In all truth, I had wanted to become a Computer Scientist from a young age. My father was one, I loved him and thought it would be so cool if I could be doing the same work he could. While my concept of money was not solidified until later, even my four year old mind saw the correlation in our living status from before and after my father became a Software Engineer. So, from the perspective of inspiration, the question of “Why did you decide to become a Software Engineer?” boils down to I thought my dad was cool when I was four. That’s a pretty lack luster answer, huh?
Throughout middle and high school someone gifted with inspiration for their career work would be doing that work, right? Nope, I liked video games too much. While I have no regrets in my life, because I am happy with where I am, I can’t help but think occasionally if I had dedicated even just a couple hours a week to learning code languages from a young age where I would be now. Alas, I always thought my normal school loads enough learning and that my free time should be spent on things that I enjoy. My advice to those that know someone with passion at a young age? Foster it, quickly. Give them material and enable them to look into this passion. Push them, gently, to see if it is actually something they may want to dedicate their life to.
“Why did you decide to become a Software Engineer?” is a bit of a loaded question to me. See, I never really decided at any point in time. It was just the natural progression that I had thought of from a young age. Finish normal school, go to college, become Computer Scientist, be cool. The plan was flawless, impeccable, and entirely too narrow minded. ‘Normal School’ (see: High School) came easy to me, which set me up for failure in college when I actually had to apply myself. Self discipline did not come easy, so what did I do? Transferred colleges and moved back home to be closer to my parent’s, a guiding force. That didn’t really make self discipline any easier.
What kicked things into gear, forced me into a career changing boot camp and made me put college on hold because it was taking too long? Well, I got married. But it was my wife telling me she was pregnant about two weeks after the marriage that truly made me start to move things along. See, and this is advice I’d only give to people like me, when I only have myself to worry and think about, nothing really pushes me forward. Perhaps I’m used to failing myself and I’m comfortable with it. I don’t really know or care at this point. Because what I do know is that I’ve got a little girl on the way that I want to be able to give the world to. And getting myself into my career and into a stable life is going to be my first step in ensuring she has an awesome childhood.
