Software Developer Mindset

If you're curious about how the author of this website thinks about development, and how to get in the right headspace to do it, read on.

Thinking Like a Developer

A software developer has to figure software problems out. That's what you're paid to do.

A lot of my work as a consultant has been about figuring out things which are in a 'stuck' state - and then moving them out of it.

Until I force things into shape, I can't say that thinking about how to get unstuck is always pleasant.

It can feel like trying to wrestle a large lump into something manageable. It's not easy.

I've learned that having a good mindset helps.

Building a Good Mindset

A good mindset means being able to work steadily, without undue interruptions or breaks.

A good mindset means being able to recover if something goes wrong, and being ready if you need to wing it.

A good mindset means having the focus and initiative to analyze a situation, see how to improve it, and then do it.

It's about the mentality that makes it possible to react in a helpful way.

It helps to have an even emotional keel. To be able to use your emotions to harmonize with your work, and then do it better.

It helps to be resilient, to adjust as the situation does, however randomly.

Finally, there's staying positive and keeping at it, the opposite of giving up.

Having the Right Feedback Loops

It's helpful for your emotions and your work to be on the same feedback loop.

So, if you're making progress on work tasks, and that needle is moving forward, emotionally, you should feel better. If you're slipping behind, it's okay to feel worse (within reason).

As I started thinking about how I thought and felt, internally, during a work day, I noticed how out of sync I could get.

Often I didn't feel much of anything, except a dry sense of duty.

But by thinking about it, by thinking about where I was headed and how the work I was doing would help to get me there, I could push things to a better place.

Tracking Your Emotions

I noticed my emotions were often on a completely different track at work.

I might not feel much of anything during the day, then I'd call a friend or watch a movie and that would be 95% of the emotion I felt that day.

If you think in terms of the feedback loop - that's off of it.

So getting the feedback loop to work is its own problem.

Getting the feedback loop to kick in, even on a small scale, is always beneficial. Getting the gradient of emotions to match it is too.

No matter what, I can always celebrate good work. If I can make rough but consistent progress in the right direction, then I'll get there.

Catching and Fixing Mistakes

I noticed that I could notice when I wasn't making any work progress. I could work to catch a crisis and resolve it in the moment.

Say I was on social media when I made the observation: I'm not moving closer to my work goals.

I might not be able to solve a big work problem in one go, but I could notice I was distracted, stop what I was doing in the moment, and get back to it.

Then, I could focus on doing one small thing, then and there, to advance my work goals.

If I write a blog post, or watch a work video, then doing that over and over, will, in the long run, accomplish my goals.

That's significant.

You can go from totally unproductive, to mildly productive, in one day, with some focus on your attention.

Valuing Your Time

Time is precious. You'll never get it back.

With that in mind, I learned to manage my time more proactively to get more done.

Instead of making it an epic struggle, I broke it down into small pieces I could take on in 10 minutes.

I've been more productive since I've started doing this.

And when it comes to productivity, I strongly believe the perfect is the enemy of the good. Every step forward helps.

How The Right Mindset Can Help You

To be able to work, consistently, at a decent rate, over time, is rare. It's not a skill that's universally common in the workforce.

This is where I notice a difference between the language we use to describe the workforce and the reality of it.

In the language we hear about the workforce, everyone, from bottom to top, is giving one hundred percent.

The reality: people try, but there is a modest limit to how hard and how seriously, in general.

I'm not talking about work outside standard hours here. I'm also not talking about workplaces I haven't seen.

But in the average modern workplace, surveying all the employees as a whole, there is a standard of work which a hard-working person can beat.

Taking the Wins

The modern workplace needs good workers. You can advance if you're consistent and apply yourself.

Being able to actually work like that, and then putting in a little extra effort, will put you at the front of the line - a good place to be.

These steps have helped me to achieve an amount of professional success.

I sincerely hope they help any readers out there too.