One of the things that I have struggled with in my life is where I can be most useful to society. Is it doing the work or directing it?
I have been both an Individual contributor and a manager and both roles are fun and interesting. Naturally it makes me wonder what is my path in life.
Why am I sharing this? I think we all sometimes struggle with the path in life that makes us happy and I am sharing some ideas about how I have found happiness.
I had a doctor once tell me that there is always someone better and worse than you. I hadn’t thought about it. It is true. There are specialists who know more, and there are people who know less. Knowing what I know doesn’t make me special or unique. So then what makes us valuable and worthwhile as people?
I think it is our character and spirit. Its not necessarily what we can do or our actions, but the way in which we do them. Even though I haven’t known everything I have wanted to know in the past, I have treated others with as much kindness and respect as I could. I’m not perfect nor a saint. I just choose to make kindness a value that was important to me.
Because of this I have been able to carve out a niche in my IT field that has given me a comfortable living. It is not easy and I struggle and learn things each day. At times you can feel that you don’t know enough to satisfy the client, but clients value the ability to research and find answers not necessarily knowing everything instantly. In fact, when clients give you a complex ask, this highlights your value to research and find answers.
I love researching and finding answers. While it is stressful, it is also a wonderful feeling to learn new things and to find more efficient ways to work. Being a consultant means that everyday I am challenged out of my comfort zone, and that has helped me both personally and professionally.
My experience has been that we are not happy trying to find happiness for ourselves. I have been most happy when I have been able to love, respect and be of service to others. Find what makes you happy and do it.