Happy Monday everyone! Last week I had a lot of fun learning about the rear axles of 40-ton battery electric haul trucks, and I was mildly helpful in troubleshooting a phase alignment/polarity issue in a three-phase motor. Turns out wheel-hub motors are very expensive! Nevertheless, I’m going to keep this one short and sweet – there’s not much to say on the topic but I feel as though it is important for me to write about it. Sacrifice is something I’ve been thinking a lot about recently, but in a good way – I found myself thinking about how glad I am that I’ve made the sacrifices that I’ve made (big or small). When making these sacrifices, it always seems terrifying – but once in a while it’s important to reflect on how they’ve turned out.
I think the most powerful thing I’ve learned since I’ve began working is that great opportunities come from great sacrifices. I suppose this is something I was vaguely aware of before working too – but recently it has really cemented itself as a mighty proverb. Nothing that I’ve done so far in life (that I’m proud of) has come without sacrifice. A degree in astrophysics at U of T required a lot of sacrifice. My new job has required a lot of sacrifice. Being a Sens fan requires a lot of sacrifice. It’s as though there’s some sort of all-knowing being that keeps score of your sacrifices and then once you’ve done enough, they provide you with something to be proud of. Sacrifice comes in all forms; hard work, time, monetary, emotional. The prospect of having to sacrifice something always sucks. However, out of all the times I’ve made sacrifices (whether the resulting endeavour was positive or not) I do not regret many of them. Every experience, positive or not, has taught me something. This knowledge in and of itself is extremely valuable. In most cases, these experiences have actually turned out better than I ever could have anticipated (even the negative ones).
Something I’ve struggled with is how to properly evaluate sacrifice. I suppose this is just a different way of asking how to evaluate risks. In my perfect world, I’d be able to measure every facet of life in an excel sheet – it would be a lot of fun and helpful. However, with something like sacrifice it’s easy to be over-analytical. If I had thought too much about any sacrifice I’ve ever made, then it may have been the case that I never would have chosen to make the sacrifice altogether. When moving away from home (whether it be to this small town or Toronto) I had to consider sacrificing time with family, sacrificing friendships, sacrificing mental health, and so on. However, these are the things that are most important to me. On paper (or on any excel sheet) I’d never sacrifice these things because they are the highest priorities in my life – but in reality, I’ve chosen to sacrifice them anyway for the time being. I suppose I’ve sacrificed them because I believe doing so would provide me with enough security in the future that one day I won’t have to sacrifice these things anymore. Of course, I believe that to be true – but there is a risk associated with it, and it may not turn out the way I’ve planned. Who knows what will happen. What I do know is that had I not made these sacrifices, I don’t think I’d have a lot to be proud about.
What are some of the things I’m willing to sacrifice?
- Location – At this current stage of my life, I’m willing to move anywhere in the world for a sufficiently good opportunity
- Time – I’m willing to dedicate lots of time towards a sufficiently good opportunity (ie. working until the task is done, outside of when I’m expected to)
- Personal life – At this point in time, I’m willing to spend less time doing personal things in order to develop professionally
These are all things I’ve sacrificed at U of T and here at my new job. I think the only thing I wouldn’t outright sacrifice is my health and safety – but when sacrifices like the ones above are made, it will likely have a profound effect on one’s mental health, regardless. Thankfully, I have a very solid support system that does their best to lift me up whenever I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed or scared. I suppose the best thing to be aware of when making sacrifices is that it is important to be prepared for the consequences whether it be emotional, mental, physical, or otherwise.
I don’t think there’s any right way to sacrifice things – many people sacrifice more than I am willing to, and some people wouldn’t choose to sacrifice what I do. If it’s done right, you would know that you’d be less happy having not made the sacrifices you’ve made. I know I would be a lot less happy had I not made my sacrifices. It also heavily depends on what’s appropriate for you to sacrifice in your life – If you have a child, it may not be the wisest thing to sacrifice them. If you are unsure of what you want to do in life, it may not be wise to sacrifice everything for an opportunity you aren’t committed to. If you’re like me, then there’s a lot that you are able to sacrifice with much lower risk. Sacrifice within reason, whatever that may be. However, it is important to remember that it is very unlikely that anyone will ever get to the place they want to be without making sacrifices. I know a lot of people who aren’t willing to make any sacrifices and it hasn’t gotten them very far. Make sacrifices, they are important.
(November 30th, 2020)
astronomine 