If you’d told me I’d become a DevOps engineer by accident, I wouldn’t have believed you. But sometimes, it’s the unexpected paths that lead to the most growth. DevOps wasn’t on my radar—not even close. When I decided to pivot into the cloud field, I mapped out possible roles like solutions architect, cloud engineer, and digital skills officer. DevOps? Not even on the list.
But life has a way of surprising you. One day, I was asked to take on a client project as a DevOps engineer and, unsure but curious, I said yes. What followed was a crash course in DevOps—learning day by day, tackling one challenge at a time. I call it my “baptism by fire.” It’s been my career mantra: fear failure, but do it anyway. Fear, after all, is just an invitation to grow.
The DevOps Challenge: Testing Safely Without Risk
In those early days of DevOps, I was constantly faced with questions I didn’t yet know how to answer. When I first stepped into DevOps, one of my biggest fears was accidentally taking down production. The stakes felt enormous, and the thought of causing downtime was a constant source of stress.
What I needed was a way to safely test cloud solutions—far, far away from production. I envisioned a completely separate sandbox account, a space where I could build and tear down solutions freely, with no risk to live systems.
This sandbox would allow me to:
- Experiment and fail without consequences.
- Document and store the creative solutions I developed over time.
- Build a personal repository of Terraform configurations to reference and reuse for future projects.
This need for safety and freedom to experiment drove me to create terraProof.
The Breakthrough: terraProof and Its Unexpected Impact
Enter terraProof—my answer to the safe experimentation problem. It started as a simple idea: create a dedicated sandbox where I could build proof-of-concept environments without worry.
What Makes terraProof Special?
- Modular Design: By leveraging terraform-aws-modules , I ensured it was flexible and reusable.
- Sandbox Safety: All resources deployed to a completely separate sandbox account, ensuring experiments were far removed from production and its risks.
- Speed and Scalability: With pre-configured scripts, I could go from idea to implementation in minutes.
What began as a necessity quickly became a game-changer, not just for my workflow but for how I saw myself as a DevOps engineer.
The Journey: From Fear to Confidence
Developing terraProof wasn’t easy, and honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. When I was first asked to take on a DevOps role, fear was my constant companion. The thought of making a mistake—especially one that could impact production—was intimidating.
But fear, as Muhammad Ali once said, is essential to bravery: "You can't be brave without fear." This quote stuck with me throughout my journey. I decided to lean into that fear, using it as a driving force rather than letting it hold me back. Fear wasn’t a roadblock; it was an invitation to grow.
It pushed me to think critically, strategize, and create solutions like terraProof. With terraProof, I built a safety net—a sandbox environment where I could experiment freely, fail safely, and document everything I learned along the way.
Here’s what the process taught me:
- Failing Fast is Learning Fast: Debugging broken modules and chasing down dependency issues became my everyday routine. Each failure taught me something new.
- Fear Can Be Fuel: I leaned into the fear of getting it wrong, using it as motivation to figure things out.
- Community is Key: I leaned on forums, documentation, and colleagues to keep going. Asking for help isn’t a weakness—it’s a strength.
This journey wasn’t just about building a tool. It was about proving to myself that I could take on this role and thrive.
The Result: Feeling Like a Real DevOps Engineer
terraProof didn’t just transform how I worked—it transformed how I thought about myself.
With it, I was able to:
- Respond to requests quickly, impressing my team and leadership.
- Approach new challenges with confidence, knowing I had a system I could rely on.
- Feel like I belonged in the DevOps space—not just surviving but thriving.
It’s wild to think that this career, which I hadn’t even considered, has become something I’m truly passionate about.
Another piece of advice that resonated with me during those early days was from a short interview with President Obama. His words (paraphrased) still guide me today: "Don’t be the person who can explain why a problem occurred 50 different ways. Be the person who says, ‘Let me take care of that and get it done.’"
This mindset became central to my approach in DevOps. It’s what drove me to create terraProof—a solution that didn’t just explain or analyze problems but actively solved them.
Lessons Learned for Every DevOps Engineer
- Fear is Part of the Process: You can’t be brave without fear. Lean into it—it’s where growth happens.
- Fail Fast, Learn Faster: Mistakes aren’t just inevitable; they’re necessary.
- Invest in Automation: Time spent automating today pays dividends tomorrow.
Closing Thoughts
If terraProof taught me anything, it’s that the best opportunities often come from the unexpected. DevOps wasn’t my dream job, but it’s become my dream career. I hope this story inspires you to embrace challenges, lean into fear, and trust yourself to grow.
Want to dive into the technical side of terraProof? Check out my upcoming article in the new series below, where I’ll share how you can start using it to transform your workflow: Terraforming AWS: One Solution at a Time
Your Thoughts?
Have you ever faced a similar “baptism by fire” moment in your career? Share your story in the comments below! And don’t forget to check out my YouTube video for more insights: Why Every DevOps Engineer Needs a Tool Like terraProof
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