Maximizing a Growth Mindset as a Programmer
Being a programmer is if not one of the most enjoyable fields of profession because of the diversity it holds; month in, month out, a different challenge is on your hands. Today you might need to use python as a core of a project, and the next day, you just might have to be a part of a project that has PHP as the core development language.
Programming has many advantages to it including flexibility, job opportunities and a platform to exhibit creativity, problem solving, you name it. It is a very important sector as everyday problems can be solved using programs. As an addition, there is probably almost no feeling compared to that of building a solution to a dire problem and watching that solution impact on other’s lives, so, yes, it is worth the sleepless nights.
However, to be a good programmer, you have to learn your programs, frameworks & tools, always be ready for actionable feedback, set goals & milestones and collaborate.
Unlearn and/to relearn
Technology/programming as I earlier mentioned is a very diverse field; with approaches deprecating every now and then and therefore we have to move along with the wave. This causes us to have to continuously adapt.
I recently finished my pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering and by the time I got out of the university, I thought I was ready for the “real-world” challenges, mostly because I approached my final year project with passion and commitment; but boy was I wrong. I knew nothing!
I realized this when I enrolled for a “Bootcamp” with Andela Uganda. The Bootcamp is a two week program involving challenges to deliver products/programs according to specification/requirements, while considering DEADLINES 😰.
I have learnt that programming is not only about writing great programs; but a mixture of elements such as collaboration, timeliness, versioning, and project management. All the mentioned elements are achieved using tools, which tools I did not know and had to learn; git being the hardest to adopt to.
Away from the tools, I had to learn and I am still learning to program using languages like python to build web applications. This has been a crazy experience and did I not have the drive, I would not have made it this far.
I have had to deliver output in a short period of time and however much balancing tasks has been my greatest struggle, I have had to sacrifice time to accomplish what is expected of me, so that I can reach my ultimate goal; being a full stack web developer.
To achieve the above tasks, or any other tasks as a developer, it is very essential to incorporate a growth mindset into daily activities: responding to feedback, striving for excellence, accepting that you are still a learner so that there is room to learn, setting goals, among others.
At the end of the day, being goal oriented and having a growth mindset are choices; which choices can definitely and positively influence your approach and output.
