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Discussion on: On Coding, Ego and Attention

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miketalbot profile image
Mike Talbot ⭐ • Edited

What an excellent article, thanks for that. I completely agree that changing ones attitude and thinking pattern is vital. A problem isn't unsolvable, it's just I'm not in the right frame of mind. Or another for me - oh look mid project blues - can't get motivated, productivity is through the floor - focus on ways to be motivated - practice disciplines on myself until I get moving again. E.g. write some Dev articles so I actually finish something :)

I think mastery does involve some kind of knowledge though, knowing basic tools well helps to see further into a new problem. Basic tools become more advanced tools. Black boxing what we know so the cognitive effort is on what we don't.

Knowing you don't have the right tool sometimes or that you shouldn't just press into service that hammer for those things that might at a push, be nails, I think that's what you are getting at and yep, onboard for that.

I think fear is the big limiter too, that and guilt. I'm fine when someone finds a terrible flaw in my work, I learn, move on, am a bit annoyed at myself etc. This may have come from doing it for so long... lol

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ziizium profile image
Habdul Hazeez

I think mastery does involve some kind of knowledge though, knowing basic tools well helps to see further into a new problem. Basic tools become more advanced tools. Black boxing what we know so the cognitive effort is on what we don't.

Have you read The Process of Mastering a Skill by Azeria?

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miketalbot profile image
Mike Talbot ⭐

No but I will :)

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Jose Browne • Edited

Thanks Mike! These are great points! 100% agree that expertise does involve skill accumulation. It's just beneficial to view it as merely the accumulation of momentum to avoid slowing that learning curve. Thanks again for taking the time to read and share your thoughts 🙏🏽

Edit: You're also spot on about fear being a big factor. I actually had a section in an early draft that went into how thoughts, trigger unpleasant physical sensations like fear which are what actually get us off task.