Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1524164
34 PCB007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2024 don't always enjoy hiking up the mountain. I do, however, love the view from the top. Work draws parallels to hiking for me. Some days may be stressful, but seeing the end product is always worth it. Compensation If compensation weren't important to our "why," most of us would make our hobbies our careers. Unfortunately, most of us have needs that require adequate compensation for the work we do. But it's important not to let compensation grow too high on our priority list. I imagine that if I worked in an indus- try that included a lot of manual labor in a hot cli- mate just for compensa- tion, I wouldn't be happy. Meaning e purpose or meaning of our careers is closely tied to our passions and compensation lev- els. It's natural for us to seek out a sense of purpose in the communi- ties we live and work in. e meaning behind our work is what drives most of us out of bed every morning. I find meaning by thinking about the people that the products will serve. It's exciting for me to see PCBs in the medical devices used by my doctor or to think about the PCBs in the car on my daily commute. ese are reminders of the good I am doing beyond myself. Value Alignment Our "why" isn't just important in deter- mining what we do. Even more critically, it's important to where we choose to work. When I think of "why" I choose to work at a com- pany or in an industry, the decision tends to be drawn from my value alignment with the com- pany. For example, I value honesty. It would be hard for me to work in an environment in which coworkers lied to their customers, ven- dors, and, worst of all, themselves. Future Opportunity Sometimes, roles are just steppingstones for a larger one down the road. Sometimes, our current roles are meant for a finite time, and that's okay. I went to college so I could pursue greater opportunities down the road. When I started college, I knew that I did not want to be a college student for the next 40 years. Know- ing my "why" in that situation helped me understand my motivations for attending classes and complet- ing my homework. Balance A "why" can be as sim- ple as desiring balance. As society progresses tech- nically, we understand the need for more balance. We all need time to rest and recharge to be our best selves. I'm currently in a stage of life where I don't want an 80-hour work week. Instead, I enjoy bal- ancing my work and home life with a 40–50- hour work week. is "why" led me to choose opportunities in which balance is valued. Knowing the "why" behind our decisions is imperative to accelerating our success. ere are feelings attached to our reasons that can lead to a path of excellence. Understanding our reasoning helps us to understand our motiva- tion for the way we interact with our careers. Our lives are too short, and our working years are too long not to align our careers with our personal "whys." I challenge you to think about your "why" and how it drives you to thrive. PCB007 Paige Fiet is a process engineer at TTM-Logan, and in the IPC Emerging Engineer Program. To read past columns, click here. Sometimes, our current roles are meant for a finite time, and that's okay.