Just like last year, I’m in full study mode right now. Every minute I waste doing anything else, will cost me dearly come January, so I’m not going to spend too much time on today’s newsletter. And there’s this assignment I still have to finish. It’s costing me way more time and energy than I can afford… and the bigger problem: it’s distracting me from what I ought to be doing. But it seems there’s no other choice but to do it.
In short, I’ve been under pressure lately. It’s not easy, to keep pushing yourself, to keep learning and change your own self-concept. First you’re the boy who’s good at languages, not maths. Then you put in the work, after which suddenly maths doesn’t seem so tough after all. The next moment, you have to study programming and once again, you have to change how you view yourself. Not an easy thing to do.
What makes it even more difficult, is something I’ve seen reflected in a video I watched a while back. It showed a former car salesman, talking about how he got sick of his job in sales. So, he learned how to program. Every night after work, he spent time sitting at his desk behind his computer, learning a programming language. On the surface, that all seems very inspiring and motivational – you know, all that’s missing is the Rocky theme song. At the same time however, he talked about his self-doubt – a part many would opt to leave out, when discussing all of this. He wondered what would happen if he were to spend all of this effort, with nothing to show for it in the end. Or what if he succeeded, but he never got a new job through his efforts, seeing as he wouldn’t receive a formal degree, as he was a self-taught programmer.
It’s a common fear, “What if it doesn’t work out and this turns out to be a waste of time?” Despite the many motivational videos everywhere, I wouldn’t call this type of fear irrational. On the contrary, since time is one of the most valuable assets you have, it’s rightful to be concerned you’re investing it wisely. In any case, the programmer achieved his goal eventually.
Let me make a quick comparison to a film I’ve watched time and again, The Goonies. As is the case with any type of treasure hunt, there’s a map, which tells the heroes precisely where to go, with clues to look for while they’re underway… and a description of where the treasure is hidden. And even though there’ll be challenges along the way, we know everything will turn out fine by the end. They go look for the treasure, find it, beat the bad guys and return home.
Real life isn’t quite that simple. First of all, there’s probably no treasure map hidden up in your attic. No, you have to make your own map, based upon experience and common sense. And even still, because you’re sort of trying to guess where the treasure is, perhaps you’ll go through all the work and find there wasn’t anything there after all. Therefore, it makes sense to feel some amount of doubt and worry. However, do things change by worrying over them? Probably not. All you can do, is to follow the map you’ve laid out with alll the intensity and drive you can muster… and eventually you’ll find out what the future will hold for you. Food for thought.
Kind regards
Vincent J. Dancet