Too often do we take part in discussions about topics we actually don't no much about. Especially on the internet. And especially during the pandemic. I would have loved to have heard the following sentence more often: "I do not know".
We're all experts at something, but none of us are experts at everything. So please join me in this little practice of telling us – but even more importantly yourself – what you no nothing about.
This can be something you still want to learn but also something you will probably never learn. This can be about programming, obviously, but doesn't have to be.
Bonus challenge
As a bonus, think about people who do have the skills you find yourself missing. Or think about people, maybe your colleagues, that you believe are more successful than you are. Focus on your feelings towards them. Do you admire them? Or do you maybe also experience some envy? Just ponder on these emotions for a while and see how they mix. Simply being aware of these feelings will help you become more professional. Just acknowledge that you don't know everything. There will always be someone who can do something better than you can. And that's okay. It's perfectly fine.
Allow yourself to be passionate about your work but aim for a professional detachment. You are not your work.
Top comments (1)
Okay, I go first!
1) 3D Animations: I've been a web developer for over a decade now. And while I've occasionally animated some SVGs, I have never even worked with a Canvas element, let alone developed some 3D rendering. I would like to learn that, but so far my projects didn't require it, so I haven't had the time.
2) Drawing: I've also been an interface designer for years now. I know design is not illustration or art. But I feel like many, if not even most designers are also artistically talented and can draw at least to some degree. I can't. I know what looks good, I know the tools and techniques, but I have never spent much time drawing things to any good at it. It's good enough for sketches, but that's it. And somehow I don't think I will ever learn it.
3) Hardcore Programming: I've always admired people that are diving to the very core of programming to develop their own programming languages drivers for hardware or even entire operating systems. It looks so difficult from the outside that I'm really amazed, any time I get a glimpse at the stuff they're doing. I know, that my talents lie elsewhere, but it's still something, I would at least like to experiment with. Just to get a greater understanding.