The last ten years have had their share of challenges, from my six years in the Air Force working as a Windows system admin and Enterprise Administrator, grappling with serious physical injuries and mental health challenges, to pivoting completely to an HPC Linux Engineer role at Boeing, which felt like hitting the reset button on all my accumulated Windows knowledge.
But this past year has been a rollercoaster, both professionally and personally, marked by a journey of healing and growth to better myself as a person and a father. I embarked on a transformative health journey, embracing intermittent fasting and cycling, which led to a significant weight loss of over 135 lbs. I achieved several fitness milestones, including reaching a top speed of 28 MPH (albeit briefly) and completing a 50-mile ride. Discovering and navigating the challenges of ADHD also profoundly impacted my life, revealing that I had essentially been living life on 'hard mode.' I am happy to report that I feel better than ever.
Professionally, working at Tanium has been an incredible experience, brimming with continuous learning and engagement with a diverse array of technologies in an ever-dynamic industry. It's the first place where I've thought, "I am exactly where I'm supposed to be." I don’t think there’s a more impressive group of amazing people anywhere else in the world. I’m grateful to be surrounded by so many who are way smarter than me. I've deepened my expertise with the Tanium platform and Python, solving complex problems for literally hundreds of companies, each presenting its unique set of challenges. This journey of continuous growth has broadened my perspective on what's possible and what I can achieve.
I think the most valuable thing I’ve gained is confidence and belief in myself. Despite an arguably successful career with various accolades and achievements, it’s only recently that I’ve started to truly believe in my abilities and recognize the impact of my contributions. I wish I could tell my 18-year-old self, "You won't always have all the answers... but you'll always figure it out, one way or another."
I’ve also learned that it’s okay to be wrong! I used to be terrified of making mistakes as people looked to me for answers. But I now understand that trusting my process for solving problems is key to realizing my true potential, making me a much more effective engineer. In my ten-year career, I’ve learned to exercise caution when approaching large-scale problems (haven’t we all broken production at least once? ... or in my case, broken the Air Force... ahem). But you can't be so cautious that you become paralyzed. Sometimes, you just have to go for it.
I’m proud of the challenges I’ve overcome, from optimizing system infrastructures and paving the way for automation, to leading complex projects and solving unprecedented problems. Ever had a problem that returns zero results on Google? Scary. Each experience has ultimately molded me into the consummate professional I am today.
As we embrace 2024, I am more committed than ever to pushing the boundaries of technology and making meaningful contributions, both personally and professionally.
On a final note, I am forever grateful to those who have always believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself, and recognized my potential. They have constantly pushed me forward, allowing me complete freedom while ensuring I never stayed in my comfort zone for too long. Now, I get uncomfortable when I'm too comfortable. I wouldn't be where I am without the wonderful group of people who have been with me at some or multiple points in my life.
Thank you. Here's to a New Year of new things, doing cool stuff with the coolest technology in the world... Tanium.
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