THIS. I'm going to share some career experience I have learned, and this is particularly for the people that are early in the tech career. https://twitter.com/juliaferraioli/status/1321634166690099201

My dad was (is still) my hero. His mom was single and worked three jobs to cover the basics. He got to go to college through a scholarship as a gymnast. He became a dentist. he loved it for the people he met, was successful beyond his expectations, and rightly proud. 1/n

When I was maybe 14, he told me "you would not be a good dentist". He was the apotheosis of successful to me. my first reaction was disappointed, or worse. he said I was too curious, even too distracted to do it. and tried to tell me that as something that would make me proud.

I didn't get it for a while. but I trusted. I got lucky to get to be an intern at Microsoft in college. I didn't mean to go into tech, it was just the hometown team and, as a math major at Yale who was an athlete, I was told that I had the short path to being an I-banker...

I didn't even know what investment banking was. But then I got a taste of Microsoft mid-90s and it was the best, and then I knew that's what I wanted to do. and I figured I'd only be there two years then go to school for something else (law school or econ PHD).

and then, at age 23, after working on Bill Gates' speech for the Windows 98 launch event, I got an offer to be Steve Ballmer's first speech writer. And my awesome manager and manager's manager told me "don't do it, you're on a great path and that's a big risk".

so I asked, if I do it, and flame out, would you let me back into my old role? the answer: yes. so I figured, why not? And it was great and, luckily and thankfully, I didn't flame out. At that point I realized, "build a base, then go for the next". Long story short...

For better or worse, that's been my career path since. I want to try new things, and push the envelope on what i can learn and what I can do. I haven't had a career path. I've had a journey of learning new things - building on what I know, and trying to add to it with adventures

I have explained this to many, early in career, and I think it's been helpful. i recognize my privilege and luck, but I also know that getting into someone else's rut or route is something to learn from but not devote to.

I'm still doing it, and enjoying it. I know that learning new, feeling challenged, and putting my head up and learning to enjoy the journey has worked for me. My dad saw that is what I would want more, and i really appreciate that. I am happy to share with anyone i can help

this makes me feel challenged and like i'm never "there", and that's what my dad saw in me when I was young that I greatly appreciate. Careers aren't paths, they are journeys. I recommend enjoying the journey. let me know if I can help with yours.