I admit, I suck at writing New Years' type stuff and actually putting it out on New Years day. To be honest this is the second or third (or fourth) attempt. It's not that I didn't have anything to say, or I didn't like what I wrote, it's just that so much of it was un-dev related.
Most people make New Years' Resolutions (all caps) as they attempt to fix in their mind the changes they will make this year. BIGGER! HUGGGEE! As if some how all of that will make them stick with it. I applaud any attempt at self betterment. It's the only thing most of us can really effect. Typically though, they fail. Usually it's not because they didn't mean it, or didnt want it enough.
No, usually it's because they didn't take the tiny, small steps towards it, every single day.
When I decided to do the 100daysofcode challenge, even before then, I had decided to code. Every day. In the back of my mind there's always things whispering like
getadevjobmakemoremoneybehomemoreyahhhh.....
But those are not the thing that keeps me going. I decided this year I'm going to work on implementing more Systems instead of goals.
I may make some benchmarks for what I want to accomplish, but instead of focusing on these really large goals, I'm going to focus on the tiny step, one tiny step, done every single day. My system is going to be doing things day in and out, knowing that I'll improve.
There's a really great book by James Clear, called Atomic Habits, in which the author discusses this exact thing. There is also The Slight Edge, by Jeff Olson, for more bathroom reading.
When I first started to learn programming, I bought courses, and bought into "the only course you'll ever need!"(someone better hurry and trademark that!) I also put a huge amount of pressure on myself my setting unrealistic goals and the intense need to hurry up and learn so I could switch careers. Not a smart move.
This time I'm focusing on just learning, understanding, and practicing. Getting better will happen. Getting good enough to switch careers will happen. The stress to "hurry up and learn" won't.
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