are obviously in need of improvement, but I’m a sponge, and I want to learn…that means I probably will.
Advice: Recognize how little you know, and be open to feedback. You obviously want to be good at what you do, so listen to people and don’t take it personally.
First, critique at work is usually not personal. Second, even if it were, I don’t give myself time to take it personally. I don’t have time to wallow in someone’s criticism. I just need to get better.
Intro to a New Industry
Not only did I venture into a new role, I also ventured into a completely new industry.
I put myself into a position where I always have to be on my toes, ingesting more content, drawing more connections, talking to more people, etc.
One of the things I’ve also done is create things for my personal brand that will refine the same skills I need to do well in my professional work. This tactic increases my iteration cycles and it allows me to test things I would never test on a company’s site.
Advice: I’ve learned that you can grow as fast as you want to, you just have to buckle in for the ride and commit to doing the work. It truly is as simple as time and effort.
Work Trip
This was the first real work trip I had been on, not to mention, I got to meet everyone in person.
When I saw how serious everyone was about their work, I felt at home. Before this trip, I would debate myself on the goodness or badness of being a borderline-workaholic.
Then I realized that if you love what you do, and you’re committed to the growth process, you have to work a lot. It becomes an impulse and you feel like you owe it to yourself to see what you can do.
Advice: It’s always worth it to work hard. You can’t wait for someone else to tell you that it’s okay for you to work hard. You have to recognize that both the process and the results will pay you back in spades.
I was changed the moment I watched how someone’s years of hard work and commitment had made him perfectly capable of building something great for the world.
Look at Steve Jobs’ calligraphy class. You can’t know how you’ll use something in the future. You just have to commit to becoming better.
Sprint
Right now, we’re in a sprint phase where everything needs to get done in a short period of time.
It always amazes me how much can get done when you work with other people on things. It’s a network effect.
Advice: Eyes forward, feet moving.
You can’t think too much when you’re sprinting. Instead, surrender to the movement. You’ve got this.