This week we were asked to think of times when we were at our happiest, proudest, or most satisfied. We were then asked what values or qualities we ascribe to those moments. We had the option to select from a populated list or come up with some of our own. I honed in on "meaningful work" and "music".
I chose the former, because that's what drove me to Dev Bootcamp in the first place. Over the last year and a half, I became increasingly concerned about doing work that I valued—work that held some personal significance beyond earning a paycheck. For a long time, I felt guilty about this, because it seemed like a privileged position to be in. Some people don't have the luxury of worrying about how fulfilled they are at work, and my aspirations started to feel like an indulgence.
Regardless, as time went on, the thought of changing careers became all-consuming. I knew a year ago that I wanted to join Dev Bootcamp and start a career as a developer. All I wanted to do was code and build apps and do something that exercised some creative energy, but it took me a while to finally work up the courage and apply. The reason I value meaningful work so much now is because I didn't always prioritize it in the past, even when I wanted to.
In addition to meaningful work, I chose music as a value, because it's the most constant thing I have day-to-day outside of the basic necessities. I don't think that's unusal, considering how accessible music has become over the last 10 to 15 years, but donning a pair of headphones and listening to music helps me focus on a task and reflect.
While we all have differing values and unique perspectives on how they inform our lives, I guess I would implore people to find something that invigorates them. For me, it was the desire for a new career, which, for better or worse, is how I've grown to define my work, but really I don't think it needs to be limited to a job. Work can be volunteering, cooking, cleaning, singing, dancing, playing sports, whatever—just invest time in discovering what you value.
Last week I wrote about Stereotype Threat and how it's often inhibiting for people in hostile academic or work environments. I think valuing meaningful work will help me keep perspective on why I'm so adamant about becoming a developer. I love coding, and want to continue doing it for a very long time. For me, that mindset is the best way to avoid being susceptible to Stereotype Threat.