Growth is hard. When I was little, I remember the intense throbbing in my legs that I regularly experienced due to growing pains. I remember curling up into my mom’s lap while she held me and told me it would be okay. She would gently remind me that even though it hurt, I was slowly getting bigger.

Embracing Change: My Journey from Security Officer to Software Developer

As many of you know, my current full-time job is working as the security officer at an incredible museum in Arizona. I love it. I love the environment. I love the interaction with smart and interesting people. I love the look on the face of kids and adults when they see the giant woolly mammoth that grazes in our lobby, or the massive sauropod that takes over the dinosaur gallery. My two teenagers who sometimes volunteer at the museum will agree that it is a magical place. For me, it’s wonderful to go to work there five days a week.

The Magic of the Museum: Finding Inspiration in Unexpected Places

It’s also a place I know I will eventually have to say goodbye to as I move to a career in web and software development. When that time comes, it will be bittersweet. But for me to grow and continue progressing, it will be necessary.

Transitioning Careers: Saying Goodbye to the Museum, Hello to Web and Software Development

I’m the kind of person who could never sit still. I have to be learning, experimenting, and doing. If I’m not moving, I’m stagnating. The difficulty in growth, though, is that it’s almost always outside our comfort zone, and our comfort zone feels safe.

Unleashing Potential: Embracing Learning, Experimentation, and Progress

But there’s hidden danger there: if we stay in our comfort zone too long, we stop growing. The world will keep moving, as it always does, and we will be left behind, falsely confident that we won’t be harmed if we just stay out of the way. Eventually, our comfort zone becomes a self-imposed prison. We wither and weaken and have neither the strength nor ambition to make a change, even a necessary one.

The Comfort Zone Paradox: Stagnation vs. Growth

I choose to be a software developer, but not because I’m unhappy with my current position. I choose to be a software developer because of the growth it will require of me. I chose to embrace the pain and discomfort because I know, even though it hurts, I’m slowly getting bigger.

Choosing Growth: The Path to a Fulfilling Career as a Software Developer

Interested in changing careers and becoming a software developer? Learn more about Promineo Tech’s programs and how we help students make this transition through affordable, low-risk technology education: Start Your Journey: Exploring Promineo Tech’s Coding Programs for Career Transition