in reply to Look at the Big Picture

It's funny (well I guess in a sarcastic way of looking at things) because I went through a very similar process just this summer, but it applied more generally to my person, as a whole and not just Perl, or coding.

As much as I was striving to be the best at what I do (I always want to continue learning things assciated to my field), I noticed it also impaired me from having the values I was thought when I was a youngster.

This came to such a big conflict this summer that after 15 years of doing my job in different areas, that even though I was considered a guru at my place (I'm nowhere near that though), my body finally broke.

I went on stress-leave for quite some time. I am now back to work, but I realize now that the most important things in your life has to be your well-being. My well-being starts by honoring my values. And those values are to recognize the accomplishments of my personal life.

My wife and kids have been ignored so often because I was striving to be the best and to get almost nothing in return. Money is important as I, too, wanted to put food on the table, have a roof over my head, and provide the best for my children, but you know what, I could probably live with less.

Now I code for money, and then I go home and kiss my wife and kids. They are what's most important. Coding? Well, if someone needs my expertise, they'll come to see me, but if it's time to go home.. it'll wait to tomorrow.

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Re^2: Look at the Big Picture
by samizdat (Vicar) on Oct 18, 2005 at 13:58 UTC
    rockwiz++

    I have had many of these reflective re-evaluations in my life and my career. When I finished school, I started a fourteen year career writing movie scripts that was supported (more or less) by my programming talents. Everything was about the success that was going to come tomorrow, and my bets got longer and longer. My writing partner died on me, setting me free of the obligation, but by that time I had had plenty of time to analyze the mistakes in my thought processes and my ethics in detail.

    When I met my future wife, I started to see that I was in severe denial about the way my two companies and my time spent as a high-flying entrepreneur (as well as in politics and advocacy and youth mentoring) were taking me down a path that led straight to bankruptcy. Julie and Jacob provided the impetus for me to create this job position at the Labs, and having them as my anchor is really helping me fashion a life that is full and complete and worthwhile.

    I am fortunate that I never had a full seize-up like you describe, but that's because I had a self-made conscience in my head that I always listened to. I often put off doing what it and I realized needed to be done, but there always came a time when it was clear that changing course was imperative.
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