Find Your Rhythm and Run with It
How would you go about learning a musical instrument?
For Loukmane, learning the guitar was just of matter of seeing one and picking it up during his first year of university. Of course, it took time, hard work, and help from friends to find the groove.
“What’s funny is the guitar I used wasn’t my own. My neighbor had kids that constantly messed with his guitar so he stored it at my place,” jokes Loukmane, a Messaging Services Engineer at Djezzy. “So, I started learning Algerian music. I love playing Chaabi, the ‘people’s music’, as well as Andalusian music and Raï.”
Loukmane just went with the flow and decided to become a guitarist, didn’t he? During our chat with him, we learn more about discovering your rhythm in all you do — and running with it.
Let’s get the jam going…
1. Jump in the water
Have you ever heard the saying, “Dip your toes in the water?” It means to start something slow and carefully, as you’re unsure of whether your endeavor will succeed.
Don’t do that.
Instead, jump in the water. It’s the only way you can fully immerse yourself, overcome obstacles, and feel at home with what you’re doing.
If you ask Loukmane about why he joined Djezzy, he’ll echo this idea. You must face challenges in order to learn and become a natural — someone who’s completely in rhythm while performing the task at hand. He states:
“Before coming here, I had always wanted to work in telecom. Djezzy has a big infrastructure. Working here forces you to learn a lot.There’s lots of room for growth and the scale is incredible. You must not only master your specialty, you must be knowledgeable of how the whole operation works, including the framework of the international telecom infrastructure.”
What makes Loukmane optimistic about the future of Algeria is how new graduates are increasingly taking courageous leaps. They’re pursuing entrepreneurship at an increasing rate, as they know they can find their true calling when they’re testing and implementing bold ideas.
“It’s really exciting what the new crop of graduates are doing. You accomplish and experience a lot being an entrepreneur. You learn how to work in a much more efficient, rhythmic manner.”
2. The road doesn’t have to be bumpy
Perhaps you’ve ridden on a bumpy road before. Well, don’t just settle for bouncing around the whole time. Get out and make the road smoother.
That’s how Loukmane’s gone about his career. Originally, he wanted to be a doctor but his university assigned him software engineering (his next choice after medicine).
“I’m a gamer and had always wanted to figure out how to create games. So, software engineering and coding came naturally to me. I didn’t turn out as a game coder but I’ve made the most of my studies. I paved my way forward in this field,” attests Loukmane.
Loukmane’s education and work highlight the importance of taking control of your journey. It’s the only way you can be happy and comfortable with your path.
To make your journey go even more smoothly, you must also actively seek knowledge. Because that’s what opens doors.
“When I give career advice to younger folks, I tell them to stop and ask questions about everything that stimulates their mind. I stress that you should challenge things, as well as continually listen to those who have knowledge to share. This is how you get on the road you want.”.
3. Hit the right note
As you move along, finding the right rhythm in your life and work also requires being right on time. Or, if you’re playing music, that means hitting the right note just when needed.
“I love gaming, music, and coding. There are actually similarities between the three that help me. The main one is that you always have to be right on time with your actions, whether it’s the guitar, gaming, or coding. You have to be consistently in sync,” affirms Loukmane.
For Loukmane, this idea of hitting the right note applies directly to his job at Djezzy. His role involves developing the engineering infrastructure for data and voice offers, in addition to working on the messaging platform and peer-to-peer services.
“Winning at my job requires that I know not just precisely what’s needed, but also getting it to the customer at the moment they need it. We must move without friction.”
4. Look out the window
Think about the first time you were on a train or plane. You probably made it a point to look out the window as you were moving.
Okay, what’s the insight here?
Well, it’s to always observe what’s going on around you. You don’t have to sit perched on a tree like an owl, but you get the point.
Loukmane applies this lesson to his job.
“Observing and listening are crucial. Different people have different experiences and you can learn from this. When I first arrived at Djezzy, things weren’t working for me. So, I started to learn from others who have been through what I have, and I’ve found a rhythm here.”
Observation and listening skills also benefited Loukmane at VEON Digithon in Armenia. His team got third place.
“I was on a team with colleagues from different operating countries s and we spoke different languages. Observation and listening were vital. It’s how we were able to get over hurdles and run the project smoothly.”
5. Get others to ride the wave
Finding your rhythm and running with it is like being a great surfer. Success flows to you like the waves. You just do what you know how to do and enjoy the ride.
Yet, if you want that success to sustain, you must get others to join you. What this means is you must extend a helping hand.
As the ancient Greek tragedian Sophocles says, “To be doing good deeds is man’s most glorious task.”
This idea isn’t lost on Loukmane and the team at Djezzy, who utilize their resources to help aspiring entrepreneurs. They work to teach the students how to start small and nimble and grow into a big company.
During his free time, Loukmane also works on helping Algeria build an entrepreneurial ecosystem for the new generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. He does this through the TIPAZA Google Developer Group he helps run with Yasmine.
“We organize events that are relevant to coders. We use our resources and network to help the community. We have lectures in the morning and workshops in the afternoon, mixing theory and practice. Our big goal is to build a new generation of innovators and entrepreneurs,” explains Loukmane.
That’s cool, isn’t it? The developer group also focuses on networking and having fun. That’s how you get in the right mood to create.
“We actually have some entertainment at the meetups. I bring my guitar and play for the group. Others show off their talents, too. You should come to the next one!”
6. Capture the moment
Staying in rhythm requires taking time for oneself. For Loukmane, enjoying life often involves traveling and practicing photography.
“My most recent trips have been to San Francisco, Paris, and Hangzhou. I really liked Hangzhou, China, because the streets were charming and West Lake is breathtakingly beautiful,” recalls Loukmane.
Beyond soaking up the world outside, Loukmane learns new skills continually. Now, he’s really focused on photography. Check out some of his photos:
“Music continues to be a relaxing hobby and inspiration for me. I really like listening to Tommy Emmanuel and Ed Sheeran.”
“I also watch a lot of vlogs, especially those from Gary Vaynerchuk. Vlogger Casey Neistat also inspires me. I love his video, “Do What You Can’t.”
So, there you go! To make sure you don’t lose your rhythm, enjoy life and keep on learning and finding motivation.
Ride your rhythm to your own destination
As you can see, with the right rhythm, your road in life and work has no limits. It’s just a matter of working hard to catch the right beat and run with it. Enjoy the tunes along the way and take time to help others. You’ll end up where you want to be.
