7 minute read
Sharing our inner voice stories
by Kavika Singhal, Cyber Security Consultant at EY Jay Hira, Director of Cyber Transformation at EY Michelle Gatsi, Cyber Security Consultant at EY Emily Goodman, Cyber Security Consultant at EY Shinesa Cambric, Principal Product Manager, Microsoft Intelligent Protections - Emerging Identity at Microsoft Kaajal Sharma, Offensive Security Associate at EY Baby Lyn Nagayo, Cyber Security Manager at EY
INTRODUCTION
Kavika Singhal
Reflecting is an intimate, thought-provoking process. It is the focal point where our grown self and old self meet to have a conversation about our strengths, weaknesses, values and learnings. These lines from the poem The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost stirred up some questions for me:
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference.”
Frost writes that when, in life, he found himself having to choose between two diverging roads, travelling the less trodden path made ”all the difference” in his life. Each of us encounters such occasions in our lifetime, where we need to make tough choices and become confused while weighing up which choice will deliver the best outcome. What factors should I consider in such a situation? Can I always make the best choice? And most importantly: how do I stay on my chosen path?
With a head full of questions and the determination to seek an answer I sat down with some of my cybersecurity industry mentors and friends— individuals from diverse walks of life—to share their stories of how they had found themselves at the junction of diverging pathways and at the lifelong changes their choice between these had wrought.
STORIES
Jay Hira
Aged 18, I sat in the dean’s office with my father. My grades were average but my ambitions lofty. To this day, I clearly remember the dean’s laughter and blunt remarks when my father asked about my chances of getting into the computer science program. “Your son has ZERO chance of getting into computer science. Have you looked at his track record? I’m doubtful he will even be able to complete his degree in four years.”
Those words crushed my soul and filled me with fear, leaving me with two choices: either give up and surrender to the harsh, critical voice in my head telling me, “You are not smart enough, you are not capable enough!” Or trust my inner voice encouraging me to believe my hard work and strength would lead to success.
My determination and strong self-belief led me to make the second choice: the harder one. I worked diligently, made my work speak for itself and did not allow anybody’s opinion to define my reality or my capabilities. A year later, I was among the top students in my cohort and transferred easily to computer science. The biggest lesson I learnt was that believing in yourself may not be easy, but it is the most crucial ingredient in determining your success.
Kaajal Sharma
The intimidating experience of venturing into the unknown world of penetration testing (ethical hacking) has traditionally kept talent away, maybe because the discipline requires extensive technical skills and expertise. I chose to venture outside my comfort zone. My decision to pursue an offensive security career stemmed from my appetite for investigation and my unwavering belief in my competencies.
It is important to be tenacious when working towards your goals. If you do not have the right set of skills, you can always develop them and advance to where you want to be. The biggest takeaway in my career journey was to not measure my self-worth from a perspective of past or future. You must be prepared to challenge yourself to achieve your goals. However, you must live in the present to build a better future.
Michelle Gatsi
“Don’t be so hard on yourself Michelle, you’re doing great!” If I had a dollar for each time I have heard those words… The truth is, this is much easier said than done. I work in an industry saturated with extremely sharp and talented minds and, as a newcomer to cybersecurity with an academic background in criminology and social science, it is easy to feel like a fish out of water. A solution to counter those doubts was to keep track of my personal journey. When I first decided to venture into cybersecurity I bought myself a little turquoise journal and labelled it ‘My Cyber Journal’. Its purpose was to keep track of my journey and I followed through in writing about my experiences, fears and achievements.
In moments when imposter syndrome showed itself, I recorded in my journal. The journal is evidence of all the hard work I have put in so far to break into the cybersecurity industry and build my career, including the tremendous amount of support I have received along the way. My little turquoise journal is my source of strength, and my journey is not only a reminder of my progress, but also my potential.
Shinesa Cambric
“There is great power in being intentional.”
It took a very long time for me to discover this, but one key lesson I learnt in my career journey was that being intentional. is empowering. I have always been someone who enjoys achieving and getting things done, but it only late in my journey did I realise the importance of being intentional with the choices I had made in my career, such as focussing on doing the right things. The early choices I made were for myself or because they met the expectations of others.
When I took time to pause and reflect on my actions I realised I had influenced others to achieve their goals while achieving my own. Hence, I became committed to becoming intentional about my choices rather than drifting with the current: to acknowledge the power of my actions and focus on the things that would bring me joy.
Baby Lyn Nagayo
When I started my career in cybersecurity I made little progress in the technology industry until I became involved with the EY Women in Tech and SheLeadsTech Melbourne communities. They empowered me to thrive in discomfort. The mentorship, coaching and sponsorship I received were instrumental in me overcoming my self-limiting beliefs.
As I continue to thrive and grow in the industry, I find my achievements to be still within my comfort zone. It is important for me to venture out of that comfort zone, challenge my beliefs and change my behaviours if I am to achieve my ultimate goals in life. I live by these famous words of Tony Robbins: “It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.” Each day I repeat to myself: “If it’s possible in the world, it is possible for me.”
Emily Goodman
For my undergraduate degree I majored in accounting. Whenever I told anyone this, a common reaction was: “You don’t seem like someone who would study accounting or someone who would like maths.”
This statement often made me doubt my abilities, and imposter syndrome developed. I could have let this self-doubt take over. However, I listened to my inner voice knowing I wanted to achieve more. This led me to joining the cybersecurity industry, to earning a master’s degree and working in a role where I have a purpose.
Over the years I have learnt to listen to my inner voice as my best guidance. I have moments of imposter syndrome and I have doubts. However, mentors and colleagues who believe in me keep me going. The advice from one of my mentors: “You do not get anywhere by standing still,” keeps me motivated to overcome any challenges, step outside my comfort zone and trust my inner voice, because we can achieve whatever we set our minds to.
CONCLUSION
Kavika Singhal
Our thoughts are the foundation of our actions, and our inner voice is the guiding light in our life journey. If we land ourselves in a position where we can choose a tough path, we should never let outside voices influence our inner voice, because each of us is the creator of our own reality. When faced with harsh obstacles on the road to achieving something we desire it is important to push ourselves beyond our comfort zone, because we get nowhere by standing still.
On this path, keeping track of progress is an essential, motivating indicator. We may not always make the best decisions, but good intent always results in better outcomes. Lastly, when things look impossible, we need to remember: if it is possible in this world, we can make it happen.
These stories certainly answered my questions. I hope they assist you when you reflect on your journey.
