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It is very easy to form the wrong idea about working as a developer. The reason is that on social media, we always see the highlight reel of other developers. Also, unlike other areas, in tech, people often think they have to work/code non-stop; otherwise, they become obsolete.
This type of thinking is dangerous because working non-stop is not sustainable. On the same note, you do not become obsolete if you do not code and learn non-stop. Trying to do that only leads to health issues like burnout and more.
Thus, I am writing the article to debunk the myth of super developers that code non-stop. It makes people have unrealistic expectations, and it can lead to health issues.
The myth of super developers
It is fine to code all day every day if that is what you want. The problem appears when others try to push this idea as the norm. Most of the developers I know do not even touch the computer after work hours. Guess what? It is completely fine, and they are exceptional developers.
It is easy to fall into this trap because of social media and the constant pressure of working in tech. It feels like new tools are released every other week, and you cannot keep with them all. The good thing is that we do not have to learn everything that comes out. Choose a handful of technologies, and stick with them for a while.
Also, we tend to compare to other developers. The thing many people miss out is that the developers sharing their work online are mostly experienced developers. It is very rare when beginners share their progress. Also, nobody shares their struggles.
Therefore, my advice would be to drop the idea of becoming a super developer. Of course, if you want a balanced life.
What should we do then
While it is not wrong to work hard (quite the contrary - it is useful in some measure), you need to understand that life is more than work. If you do not want to understand this, then life will teach you. Even success does not require only hard work. Usually, success is a combination of:
- hard work
- time off
- exercising
- healthy eating
- good sleep
- having fun
It is very easy to fall into this trap. Even more, when you are a junior/beginner, and you feel like everyone is years ahead of you. You feel like you are always catching up. But never forget than success means more than only "hard work." Besides that, there is no one definition of success because success is subjective. Success means different things for people.
Conclusion
In my case, I have tried to become a super developer and became super burnt out instead. I repeat: hard work is what you need to achieve success and become a good developer. However, hard work is not the only ingredient. It is part of a much bigger recipe.
Stop comparing yourself to other developers online, and define your success. Nobody shares their struggles, and success is subjective, not objective.
Be patient, be consistent, be curious, and you can become an excellent developer and also have a beautiful life. Always remember that life is more than just work and programming.
If you enjoyed the article, consider sharing it so more people can benefit from it! Also, feel free to @ me on Twitter with your opinion.
Catalin publishes programming and software development articles on his blog.
