A More Balanced Developer

Blog

  • #00: The best time to start is now.

    Are you looking for a sign to take that first step in your developing your first app, website, or software project? This is it. The best time to start is now.

    New beginnings means a blank slate, which means you’re free to take whatever steps you want to make it your own.

    That also means consequences.

    And oftentimes, this is the biggest threat holding you back from taking that step.

    I know. I’ve lived and struggled with it for so long that I lost opportunities thinking I wasn’t good enough or smart enough to figure it out like everyone else had.

    Even posting this is a terrifying thought.

    What if it doesn’t succeed? Or if I’m being too vulnerable? What if this is just a waste of time that I could have invested elsewhere?

    All of these are valid points. This could absolutely fail, and I may be wearing my heart on my sleeve for a developer blog that should only focus on its goal of professional improvement. For all I know, this site won’t be of use to anyone.

    But if there’s one person I can inspire to not quit, I’ll consider that a win.

    If it helps them recognize the importance of rest, that’ll make my day.

    And it’s highly possible that I could have invested my time elsewhere, absolutely.

    But this was a dream I had that I wanted to pursue until I reach that conclusion. It might not work out the way I had hoped. It may not even be all that I was expecting.

    But how will I know if I don’t try?

    Isn’t it better to have lived knowing I started now?

    It’s important to recognize that if I don’t make the first step today, I’ll never know of what I could possibly be and the potential I had inside of me.

    So don’t waste anymore of your precious time and start now. I encourage you to use some of the 86,400 seconds you may have left to complete your project.

  • #01: Non action – Still an action.

    You have a looming deadline for an important project at work, and you’re not sure if you can get it done.

    Your brain keeps racing, and you have one of these thoughts repeating itself:

    • “I’m not good or smart enough to figure this out.”
    • “I don’t feel like doing it.”
    • “I don’t belong here.”

    To make yourself look busy, you focus your attention on other tasks that may or may not have the same priority level. Maybe you waste time talking to coworkers about these projects, or end up doing more research to find that perfect solution to the original problem you can’t tackle on your own. No matter what you end up doing, you end up avoiding the critical truth that’s so hard to accept.

    Non action is still an action.

    Trust me, it’s scary to start anything, even if you’re already comfortable with completing this particular task.

    Friends, colleagues, and mentors all taught me, though, you can’t know everything. They hired you because they saw you have potential or the ability to grow into an experienced developer or specialist.

    Not doing anything doesn’t help you become the best – failures do. With a failure, you see how you can build a better foundation the next time around. Everyone, even the best, has to start at the bottom.

    If you struggle to get things done, try one or all of the following:

    • Talk to someone with more experience, even if it’s not in your field. At the least, they’ll be a listening ear. At the most, they’ll give you tips and tricks or help you hack a better solution to your bad habit.
    • Break the task into the smallest tasks possible to even make one step in progress. From here, give each a level of importance so you know what you need to complete first.
    • Let your boss or superior know you’ll be running behind. It’s better they’re aware ahead of time than catching them by surprise. Also give them an estimated time of completion to make yourself accountable.

    Don’t let anxiety of your solution not being perfect stop you. Don’t let procrastination be your partner in crime from releasing what could be the start of something great. Try to have a little more faith in yourself – your mind can play tricks on you way too often, and I’d hate to see you not reach your potential.