After spending a couple of years at the giant virtually adding nothing to my portfolio, I decided to call it quits. My decision stumped my friends and family. My parents couldn't fathom why I was leaving such a 'good' company. My previous employer had a name that some of my extended family had heard of. And that meant a lot for my folks.
But then, hard decisions have to be made. A lot of factors went into making me switch, but there were a few areas where my friends thought I was mistaken.
- I was doing pretty well at the current job
- I was the youngest team lead around
- I was the de-facto expert at the product I was responsible for (and could hold my employers at ransom for keeping me happy)
- Was earning pretty ok and my new job wasn't, well, very high paying
- I was recognised and highly rated by my previous employer
Some people like to take it lying down. I don't. Why disturb the force when all's hunky-dory? I guess I am a nut. I dont like stability. I like the status-quo to be disturbed. Like to challenge myself. I hate stagnation and am always game for a challenge.
I was stagnating in my job. I love to learn, I love to explore. My job would not have given me that opportunity. I couldn't bare to think that my two years of association with the giant had given me no significant new skills. It was killing me that I was made a team lead so soon. I had to curtail my instincts as a developer and think about 'the greater good'. I felt I was not done yet. I needed to learn a lot more and knew that I will require a free hand at doing that.
The status quo had to be broken. I needed to liberate myself from the slew of processes and become something I always wanted to become - a programmer.
I would love to do bits and pieces job when I can. I want to lay the bricks rather than build the temple. There is a lot of time left for me to think bigger. But for now, being a bit selfish and doing what I love will do. Of course, it means giving up on fat bonuses and big chunky salaries but that am willing to do.
It has been a fun few weeks since I joined the new place. It has been fun, a radical change from the morose environ at the old do. I have been busy learning Ruby - a language I had last touched a couple of years ago but couldn't take the 'hobby' to work as it wasn't aligned to business commitments.
Am not exactly sure what am doing in the new company. Don't know if it will work out in the long run. But then, chances are meant to be taken.
Risks are not a part of life if you don't want them to be. Life is guided by vision and vision driven from thoughts.
and thoughts work. some times.
