So What?
A boat was docked in a tiny Mexican fishing village.
A tourist complimented the local fishermen on the quality of their fish and… asked how long it took to catch them.
“Not very long” they answered in unison.
“Why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?”
The fishermen explained that their small catches were sufficient to meet their needs and those of their families.
“But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
“We sleep late, fish a little, play with our children, and take siestas with our wives. In the evenings, we go into the village to see our friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. We have a full life.”
The tourist interrupted, “I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.”
“And after that?”
“With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City!!! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise.”
“How long would that take?”
“Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years.” replied the tourist.
“And after that?”
“Afterwards? Well my friend, that’s when it gets really interesting,” answered the tourist, laughing. “When your business gets really big, you can start buying and selling stocks and make millions!”
“Millions? Really? And after that?” asked the fishermen.
“After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends.”
“With all due respect sir, but that’s exactly what we are doing now. So what’s the point wasting twenty-five years?” asked the Mexicans.
And the moral of this story is: Know where you’re going in life, you may already be there! Many times in life, money is not everything.
“Live your life before life becomes lifeless”
So???
Now that we know the story and importance of having goals, let jump into what does this has to do with software world. The Fisherman story can be related to being a software engineer in several ways, drawing valuable lessons that can guide one's approach to work and life in the tech industry:
Focus on What Truly Matters: Just like the fisherman in the story, software engineers should focus on what truly matters in their work. It's essential to identify and prioritize the core aspects of a project or task and avoid getting lost in unnecessary complexities or pursuing endless features. By maintaining a clear vision, engineers can deliver valuable solutions efficiently.
Embrace Simplicity: The fisherman's simple and contented life mirrors the importance of embracing simplicity in software engineering. Striving for elegant and straightforward solutions can make code easier to understand, maintain, and scale. Complexity should be minimized, and engineers should always seek simplicity without sacrificing functionality.
Balance Work and Life: The story encourages software engineers to find a healthy work-life balance. While ambition and career growth are essential, it's equally crucial to take breaks, enjoy personal time, and engage in hobbies outside of coding. This balance promotes mental well-being, creativity, and a sustainable career.
Be Present and Appreciate Moments: The fisherman's ability to enjoy the present moment and appreciate the beauty around him serves as a reminder for software engineers to be present in their work. When faced with challenges or deadlines, taking a step back, appreciating accomplishments, and celebrating small victories can boost motivation and morale.
Avoid the Trap of "More": The fisherman's recurring question, "And then what?" highlights the danger of an endless pursuit of more—more features, more projects, more lines of code. Instead, engineers should focus on delivering value and not fall into the trap of building for the sake of building.
Value Experience and Wisdom: The fisherman's contentment and wisdom reflect the importance of valuing experience and learning from others in the field. Senior engineers can pass on valuable lessons to younger ones, and developers can benefit from seeking advice and mentorship to grow professionally.
Take Time for Reflection: Regular retrospectives and self-reflection can help engineers assess their progress, identify areas for improvement, and fine-tune their development process. Just as the fisherman took time to mend his nets, software engineers can take time to improve their skills and code quality.
Now What?
In order to apply these points, you must answer the below question.
Why are you doing what you do? to what end?
Transparency and honesty are essential in our communication and understanding so please let's be upfront and honest with ourselves.
For example : ask yourself why would I want to become a software engineer, or a backend developer or a blockchain engineer or etc ...??
Try to answer this precision. if you answer this question honestly you will realize what needs to be done in order to make it happen and it tells you what to do next.
Certainly, there are multiple valid ways to address this question, but our answers will always stay within certain boundaries.
The start point, Which I call it the great zone, is where everything is ideal in your mind for you to start and become (a software engineer or anythingy you imagined) and this great zone is nothing when the answer is I like what I'm doing.
When you genuinely find joy in what you do, it transcends being just a job, task, or obligation. Instead, it becomes a source of fun and fulfillment. Your passion drives you to strive for excellence, and this is where exponential growth truly occurs.
And there is a dead zone, end point, which things are hard to do, and you don't like them but you might be good at doing specific things but it's just not fun and you don't enjoy it. Indeed, there exists a dead zone or end point where certain tasks become challenging and unenjoyable. While you may possess the skill to perform these specific tasks proficiently, they lack the element of fun and enjoyment and this is where you get the least out of it.
For instance, let's consider someone who aspires to become a software engineer or a doctor solely for the allure of high salaries. It's indeed concerning to encounter a doctor who chose the profession merely for financial gains. Trust becomes an issue, and the likelihood of that person being solely motivated by money raises doubts about their commitment to being a competent and caring professional.
Likewise, the same applies to software engineers who enter the industry solely driven by monetary gains. Trust becomes a concern as their primary focus appears to be financial rewards rather than genuine passion for the craft. Such individuals may not prove to be effective team players, as their main concern revolves around money rather than contributing meaningfully to the team's success.
Book suggestion : The Why Café by Book by John Strelecky