I promise to keep this one short today. Have you ever seen the image about how a bamboo needs 5 years before you can see it's actual growth. And when it's growth finally became visible, it only takes 6 more weeks for it to shoot up.
While I was never afraid or fearful when I first entered the industry two decades ago, I do remember being very doubtful about my own capabilities. And whenever I did something good, I would quickly dismiss the recognition, or pretend to be humble about it. But what I was really doing was convincing myself and others that I didn't deserve the recognition. Sure enough, soon, people stopped giving it.
The thing about earning recognition for the work that we do, or our contributions to the community, isn't a bad thing. Owning it when we finally earn it is also not a bad thing. What is a bad thing is when we begin to let it go to our heads. What is a bad thing is when we think that we have "arrived" and therefore no longer have to improve or change.
Becoming the No. 1 Rising Voice in UX Engineering & FED
More recently, I was given the opportunity to be a part of a new podcast series where the host is seeking to recognize and speak to some of the top rising voices across different industries. You know, to gather various insights and to understand how the industry is shaping due to things like Artificial Intelligence. When I last heard, they are still producing the series and recording the other episodes, so it will take a while before the series becomes available.
What mattered most to me was that after two decades of struggling to find my own voice, I had been presented with an opportunity to use my voice, a voice that I didn't always knew I had. I mean, there were some signs along the way, sure, but I've never really owned it. Not until now.
So, how did I managed to go from a self-doubting professional to being one of the top rising voices of 2025?
Looking back now, I could think of FIVE things that I did right.
FIVE Things You Can Do to Find Your Voice
Focus not just on Building Yourself Up, but also to Build Those Around You Up. - One of the best ways to really discover our own voices is by helping others to discover theirs as well.
Never be Afraid of Making Mistakes and Experiencing Failures. - They are there to Make Us Better, Stronger, and Wiser. I for sure didn't get all my insights and understanding from having a lot of success in my journey. I made a lot of mistakes and failed a bunch of times too.
Learn How to Communicate with Other Devs and/or Designers. I do not claim to be a people-person. But I did have plenty of practice when it comes to making good conversation, or to listen when I need to.
Never Pass Up on an Opportunity to Learn. - Part of becoming/being the best in the industry is also about understanding that I don't have all the answers. I still have a lot that I can learn and I always look forward to the opportunity to discover something new.
Learn to Speak Out When it Matters - One of the most important lessons that I think we can learn is to speak out. To be fair, I really wasn't all that well-liked as a dev when I first started my career. In fact, for almost a decade, I was considered the odd one. But I also knew that the insights and understanding that I had would one day play an important role in how we look at designing and building products and digital solutions. And so, I wasn't going to let the resistance stop me from speaking out/up.
So, Now That I've Found my Voice, What's Next?
Well, I think the first thing that I want to do is to use my voice to help elevate other devs/engineers and designers in this community. To use my platform to help other devs find their voices, and to discover and realize their potential. At the same time, I hope that I can continue to lead the way in this industry, while also taking the occasional moments to help inspire others to always speak out, and speak up.
