Recently our town completed a sidewalk to one of the schools. I saw the sidewalk as I went for a jog today, and it got my mind wandering and thinking.
We moved here over 10 years ago. At the time we had one fifteen month and one minus-2 week old baby. There was no sidewalk across the street from us but the rumor was that sidewalks were going to be built “someday“. Sure enough the one on our street was built a few years later and more have been constructed through the years, including the one I jogged past today.
As I went past that school entrance today it made me think about all the years that have passed since we’ve moved here. Someone new to town would drive past this entrance and think the sidewalk had always been there. But I know better. It took a while.
And that’s how life goes, too.
It takes a while.
Things don’t happen immediately – We all want instant gratification these days. Doesn’t matter what it is, we want it now. But we can’t get 5 years experience without spending five years working at something.
Life is incremental – Most changes in life are incremental, not radical. Just like the sidewalks here. They do a little bit each year. They get done what they can, when they can, knowing that they will never be truly done.
You don’t start at the top, you work your ass off to get there – There are no shortcuts in your career. If someone tells you they can move your career from 0-60, they are trolls feeding off your insecurities. Don’t feed the trolls. Do the work. You will be rewarded.
This month marks my four year anniversary with Confio (now SolarWinds). Before that I spent nine years at my previous company, seven of them as a production DBA. It’s those seven years of experience that helped me earn my role at Confio, which led me to being named to the Head Geek team at SolarWinds. (Side note: the term ‘Head Geek’ on my LinkedIn profile is going to come in handy when I need to apply to work at Best Buy. Someday.)
I didn’t get here quickly. I didn’t get here by taking shortcuts. I got here by doing the work.
That sidewalk is also going to remind me that my fitness is going to take a while, too. One five mile jog without dying does not mean I’m suddenly in shape again.
I’ve got some work to do there, too.
But I know I’ll get there.
It’s funny how life works. One can look back at life and see where encouragement or some piece of advice has been given at exactly the right time at exactly the right place. This post has a plethora of analogies that can be related to and I agree with 100% certainty that there are no shortcomings and to obtain something you have to work hard for it. That aside it is posts like this that we garner encouragement from. Appreciate the reminder.
Thanks for the comment Chris, glad you enjoyed the post.
I’ve been trying to take advantage of the math of “15 minutes, everyday, for a year” approach for a while. For running, tech skills, giving back to the community, space…all that stuff. So many people trying to sell “become a DBA in a Day” and “Get rich quick” stuff.
Incremental, indeed.
Maybe I need to spend 5 minutes a day focusing on why I need to spend that 15 minutes a day thing…
Probably a good idea, yes.
Thank you for this post! I’ve worked with too many young co-workers who seem to want to be promoted to some sort of management position at their 6-month review and then they get mad and discouraged when they aren’t. After 45 years in IT, I can assure you that any job worth having is going to take time, work, and experience.
Agreed Ralph, thanks for reading and thanks for the comment.