Kevin Murillo

Author: Kevin Murillo

  • The Day I Chose Clarity Over Cleverness

    The Day I Chose Clarity Over Cleverness

    For much of my career, I thought sounding smart was part of the job. Not because I was trying to show off, but because I didn’t want to get “found out.” (Thank you, impostor syndrome.) I didn’t come into my role with a perfect resume. Much of what I learned came from being self-taught, learning as I did the work.

    So I leaned hard on over-explaining. I thought if I could explain it well, that meant I knew what I was doing. Sounds odd to say out loud and to type.

    The habit I didn’t notice at first

    Trying to sound smart showed up in little ways.

    • I explained things that didn’t need a long explanation.
    • I used “tech talk” when normal words would’ve been better.
    • I avoided asking questions that felt too basic.
    • I talked about the problem more than I worked on the fix.

    At the time, it felt like I was being careful. In hindsight, it just slowed things down. It made work heavier than it needed to be.

    When being helpful mattered more

    The change didn’t happen on a big day like a promotion. It happened when the work started to pile in, and deadlines were tight. There was no time for long talks or several meetings about the same thing.

    I noticed people were coming to me anyway. Not because I had the best “smart” answers, but because I stayed calm and helped move things forward. Even when I doubted myself, others trusted me with work that had a lot of eyes on it.

    Then the light bulb turned on. People didn’t need me to sound smart. They needed me to be useful.

    What I started doing instead

    I didn’t flip a switch overnight. I just made a few simple changes.

    • I asked questions sooner, no matter how basic they may seem.
    • I kept my explanations short. Cut the extra noise.
    • I knew when to tap the teammate who is the subject-matter expert.
    • I focused on what needed to happen next. Set and understand the goal early.

    The funny part is, the less I tried to “sound smart,” the more capable I became. Things moved faster because I wasn’t adding extra layers anymore.

    When you are asked if you can do a job, tell ‘em, ‘Certainly I can! ‘ Then get busy and find out how to do it.

    Theodore Roosevelt

    How it changed my writing too

    This same lesson showed up in my writing. When I tried to sound polished or deep, my writing felt stiff. When I wrote plain and honest, it sounded more like me.

    • I cut extra words.
    • I removed “fancy” lines that didn’t add much.
    • I kept the point simple so it was easy to follow.

    If it didn’t help someone reading it, I let it go.

    Cue the Frozen song.

    A quick check you can use

    When you catch yourself trying to sound smart, pause and ask:

    • Am I helping, or am I trying to look smart?
    • Would this make sense to someone new?
    • Do I understand where the end goal is?
    • Does this move anything forward?

    The takeaway

    I didn’t become smarter by choosing clarity. I became more helpful. And that steadied my work, cleaned my writing, and lifted my confidence.

    Where could being clear help you more right now?

  • Working Through Impostor Syndrome Without a Blueprint

    Working Through Impostor Syndrome Without a Blueprint

    When Doubt Shows Up

    I remember staring at an email with a job offer and thinking it had to be a mistake. My name was on it, but it didn’t feel like it was meant for me.

    Impostor syndrome shows up in many ways. Sometimes it’s loud. Other times, it’s just this constant background noise that makes you question yourself, even when everything is going well.

    For me, it usually showed up as not believing in myself. When something good happened, my first reaction wasn’t, “I earned this.” It was, “They made a mistake.”

    Windows 95 and the First Spark

    My dad took me to a closing CableVision warehouse when I was about 10 or 11. If you’re not from the Northeast or old enough to remember, it was a cable TV provider.

    We came home with a beige Compaq and one of those heavy tube monitors. It felt like it weighed 200 pounds altogether. I still don’t know how my desk supported it. Once I had everything connected, I tried to power it on.

    So my dad found someone who worked on computers and could make it work. I still remember watching him install Windows 95. I sat there in amazement. It was so cool to watch someone resurrect a nonfunctional computer. Going from disappointment to that feeling of satisfaction was thrilling.

    And honestly, I still get that same thrill now when something finally works.

    The Tinkerer in Me

    I was always tinkering with anything I could get my hands on. As a kid, toys were never safe. They eventually got taken apart. So naturally, the old Compaq became one of my victims.

    I’d go to the library to find books on computers. I wanted to learn what those computer components were. I wanted to know what purpose every component had.

    Since then I have always been into computers. For most people close to me, that’s no surprise. When I was about twelve, I even wrote an essay about what I wanted to do when I grew up. I wrote about how I wanted to work in IT and make $80,000 a year. I don’t remember why I was so specific about the salary. However, I think I was a bit of a go-getter even then.

    At the time, I didn’t think much of any of it. It just felt normal to me. Looking back, it was probably one of the earliest signs of where I was headed. That curiosity stayed with me, even as my path started to look different from everyone else’s.

    Learning Without a Blueprint

    My path into tech wasn’t traditional. Leaving high school early and earning my GED became a stepping stone. It taught me how to adapt, learn fast, and figure things out without a blueprint. In a lot of cases, I had to figure things out on my own. By then, that came naturally because of how much I’d already been tinkering and experimenting.

    I entered the workforce early. Over time, my roles naturally started to include more technical responsibility, even when it wasn’t officially part of the job. Most of what I learned came from doing the work, not sitting in the classroom. Even so, the self-doubt never fully went away. I always wanted to do better. I had the drive. Still, there was this quiet feeling that I was somehow behind.

    The Project That Turned Into an IT Offer

    At that point in my career, I wasn’t in IT. I was working in an operations role. I got involved in an implementation project because I understood the front-end workflows. I could help bridge gaps between operations and the technical teams.

    As the project moved along, I kept getting pulled into the technical pieces. I started becoming the person people called when something needed to be figured out. Next thing I knew, it turned into an IT offer.

    I remember reading the offer email multiple times, trying to convince myself it was real. It should have felt like a win. Every time opportunities like this came up, impostor syndrome crept back in. It felt like a recurring bad dream.

    Then the comparisons started. I looked around at people with computer science degrees, certifications, and years of formal experience. I wondered how I fit into that world. In my head, those were “real” IT professionals, and I wasn’t sure I belonged in the same room.

    The Cutover That Made Me Trust Myself

    The turning point didn’t happen the day I got the offer. It happened years into the job, after enough real situations stacked up.

    I noticed how often people came to me for help. They trusted me with things that actually mattered. This happened even when I was still questioning myself. I kept getting pulled into critical, high-priority situations, the kind where things needed to work immediately.

    Printing was a big one.

    At my first organization, we were migrating our printing structure using Optio MedForms. However, the Windows Print Management Server environment wasn’t where it needed to be. We were about three to four months out from the cutover deadline. Typically, this is when technical dress rehearsals should have been happening. It was not the time for last-minute stabilization.

    There was very little support to get things across the finish line. I got a quick, down-and-dirty walk-through from the vendor and ran with the limited information I had. I transitioned from building MedForms templates. Then I handled the server-side setup and deployment work. This was necessary so we could move toward a real go-live.

    We didn’t have time for a full rehearsal. Given the timeline, we decided to iron out issues after cutover. That could’ve gone badly. Instead, the servers held under heavy load, and we came out of cutover with very few tickets. In a hospital, printing is one of those systems that only gets noticed when it fails.

    That was one of the first moments when it became harder to argue with myself. I might not have had the perfect background on paper. However, I was solving real problems. I kept critical systems running when it mattered.

    What I Learned

    What’s changed since then isn’t that the doubt disappeared. It’s that I recognize it faster. I don’t panic when it shows up. I don’t assume it means I’m failing. I’ve learned that doubt usually shows up right before I’m learning something new, not because I don’t belong.

    Later on, I learned this experience is more common than people think. That’s especially true when you’re the first in your family to navigate professional or technical spaces. It can be challenging without much context or reassurance that you’re doing it right. When you’re building a career without a roadmap, self-doubt can come with the territory. Understanding that helped me reframe my experience. It wasn’t a personal failure. It was part of the process.

    Overcoming impostor syndrome wasn’t one big breakthrough moment. It was built over time. Each problem solved. Each moment where the work spoke louder than the doubt.

    If there’s one thing I hope you take away from this, it’s that doubt doesn’t disqualify you. It usually shows up when you’re stretching, not when you’re failing. Confidence doesn’t come first. It comes after you stay long enough to see what you can actually do.

  • What Happened in 1988 | The Year I Was Born

    What Happened in 1988 | The Year I Was Born

    1988: The Year I Arrived

    I enjoy looking back at history to understand how we got here. The best way to keep the past from repeating itself is to learn from it. Sometimes that curiosity takes me to the year I was born. I’ve always wondered what was happening around me as I entered the world. 1988 feels like it landed right at the edge of a shift.

    Looking back, the world still felt tense, carrying cracks from earlier decades. Big moments were unfolding quietly, even as everyday life stayed very analog.

    A few snapshots from 1988

    • The Cold War was slowly moving toward its end after decades of rivalry and standoff.
    • George H. W. Bush was elected president, promising steadiness after the Reagan years.
    • The early ideas that would shape the internet were forming, even if few people noticed.
    • Home computers were becoming more common, but most life still happened offline.
    • Movies, music, and TV required waiting, which made new releases feel like real events.

    What that year shaped

    Being born in 1988 meant growing up during a transition. Childhood felt slower and less crowded. Information didn’t chase you. You had to go looking for it.

    Most kids today wouldn’t recognize the experience of waiting for a song to play on the radio. They also wouldn’t know what it was like going to the library to finish a school paper. Shows aired once a week. There wasn’t any binge-watching. And that’s not even the tip of the iceberg.

    I’m grateful I experienced that time as a child because it taught me patience. If you missed something, you missed it. If you wanted to learn more, you had to ask someone or go to the library.

    As technology sped up, people adapted. Still, those early years left a mark. I notice it in how I like things clear, simple, and intentional. I still write in a notebook with a pen, in cursive. Most of those things are slowly being phased out in favor of digital alternatives.

    A small nostalgia corner

    • Movie: Die Hard (Yes! this is a Christmas movie)
    • Song: “Faith” by George Michael
    • TV show: The Wonder Years

    Looking back at 1988 reminds me how much has changed and how much still matters.

    If you were born that year, or even a different one, what stands out when you look back?

  • Simple Low-Sugar Grocery Staples I Always Buy

    Simple Low-Sugar Grocery Staples I Always Buy

    Low sugar staples I buy on repeat

    My wife does the grocery shopping, and once a week she asks, “What do you want from the store?” I keep it simple and send the same short list. Not exciting, but it works.

    How I pick my staples

    I am not constantly trying new things. If something works for me, I stick with it.

    After 5 years post-op bariatric, low to zero sugar is just my normal now. Regular sugar stuff tastes too sweet to me, so I don’t reach for it.

    My top 5 items and how I use them

    Coffee-mate Coconut Creamer – Zero Sugar

    This is my go-to coffee upgrade. I have an espresso machine with an automatic milk steamer. I mix a little of this creamer with almond milk. Then, I steam it. First, I pull a double shot. Next, I add the warm milk. Finally, I finish with stevia to bump the sweetness just a notch for a coconut paradise in a cup.

    Chobani Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt

    This is my everyday breakfast go-to, slightly because I am a creature of habit. But when I want to meet my protein goals, I mix in protein powder. Then I top it with protein granola for an added crunch.

    Simms Steakhouse Recipe Steak Strips

    This is hands down the best jerky I have had in a long time. The steak strips are tender, not overly chewy or hard. It hits that sweet spot, because who actually wants to feel like they are chewing on a leather belt? I usually have this as a late night snack.

    Coke Zero

    Before surgery, I was a heavy soda drinker and a huge Coke fan. Something about a cold Coke in a can just hits, especially that throat burn. I know that sounds weird to some people, but it is part of the whole experience.

    I never really liked Diet Coke, but Coke Zero is the closest to the full throttle version I have found. It tastes the same or very close to it.

    4C Zero Sugar Decaf Iced Tea Mix

    This is my all-day drink. I make it every morning in my 64-oz water jug and keep it with me the whole day. The best way I can meet my hydration goals.

    I get the decaf version on purpose. I already downed a double shot earlier in the day. I don’t want to overdo it on caffeine. Even though I swear caffeine barely affects me like most people.

    Final thoughts

    None of this is complicated. These are just the things I use, finish, and ask for again. They work for me, so I stick with them.

    If you have one grocery item you buy on repeat, I am curious what it is. Drop it in the comments.

  • Personal Mission Statement

    Personal Mission Statement

    Why I Write the Way I Do

    In my experience, most people are not looking for long posts. With how fast everything moves now, people want something that hits quick, feels real, and skips the fluff.

    How a Personal Mission Statement Took Shape

    Reading Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is what made me want a personal mission statement. It reminded me to cut the noise and get clear on what I’m working toward as a writer. Since then, I’ve been paying more attention to what I include and what I leave out. I want it clear and to the point.

    What Guides My Writing

    So I started with the basics. Right now, I see myself as a writer, a creator, and a learner.

    Then I asked myself what I want that to look like, what I actually want to be known for, and I kept coming back to clarity, usefulness, and growth.

    The Filter I Use Before I Publish

    From there, the rest fell into place. When I sit down to write or decide what I want to share, I run it through a simple filter.

    • Is this clear.
    • Is it useful.
    • Does it help someone grow, even a little.

    So that is the point of my blog posts. Simple writing, clear ideas, and something you can actually use. If you are here for that, you are in the right place.