SQL Server Blog

Don’t be too Afraid to Grow Your Career

What are you afraid of trying? Most people who are great at something were afraid before they started, too. Sure everyone does different things with their fears. And some people just don’t have that fear, but I bet most do. In this quick video, I talk about a few things I used to be afraid of. One, I only recently got over the fear of (like yesterday.. literally.) So what are you afraid of? Especially as it relates to your growth. I know this sounds like I’m turning into a motivational speaker here, I’m not – but this is just on my mind. I’m almost at my 20-year mark in my career field. I still have new things I’m afraid to try. But I think one of the keys to my growth is confronting that fear and just dealing with it. I’ll be honest, sometimes I bow out of things when I get nervous, that imposter feeling syndrome, even after being awarded an MVP 6 times, even after speaking at the “big national” SQL Server conference a few times.

It’s what you do when that fear hits that shows how you’ll grow. I ended up backing that trailer up in front of crowds at the butchers or farms I’d pick up our animals from. I ended up showing up to work that first day about the job I felt underqualified for. And looking back, it’s the moments I’ve been most uncomfortable that I’ve grown the most. Check out that post I wrote a couple weeks ago about Farm Fences and the little reminder that you are free. Watch this video. Think about what you are afraid of. And ask yourself – will that be a moment of paralysis or a moment of growth? (And for the record – sometimes I’ve confronted the fear and FAILED!! It happens. That’s life. And even through those failures, I’ve grown and learned. And I promise you will also if you allow yourself to).

I am starting to work on a few webinar/video lecture series I plan on offering here on our site. Some free, some paid. I received some of my audio equipment yesterday (but no boom for the microphone – that’s still due to be shipped.. and I’ve not soundproofed anything so there are some little kids at home noises in the background at times). Subscribe to the blog or sign up for the newsletter if you want to check out the series as I release them or join the webinars. (Pardon the big scratch on the head.. I had a fight with the mirror on my Fire Department’s rescue truck after a call. The mirror is fine. . .)

Mike Walsh
Article by Mike Walsh
Mike loves mentoring clients on the right Systems or High Availability architectures because he enjoys those lightbulb moments and loves watching the right design and setup come together for a client. He started Straight Path in 2010 when he decided that after over a decade working with SQL Server in various roles, it was time to try and take his experience, passion, and knowledge to help clients of all shapes and sizes. Mike is a husband, father to four great children, and a Christian. He’s a volunteer Firefighter and EMT in his small town in New Hampshire, and when he isn’t playing with his family, solving SQL Server issues, or talking shop, it seems like he has plenty to do with his family running a small farm in NH raising Beef Cattle, Chickens, Pigs, Sheep, Goats, Honeybees and who knows what other animals have been added!

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