How to change your life while staying true to yourself. Story of Igor Południkiewicz
Today we’d like to give a warm mention to Igor Południkiewicz, our Junior Software engineer from the Tooling team, and the first figure from HL Tech we want to introduce you to in our new series.
We’ve chosen Igor’s story of joining the world of programming as our first, as it’s just as inspiring, as it is unconventional! So get your coffee or tea at the ready, and let’s begin.
From Law to… programming
A young Igor graduated fresh out of university with a degree in Law and International Relations; not what you’d expect, right? And he pursued his first career path in this field. However, he would soon realise that the high paced lifestyle and the pursuit of financial gain that came with working in legal world, just didn’t align with his views on life, and success. He took a leap of faith and decided to change his career path completely.
His choice fell to development. In order to learn programming quietly and, importantly to him, independently, he moved abroad to work as a labourer to ensure financial security for the duration of his studies. Such a change allowed him to appreciate what he had in life, and what he wanted to acheieve- while also opening him up to meeting people outside his bubble, as he aptly puts it.
At your own pace
Igor started to learn programming. He systematically expanded his skills, chosing to devote six hours a day to his craft, with only a year later completing his studies. Having mastered the basics, he began his job search. Igor mentally prepared himself with the prospect of going back to manual work should his programming skills need further honing, but he needn’t have worried- he found the HL Tech team.
A passion that impacts on all of life
A complete 180 in career path is not the only unique story our colleague can share. As an advocate for self- development and living life according to your values, Igor is a strong believer of meditation, influenced by East Asian culture. For years, he has dedicated two hours a day to his inner thoughts, even helping him to further his professional abilites. As he says: “Meditation helped me a lot in learning programming. It strengthened my confidence in myself and in my ability to achieve these skills.” He puts emphasis on the practices focus on the here and now, being able to take your mind away from analysing the past, or planning the future.
He adds, “You simply – sit down and observe the sensations in the body carefully. You accept everything that comes. At work, in everyday life, school or university, we all react to external stimuli, so being able to listen to yourself and what comes from within is a very good way to balance and take care of your own needs. Meditation therefore teaches us to accept the changes or challenges we face in everyday life, because every situation, the pleasant and the difficult, will pass one day, just like those sensations in the body.”
Direction -> Asia
An important part of Igor’s life is travelling- he spends time travelling around Asia, with one of his most notable destinations visited being North Korea. He spent a lot of time in preparation for this trip; to see a country with a completely different reality, through the gaze of a Westerner. Igor set about the task by keeping a conscious attitude to learn and discover their world respectfully, without a sense of superiority.
Emotions on a stave
A man of many talents, Igor has also co-founded a musical ensemble, that created the soundtrack for Fritz Lang’s silent film Metropolis. Their goal was to envoke the feelings and emotions of the films narrative, paired with the challenge of not having the films dialogue to rely on. Despite his success, music is an element of Igor’s life he thoughtfully left behind, feeling he could no longer devote enough time to it. In accordance with his own life philosophy, appreciating what he had achieved and accepting the end, gave Igor peace of mind. Thus closing the stage in his life related to music, at least for the time being.
In harmony with yourself
Igor emphasises that both professional and physical activities are keys to success. His regular exercise and meditation deepen his inner peace, and reinforce his decision from all those years ago. His example can serve as a good model that with the right attitude and an open mind for change, both living in harmony, and developing oneself, is not only possible – but is also incredibly rewarding.