Dear Dev,
You wanted to change the world, then reached out into the universe to acquire a skill, more divine than mundane. You shot strong, you leapt hard to acquire that which was yours. You sought to show the heavens that man too could fly — that the sons of the earth too could sleep on the bedding of clouds. You knew the science to be true. Having reaped her dividends, you sought too to learn of her essence. You have learnt the tongue of machines and the hymns of metal. What now is your next step? What principles could you keep at heart to maintain and keep to mind this vital skill?
Organization is key
Be it planning as simple as sticking notes to a wall, or a digital alternative as abstract as having lists holding cards, maintain a system of history-keeping and forward-planning. Use this system to properly set out your objectives as you intend to achieve them — staying true to an essential order and rhythm. The balance of this organization will help to keep track of achieved tasks and objectives, and also too to know the upcoming sequence of tasks and learnings to overcome.
The only stack is efficiency
Keep true to your pillars of strength. Any tool within a technological scope could solve any relevant problem. Keep true to a language of choice; for it is true too that while a mind might speak many a language, one too must hold firm as native. This language of choice must be flexible enough to answer the unique challenges in your field of choice. The only stack you should ever consider is your unique set of tool combinations relevant to solving any relative task. Stay true to this, and grow your strength. For in the fundamentals learnt of this, any other language can be acquired.
Balance
This might be the hardest bridge to cross. Yet for as much as one wants to acquire knowledge, rest too is important. Take a day of the week to heal and rest — take two half-days if that works for you. What is essential here, is that one resets after a period of strenuous work. Peace comes to those who seek her, and peace of mind is her reward. Take breaks (essentially). Burnout is real and conquers the sturdiest mountains.
Originally written on April 12, 2020.
