Photo Credit: [Source DALL-E Prompt] Combining what you know about me and the phrase "a complicated life, a wonderful journey", please draw a text-free image.

Seeking My 'Next'.

Reflecting on my recent career transition, I find myself pondering how to capture the essence of a life's journey in a few sheets of paper. This question looms large as I chart my course and prepare for the future. While the change wasn't entirely of my choosing, I hold deep gratitude for my former colleagues and wish them every success. Now, I'm taking this moment to reflect and prepare for what's next.

Finding myself with time on my hands, I'm taking a little of it to reflect on my career. A career that has been largely colored by the first time I experienced right-sizing. In one of my first jobs in software, I was laid off. My wife was 8 months pregnant with our first child, unemployed, and we were struggling to make rent.

I've built my career around being a generalist. This is partially an offshoot of my ADHD and partially out of fear that specializing makes it harder to find a next role. Thanks to my neurodivergence, I can quickly ramp up on new skills—a key advantage in my generalist career. If we were to talk about the languages, frameworks, and technologies I've learned over my career, we would be well into double digits. The idea of learning and using something new is exciting and it keeps me engaged.

I read somewhere that folks with ADHD are inclusive by default. Fitting in doesn't come naturally to us, so why should we make it harder on others? Whether it's true or not, it aligns with my core beliefs around embracing the humanity in everyone. Navigating the challenges of fitting in taught me the importance of creating space for others, aligning with my belief in embracing the humanity in everyone.

My excitement for learning and inclusivity translates naturally into my enthusiasm for tools that democratize creativity and problem-solving, such as LLM-based AI. I am very bullish on the benefits of LLM-based AI and its ability to enable everyone and to unlock creativity and innovation. From code assistance to concept simplification, or proof-reading a LinkedIn article, there's magic in AI's ability to unlock creativity.

Several years ago, and in one of my previous roles, we were transitioning a customer to a new product. The customer was incredibly unhappy, at one point on the verge of tears, worrying what this would do for their small business. I realized that I need to see the product that I am building. I need to see the joy, pain, confusion, the entire gamut of the human experience as a customer uses my product. This gives me a deep connection that I am always looking for.

As I move forward, I'm not just seeking a job; I'm pursuing a purpose—a role where I can blend leadership, technology, and human connection to create something meaningful. The journey continues, and I'm excited to see where it leads.

Ultimately, I'd try my hand at running a business. Until that time, I want to continue expanding, connecting, and contributing meaningfully.

Special thanks to Singlee Murray for hammering the word "journey" into my personal narrative over the many years our stories overlapped.

This article originally appeared on LinkedIn: Seeking My Next