Why I Left Google, You Will be Shocked!

Hey awesome people on the internet Priyanka Ragadia here and boy do I have a story to share with you today You know, it feels like just yesterday when I was a wide-eyed developer Dreaming of the day. I would see my name on the Google employee badge Can you believe it? Little old me Working at the tech giant that basically runs the internet Well fast forward seven incredible years and here I am about to tell you Why I decided to leave that dream job Yeah, you heard that right after seven years of googly goodness I am setting off on a new adventure Now before you start wondering if I have lost my marbles Let me assure you Google is every bit as amazing as you've heard free food Brilliant colleagues cutting-edge tech. I don't have to sell you on Google its reputation speaks for itself but Here's the thing Sometimes even the most perfect seeming situations have an expiration date And that's exactly what I want to talk about today I am going to share the three big reasons why I decided to leave Google and Trust me. This isn't just about my journey. So grab your favorite beverage Get comfortable and let's dive into why I left one of the most coveted jobs in tech And who knows by the end of this You might just find yourself inspired to shake things up in your own career as well Let's get started reason one I Wanted to get uncomfortable again. Let's talk about comfort and comfort zones You know that feeling when you first start a new coding project Well the excitement of a blank file the thrill of solving a new problem The slight panic when you encounter that bug you've never seen before Yeah that feeling after seven years of Using anything for a long long time You just start to know those things inside out The internal systems the people that you can reach out to the code that you have created, right? It's so great for for personal professional growth you see there I realized was getting I was getting really comfortable too comfortable, but don't get me wrong being comfortable isn't bad But when it comes to career growth Comfort can be sneaky little dream killer in my opinion. I found myself going through Emotions knowing exactly what to expect each day The challenges that once made my heart race were now a routine as a hello world program and While that stability is nice. It also meant I wasn't being challenged like I used to be my growth was Sort of slowing down and let me tell you for a tech enthusiast like me That's scarier than a production server going down on a Friday afternoon So I decided to do something that might sound crazy I chose to make myself uncomfortable again by leaving Google I'm throwing myself into a world new world of tech stacks Unfamiliar code bases and yes probably a few moments of imposter syndrome, too But you know what that's where the magic happens That's where we grow where we innovate where we become the best versions of ourselves as developers and tech leaders it's like learning a new programming language or a Framework at first it's frustrating you feel like a beginner again But then as you push through the discomfort you start to see the world in a new way You bring fresh perspectives to old problems you innovate in ways you never thought possible before That's the kind of growth. I am after the kind that comes from embracing new challenges Diving into unfamiliar territory and yes feeling a little uncomfortable along the way now reason to Changing the outcome requires changing the input now Let's get a little nerdy for a second You know how in coding you keep using the same input you will always get the same output Well turns out that applies to our careers, too I realize that if I wanted different results in my career new skills different types of projects a fresh perspective Different growth trajectory I need to change my input and sometimes that input is your entire work environment Don't get me wrong Google was an incredible input it taught me so much shaped me as a developer and a person But I started to wonder what else is out there that could what could I learn in a different environment? What problems could I solve that I haven't even encountered yet leaving Google Isn't about running away from anything. It's about running to words new Experiences new challenges and yes new inputs that will hopefully lead the exciting new outputs in my career Reason three every role has a shelf life. Okay time for a little story Remember your favorite childhood toy the one you thought you would play with forever Well, if you're anything like me that toy is probably gathering dust in Attic somewhere now Roles in our career are kind of like that favorite toy. They serve a purpose. They bring us joy They help us grow but eventually we outgrow them and that's okay. It's natural It's healthy and it's how we progress in our careers. I Realized that my role at Google as amazing as it was had served it for its purpose in my career journey I had achieved many of the goals I set for myself when I joined and more honestly, even the ones I did not set I had grown learned and contributed in ways. I never imagined possible But I also realized that my future goals my vision for where I want to be in five or ten years Required something different. It required me to write a new chapter in my career story leaving Google Doesn't diminish the incredible experience I've had there It simply means that I'm ready for the next adventure the next challenge the next phase of growth There you have it Three big reasons why I decided to leave Google. It wasn't an easy decision Let me tell you that there were sleepless nights pros and cons list that Rivaled war and peace in length and yes a few tears as well But ultimately I knew it it was the right move for me and that's the real lesson here your career Isn't about following a preset path or sticking with something just because it's comfortable or prestigious it's about Continually addressing where you are where you want to go and making the moves Necessary to get you there sometimes that means staying put and Finding new challenges within your current role And sometimes it means taking a leap into the unknown as I embark on this very new chapter. I am filled with a mix of excitement nervousness and gratitude excited for what's to come nervous about the challenges ahead and Incredibly grateful for everything Google has given me So I encourage all of you out there on the internet Take a moment to reflect on your own career Are you still growing? Are you challenging yourself? Are you on the path to where you want to be? Remember your career is a marathon not a sprint keep pushing your boundaries be open to change and Never stop learning Thank you all for letting me share this personal journey with you I can't wait to tell you all about my new adventures soon until next time Keep coding keep growing and most importantly keep being your awesome selves With that I'll see you next time. Bye