Something that has been sticking out to me about this Dev Bootcamp experience is the push for personal development as well as technical development. This week I am taking some time to get a little introspective and evaluate some values in my life. I started thinking about points in my life when I was proudest, happiest, and just generally satisfied with myself. The first memory that sticks out is related to being economically independent. I remember when I first started working at 16. That first paycheck came through and I was soaring. My dad had instilled in me for years the need to work and provide for myself and this was the first time I was able to do that. Since that point, I can see how that value has driven me through life. Even to where I am now, on the precipice of Phase 1.
Another value that I found in my life would be mentorship. I can see distinct points in my life where I sought out someone to mentor me and help me grow as a man. During this introspective process, I started to realize people have been coming to me for help for awhile and I just never realized it. Even as recently as Phase 0, there were people who sought to learn from me. After identifying this, I find that I want to mentor more. I think that not only does it help the other person to become better in whatever field we are working on, but it also will help me improve as well.
I know that as I dive further into DBC and the programming field, I will often encounter times when I feel out of my element. I know for a fact I will feel inferior numerous times in the coming months. What I plan on doing is remembering all the times in my life where I felt like an impostor but was able to overcome it. This is going to be a trying time for me. I am confident, though, that with the proper mindset and people around me, I will succeed.