Dagna Bieda | theMindfulDev.com

In my career, I've always been chasing IMPACT. The funny thing is it meant one thing at 15, another at 25, and something completely different at 35. Here's my timeline: ► At 15, it was this nebulous idea of "creating the future" (Whatever that means in the mind of a teenager 😅) I dove into math, leaned into creativity, and chose to study Robotics as the most futuristic path I could find. ► By 25, I realized building robots wasn’t IT for me. I didn't quite create the kind of impact I was looking for 🤷‍♀️ So I switched to software engineering, believing that deploying code to millions of end-users would give me the kind of impact I kept searching for. But after a few years I burned myself out and just felt like a cog in a machine. The impact wasn’t… idk… personal enough? ► At 30, that burnout (+PPD and some other issues) led me to talk therapy. Literally, within just a few months, simply talking to someone who got me… …transformed my perspective, my ways of thinking, and changed my life. That’s when it clicked! 🔥🔥🔥 -I- could create that kind of lasting impact in the lives of others 🔥🔥🔥 So, I coached on the side and prepared to leave Tech and become a full-time coach. ► Fast-forward to now—at 35, I’ve written a book that can have a tremendous impact on people's lives and truly change those lives for the better. This is the kind of impact I'm chasing right now. There are about 30 million Engineers in Tech around the globe, and I plan to reach them all through my book, Brain Refactor. That's my goal. What's yours? What have you been chasing?

@PMcKenziespeaks I needed to hear this today!

The life you want has a cost. You can choose to pay for it now. Or pay later with regret. Invest in the hard things. And great things will come. PS Which cost is the hardest for you to pay?

The key to a meaningful life? Being willing to pay the price. Not with $$$$ But with discomfort. Here are the 7 costs of success.

Every now and then I get asked about leaving my engineering career. Wasn’t it scary - jumping into entrepreneurship - after investing over a decade in engineering? Uh… DUH 😅 Transitioning OUT of a stable engineering career wasn’t a decision I made lightly, but it’s one that has brought massive growth and fulfillment. I was clear on what I wanted - wake up every day with purpose and create an impact. So with my husband’s incredible support, smart investments, and calculated risks, we made it happen. I explore some more details in this podcast episode with @AnjelBHartwell. Here’s a sneak peak of what we talked about: ⬩Our family’s strategy for making that leap possible (saving money up and investing in Airbnb properties providing reasonable cashflow, while I was figuring things out early on) ⬩My personal investment strategy of investing in... 🙋‍♀️ myself... to fast track my new career (that meant courses, workshops, and coaches teaching me the new way of thinking and skills I was missing to thrive in a whole new career) ⬩And yes, we dive into the book, because the way of thinking that Brain Refactor discusses in depth, made it all possible. Tune in - I hope you enjoy it!

Soft skills are essential for tech growth. @DagnaBieda shares strategies on mastering communication, setting boundaries, and marketing yourself authentically. Find out how to thrive in your #techcareer by tuning in! 👉 testguild.com/podcast/perfor… #brainrefractorbook #careeradvancement #techandengineering #testguildpodcast

Play Big Faster just dropped our episode today! Short, sweet, and to the point. Hope you enjoy! Link👇

Share my book with your therapist. I'm serious. And while yes, it's not written for therapists, it can significantly improve their ability to connect with and support their clients in Tech. One therapist recently shared this Amazon review: "I look at this since I'm a therapist, and I will definitely be recommending this to my programmer clients. So great to put things in a language that can be understood by the most analytical of minds. Thank you!" Brain Refactor is more than a book for engineers—it's a tool for anyone helping them thrive.

@artofallowance Uhmmmm... I totally disagree. Independence and being alone are over-glorified in our society. The real strength lies in interdependence.

You have to fall in love with being alone if you want to be an entrepreneur. Otherwise emotions will take you out. “The source of all your power lies in your love of being alone.” “Oneness is one of the highest states of human consciousness but it’s only attainable by alchemizing loneliness.”

Brain Refactor Book Launch: Latest Stats after 55 Days! The paperback has been ordered 104 times across 4 continents: 91 - US, 10 - Europe, 2 - Canada, 1 - Australia Currently, it’s at 34 reviews on Amazon, 2 on Senja, and my recent favorite states: "⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Well written and helpful A well-made and clear book, with strong and concrete tips - for those who want to boost your brain and find ways to success. The author has really succeeded in making a complex subject easy to understand and without being an engineer, you can absorb and use the material in the book. Recommend. Good brain exercise!" And my Beta Review Team has grown! ❤️ After reaching out personally to 2,346 people, the Beta Review Team now stands at 163 members And their feedback is 🔥🔥🔥 I’m beyond grateful for all the ideas on how to improve the book, as well as hearing which sections resonated most. Now is the time to roll up my sleeves! and start incorporating all this amazing feedback into the upcoming Kindle edition. Oct 1, Launch is just 2 weeks away!!! P.S. To be completely honest, I plan to record and release an Audible next year (so no worries if you're reading this post-Oct 1). Feedback at any point before I start recording will still be super valuable!!! P.P.S. If you’d like to read the book for free as a Beta Reader, DM me, and I’ll make it happen!

@abid_khairul I use Apple Watch. Works great for both counting, as well, as reminding me to stand up and move my body if I've been sitting for too long

I'm trying to up my step count. But my phone as a step counter in lame. What do you recommend?

Want more success? Be smart on who you partner with. Who you partner with matters just as much as -if not more!!!- as the goals you set. Cheers 🎉 to my amazing husband ♥️ who's birthday we're celebrating today 🎊 Can't wait for that amazing Hibachi for dinner!

@artofallowance Go big or go home, hehe

@DagnaBieda Awesome goal 🙌🏽

In my career, I've always been chasing IMPACT. The funny thing is it meant one thing at 15, another at 25, and something completely different at 35. Here's my timeline: ► At 15, it was this nebulous idea of "creating the future" (Whatever that means in the mind of a teenager 😅) I dove into math, leaned into creativity, and chose to study Robotics as the most futuristic path I could find. ► By 25, I realized building robots wasn’t IT for me. I didn't quite create the kind of impact I was looking for 🤷‍♀️ So I switched to software engineering, believing that deploying code to millions of end-users would give me the kind of impact I kept searching for. But after a few years I burned myself out and just felt like a cog in a machine. The impact wasn’t… idk… personal enough? ► At 30, that burnout (+PPD and some other issues) led me to talk therapy. Literally, within just a few months, simply talking to someone who got me… …transformed my perspective, my ways of thinking, and changed my life. That’s when it clicked! 🔥🔥🔥 -I- could create that kind of lasting impact in the lives of others 🔥🔥🔥 So, I coached on the side and prepared to leave Tech and become a full-time coach. ► Fast-forward to now—at 35, I’ve written a book that can have a tremendous impact on people's lives and truly change those lives for the better. This is the kind of impact I'm chasing right now. There are about 30 million Engineers in Tech around the globe, and I plan to reach them all through my book, Brain Refactor. That's my goal. What's yours? What have you been chasing?

It looks like Brain Refactor is resonating on an extremely deep level... It might even bring out tears! "This is one of the best self help career books I’ve ever read! If you are an engineer struggling with impostor syndrome or just feel stuck at work, do yourself a favor and read this book. You will laugh, you’ll vigorously nod your head at Dagna’s descriptions of life as an engineer—if you ever felt burned out at work, you might even cry. I guarantee you come away with a fresh perspective on your career and many new tools to help you achieve your goals both inside and outside the workplace" I gotta say, I was moved reading this review.

@theAmyJanexo I love learning something new everyday

@DagnaBieda Did not know this, but of course it makes a lot of sense!

When you're getting noticed, opportunities follow. It's a virtuous cycle called the Matthew Effect: "those who gain recognition are more likely to be noticed for future opportunities." So if you’re like I used to be—thinking your work speaks for itself—you're literally actively keeping yourself AWAY from opportunities. Here's how it works: When your contributions are recognized, you naturally attract more attention, leading to: ◆ fun projects ◆ leadership roles ◆ and greater impact But... There's a catch. You need to actively show your work and teach others to get this momentum going. Doesn't matter if you’re just starting out or already in a senior role! Taking the time to share your knowledge and contributions can accelerate your career in unexpected ways. So don't keep your brilliance hidden—make sure your contributions get noticed. The more you share, the more you build foundation of trust, expertise, and influence. That’s how you kick-start the Matthew Effect—and keep it working in your favor.

@artofallowance Hahaha, absolutely! I'll keep an eye out on your version 😉

@DagnaBieda Ooh. I like that. I’ve had some powerful experiences where I had to be broken down completely in order to ask for help. But it saved my life. Great post. Need to write mine now on this subject. Thanks for the reminder 🙏🏽

When it’s time to ask for help, we often hesitate. Asking for help can be scary. And it makes perfect sense! I mean there are real risks involved: * Conflict * Rejection * Or worse, criticism (a threat to the ego!) * And last but not least… Feeling yucky feelings, resulting from any of the above… But here’s the thing—by refusing to ask for help, you’re not just making it harder for yourself. You’re also denying others the chance to feel good! I'm serious. We’re biologically wired wanting to belong, contribute, and help others—throughout most of human history we needed our tribe for survival! I mean think about it for just a second. Ever mentored someone early in their career? Gave advice? Helped onboard a new team member? Feels. Sooooo. Daaaaaang. Gooooood. Right? That surge of satisfaction is called Helper’s High. It’s a biological reward! Nature’s brilliant mechanism When you help others, your brain releases a cocktail of chemicals: * Dopamine: Known as the "reward" chemical, it boosts your mood and creates that sense of satisfaction. * Oxytocin: This is often called the "love hormone" because it promotes feelings of trust, connection, and bonding. * Endorphins: These natural painkillers help reduce stress and can even produce a mild euphoric feeling. Together, these chemicals reduce cortisol levels (the stress hormone), lower blood pressure, and improve overall well-being. So, how will you approach asking for help now, knowing it’s not an inconvenience but a favor? Giving them a chance to get some of that natural Helper’s High?

@Ayrspirit2021 Exactly!

@DagnaBieda This is a great way to think about asking for help! I never thought of it being a feel good for someone.

@artofallowance Sorry, you're going through this @artofallowance. How different do you think you're experience could've been if you didn't have "everything riding on this"?

Right after I launched an online course: I crashed. It took a lot out of me to create it. I figured out my funnel software. I built out the systems. I did the marketing. I wrote the copy. Held a webinar. And I delivered. The results from all that effort: Disappointing. These pictures below were taken 12 hours apart: In the first one, I’m super happy that I just delivered a great webinar. People had great things to say. They went away with gratitude. I felt like I’d made significant progress. The next morning my energy crashed. Hard. With my energy expended and everything riding on this, I hoped to see a return. Look: I’ll admit I rushed this launch. I bet big on this course selling. I counted on this to pay the rent. I had tech issues. Attendance issues. Marketing budget issues. Email sequence problems. I prepared for weeks. Gave it all I had. And hoped the universe had my back. I got a sharp redirect instead of the support I expected. While I have the coaching and practitioner skills to pull off the delivery of the course, I’m relatively new at digital marketing. Here’s what I learned: ✦ Learning on the fly helped me grow. ✦ But it came at a great energy cost. ✦ Lack of efficiency caused me to crash. ✦ I didn’t market to a big enough pool. ✦ I don’t think my brand story is clear. ✦ I don’t think I’ve displayed enough social proof. ✦ Testimonials were all on a website few people looked at. ✦ I had nothing to fall back on, so that put a lot of pressure on me. ✦ Not nearly enough DMs ✦ And the most important of all: the universe is saying not now with this course. If it drains me this much, it’s not in alignment. That was humbling to admit. And a big blow to my pride. I managed the stress of the launch. Hell, I was teaching stress management in the course. But I maxed myself out. In every respect. When I saw zero sales at the end of all this… And I knew I knew my reserves were depleted—financially and energetically… That’s when it hit me: It’s time to rethink my whole approach. The universe is redirecting me. And I’m living on pure faith. I either crash & burn. Or I do a 180… And come out of this stronger and wiser. My intuition is guiding me through this. I’m surprisingly calm thanks to my inner work. Feeling tender. But not defeated. When you give away your life’s work and have nothing to show for it… It’s time to go back to the drawing board. Keep following along to see how I pull off this career redirect… I’m choosing to trust… And I’m going to prove that survival fears are an illusion. Haven’t paid the rent. Credit card is maxed out. Bank account is tapped out. Watch me create from wholeness. I’ve been in this position before and I’ve always emerged from it.

Reading books is great. But applying what you've learned and integrating it into your life is where the real transformation happens. Knowledge becomes powerful only when it's put into action. So when I get a DM saying: "I must say the book connected with me so deeply that I have started refactoring my mental code." I feel incredibly EXCITED about this person's future!!! They’ve taken the first step toward real growth! It’s not just about understanding concepts and collecting more info. By refactoring their legacy code, they’re embracing the mindset shifts from Brain Refactor and actively optimizing their internal code. I couldn't be more proud.