Don't Just Work, Work with Purpose

 

Ever felt lost at work? Ever found yourself asking, 'What am I doing?' or 'Why am I doing this?' It's a sentiment many of us can relate to. I've pondered these questions numerous times throughout my career. One thing I've come to realize is that working in an environment where the foundations of a team are rooted in clear values and purpose, it leads to a vastly different experience. When everyone understands what matters most, decision-making becomes smoother, and frustration decreases across everyone. This doesn't mean you won't ponder these questions anymore, but the confusion will be less. Similarly, when you have a clear purpose, you feel excited about what you are doing.

When your values and purpose clash with your workplace or peers, it can lead to frustration and a feeling of limited impact. It's almost like constantly swimming against the current. It's exhausting and limits your impact. On the other hand, if your values are aligned, you will thrive. Picture yourself riding a wave, it's exhilarating. You're fueled by a shared purpose and empowered to deliver great results. A mismatched value system can drain your energy, while a good fit energizes you.

My experience at a startup early in my career solidified my love for dynamic environments. It honed my ability to learn quickly, innovate constantly, and consistently exceed customer expectations. The startup experience gave me a solid foundation to explore and define my core values. Transitioning to Amazon after a year in the startup felt seamless, thanks to the accelerated learning. I quickly resonated deeply with Amazon's leadership principles, particularly 'ownership', 'bias for action', 'invent and simplify,' 'deliver results,' and 'customer obsession.' The clarity of Amazon's leadership principles offered me insight into the significance of purpose and values. While I hadn't explicitly pondered about purpose and values at the time, the energy I derived from this experience fueled my desire for more.

At Amazon, I found myself immersed in a rich culture that was driven through leadership principles. Embracing these principles, I thrived as it encouraged autonomy and accountability. As I dove deeper into projects and initiatives, I discovered how the clarity of Amazon's leadership principles guided my decisions and actions, empowering me to drive impactful results.

One early project stands out in my mind. I was tasked with defining the customer experience for customers engaging in backups, initiating restores, and performing point-in-time restores. This project granted me full autonomy to craft the first PR/FAQ, write the initial line of code, and assemble a team in collaboration with a senior principal engineer. I was exhilarated by the opportunity to tackle such a challenging problem. My purpose at that time was clear: to solve the most difficult challenges customers were facing. This project reinforced the importance of purpose-driven work and solidified my commitment to upholding these principles in all aspects of my professional endeavors.

Reflecting on my journey, I've come to appreciate the significance of actively seeking purpose and values in both personal and professional pursuits. This entails examining past experiences to pinpoint moments of fulfillment, pondering deeply on the principles that hold utmost importance, seeking insights from admired individuals about their driving purpose, embracing challenges that foster growth, and picking projects that allow me to contribute to something larger than myself. These experiences have been pivotal in shaping my career trajectory, helping me identify my strengths, interests, and areas of passion. As I continue to evolve, I recognize that uncovering one's purpose is an ongoing journey, characterized by exploration, introspection, and growth. While initially, as a developer fresh out of college, I hadn't given much thought to these aspects, I now find myself yearning for a more fulfilled life aligned with enduring values.