Why are you doing this?
Is it for money?
Is it for respect?
The fun of solving problems?
Whatever it is, I don’t judge.
Every reason is okay.
But what I want to say is, please think carefully about why you're doing this.
Because...
I think not doing that is the main reason why people fail in their coding attempts.
I learned this from a book called "Start with Why" by Simon Sinek and some videos from YouTube(of course).
It talks about why some people and companies are more creative, and influential, and make more money than others.
Sinek talks about the Golden Circle, which is three circles saying "Why," "How," and "What."
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
| Why | This is why the business exists. |
| How | This is what they do to make the "Why" happen. |
| What | This is the result of the "Why" and "How" — what they sell or offer. |
Sinek says most companies focus on "What" they do and "How" they do it, but not "Why" they do it.
But the most successful organizations start with "Why."
They inspire their employees and connect with their customers by saying their purpose first.
I agree with this.
And we can use this for learning to code:
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
| Why | This is why you want to learn to code. |
| How | This is how you learn to code. |
| What | This is what you learn from coding. |
Most of us focus on "how" and "what" but forget that the foundation of both is the "why".
The core of everything has to be a why.
We have lots of things to do but not enough time and energy to do them all, so we choose things with a strong purpose.
So if you want to spend your time and energy coding instead of doing something easier, like watching videos, you need a strong why.
Indeed, I understand that there is always a reason behind our actions.
We're not only following the crowd; rather, it's about whether that reason brings fulfilment and leaves you feeling content and satisfied and of course of a strong why.
So ask yourself:
Why am I learning to code?
And then decide if you want to continue.
Maybe you'll find there's no strong reason…
That's okay too.
By the way, today we're a strong family of 17,000+ followers, and I express my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you!
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Top comments (16)
I code these days to solve a problem whose solution isn't anywhere on the internet.
Absolutely nowhere.
That's even better.
Coding becomes especially rewarding when tackling "unique" problems that require "creative solutions."
This motivation I believe is the greatest of all.
Interestingly enough, years ago I also came across Sinek's Golden circle...and to be honest, what he says is also part of many other Agile Books.
But without noticing I started doing the same questions when gathering requirements and other parts of our CICD process. Made it much easier for everyone to understand WHY in the hell they were doing what they were doing.
I might come with a topic about that soon.
That's fascinating!
I started coding because it was fun. Now my relationship with it is a lot more complex, but I still basically do it because I like it.
Amazing!
Well, finding joy in what you do is invaluable.
Started out with wanting to make games, hopped onto schools to learn programming. Found out that you need a higher degree for game-development in most regular studio's that aren't indie.
Switched to software development. So for me currently it's more to get food on my plate, e.g., actually to buy a house in the current housing crisis we have in the Netherlands.
Thank you for sharing your journey!
It's fascinating how small interests can lead us down unexpected paths.
Wishing you success in your future projects.
Your "why" can change and evolve. If you're interested in coding and solving problems, that is a great thing, but if you're in it to make money without the passion, you might have a more challenging time.
Remember, "coding" is just a skill/tool you have; you can use and enjoy your skills and tools as you please.
Absolutely!
Thank you for sharing your insight!
What keeps me going is to keep certain projects alive and create things that no one has done before like creating a full expansion rom hack for donkey kong country 2. Sometimes, open source projects get purchased or abandoned. I want to save them by contributingand persevering them. I'll admit that sometimes I get burnt-out, and I feel imposter syndrome all the time; however, I remember why I got into coding to begin with. Money is part of it of course, but a big part is to keep things alive and have a medium to channel my logic into languages.
This speaks volumes about your passion towards this career option.
Yeah, burnout and imposter syndrome are common obstacles in the coding journey, but reminding yourself of your initial motivations should help pave the way.
Of course. That is what coding really is.
Thanks for introducing me to The Golden Circle! I really enjoyed this post.
I struggled with "Why" and was pretty miserable for some time. Fortunately, I'm rediscovering the joy of being a software engineer again. Coding is one small part of it. I I enjoy collaborating with my coworkers, each one contributing a different set of expertise and knowledge to the overall project. Not everything goes smoothly all the time, but I find a lot of pride knowing that I can tag team with my co-workers to work through challenges and help bring a project to completion.
You're very welcome!
Oh yea, the rewarding feeling!
Of course, bringing projects to completion is something to take pride in.
Thanks for sharing your journey.
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