I was working for a startup, but something happened, and I quit.
As many of you know, I worked for five different tech companies. There was one company that I genuinely believed in and even rejected a high-paying job to help build the impossible.
When I joined this company, I built something unique using all the things Iāve learned in four years as a developer. I was able to take all of my experience and apply it by helping build this company.
I was able to do what I genuinely believed in.
I worked my butt off. I mean, I worked 60-80hrs a week trying to code what they needed within a tight deadline. However, something, unfortunately, happened, and I am no longer working with that company. Frankly, I quit on the spot.
What sucks is I loved this company. I believed in what they were doing, and it was terrific working with most of the team. I got along with the leadership, but unfortunately, one of my colleagues became very toxic. It was so bad to the point that this person would talk down on me often.
After a few months, I realized that I could no longer work with this person.
Then, during a Zoom company meeting, this person yelled at me in front of everyone. I was so shocked at what happened that I just asked:
āAre you seriously yelling at me in front of everyone right now?ā
After I left the Zoom call, the people at the meeting sent me messages comforting me that this person should not have done that and this person had better apologize to me. In fact, because of this personās toxic attitude, many other people began having thoughts of leaving as well. Unfortunately, not all of them were developers, so they didn't have as many options.
This person tried to contact me right after, but I kept rejecting their calls until one time, I finally answered. They called me to apologize, saying that they should never have raised their voice at me. I told him that it was okay, but I wasnāt going to be working with this company anymore. I quit on the spot.
This person snapped and started yelling at me again, this time telling me that I was the problem because I wouldnāt listen and I didnāt take ownership. I was just shocked because I took ownership and moved across the country to work hard for this company.
I moved across the country to an isolated small town (despite my major depression) because I believe in this. I rejected a job in Silicon Valley that would pay me over a hundred thousand dollars a year. I rejected that to come to the middle of nowhere.
I did it because I believed in the company, and I respected the CEO. Even after I left, the CEO and I are still good friends because I respected him, and he respected me. I just couldnāt work with that culture, so I left.
But, you know whatās so interesting? I quit on that day with no plan whatsoever. But then, I was still at peace.
I just knew another opportunity would come.
I knew I wasnāt the best developer out there, but for some reason, I knew Iād find another opportunity, or it would find me. I donāt join a company just for the money because I believe that building something I believed in was far more important.
This is who I am as a person, and it is why Iām still in love with coding. I never became a developer to become rich. I loved it. I never did Youtube or created Developer Branded for the money; it was my passion.
I did it because I love building things, and I loved what I did.
The opportunity for a new job finally came when I tweeted something on Twitter. I tweeted that I quit my job, and I wasnāt going to allow anybody to yell at me and mistreat me like that. It went viral and reached other platforms such as LinkedIn and Instagram.
With that reach, a lot of companies also reached out to me and wanted to interview, but the thing is, I didnāt want to work for just anyone.
I wanted to work for someone and something I believe in, and Iām passionate about.
While the tweet was going viral, someone reached out to me on Twitter. This person agreed that what happened to me wasnāt right and supported my decision. Then, he told me that there was an opportunity for me to work in his team.
Iām going to be honest, and say that I thought this job was something that never existed. I thought it was a scam, haha. But, if it were real, It would allow me to continue building my brand and pretty much continue creating content, but this time is paid very well for it.
This opportunity was the type that could change my life after everything Iāve been through. Iām going to make more money than I ever have, and Iām going to make it while doing what I love.
Just keep going, and lifeās going to be okay.
I am very optimistic when it comes to creating content and doing things that I love, but at the same time, I am also negative (surprise, right?). I doubt myself a lot. And I mean a lot. Thatās why I create so much positive content. Yes, itās to help others. But more importantly, itās to help me fight the self-doubts I have daily.
Every single day, I keep reminding myself about everything Iāve been through just to make it here. I donāt deserve this; I donāt deserve to be where I am right now. I am not the best developer; I often think Iām the worst. Too many times, Iāve told myself that Iām the worst developer out there.
However, if an opportunity comes up, Iām not just going to let it pass by. Iām going to take it.
And Iām going to work my ass off and keep going.
If I donāt give up and keep going forward, I know life will be okay. Thatās the message that I want you all to understand while reading this.
Itās going to be hard, but I promise you that lifeās going to be okay, and it will keep getting better if you keep going.
Chris Sean
Developer Relations Engineer | New Relic
I'll be speaking at my very first conference next month! I'd really appreciate you signing up here ššš.
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