Reflecting on Progress: My Journey with Terraform
Today was unusually quiet at work, with many colleagues taking time off. There were a few incoming requests to provision access to Snowflake, which we manage using Terraform. These routine tasks were assigned to our on-call roster, made up of relatively new team members who are still getting to grips with Terraform. As they approached me for guidance, it sparked a moment of reflection on my own journey with Terraform.
When I first joined MoneyLion, I had no clue what Terraform was. My initial tasks required me to provision resources, and all I did was copy and paste chunks of code, hoping everything would work out. Somehow, I managed to get by for a few months like this, constantly feeling like I was barely staying afloat.
One day, I decided enough was enough. I sat down and made a commitment to truly understand Terraform. I started by digging into the underlying modules created by our dedicated DevOps team, researching what each resource meant, and googling how to reference various components. Gradually, I began to piece together the bigger picture, understanding how everything fit together.
Now, I can confidently explain Terraform to new team members in a way that makes sense to them. I provided them with the resources that helped me get up to speed, ensuring they have a smoother learning curve than I did. Reflecting on this journey, I realize how far I've come since those early days of confusion and uncertainty.
Working at MoneyLion has been a significant growth experience for me. It's incredibly satisfying to look back and see the progress I've made. Not only have I developed a solid understanding of Terraform, but I've also grown as a mentor and a leader within my team. It's a wonderful feeling to recognize this growth and to be able to pass on my knowledge to others.