Solving Problems

There's nothing like the sense of accomplishment you get from solving a problem. When you're new, it's frequent that you get to solve problems. Well, maybe that's inaccurate everything you touch is a problem because you've never seen it before, you haven't learned enough yet.

Scratch, scratch, scratch your head sometimes for hours or days. Then, you get it. You've learned just enough to solve the problem and you feel accomplishment because:

1. You solved a problem
2. You learned something

Makes for a good day.

Tooting Your Horn

Software Developers are notorious introverts. There are very few who love to tell the world how good they really are at things. I'm improving, but it's not my default demeanor. It makes me uncomfortable to take credit, or to announce when I do something well. Sidebar - I'm very practiced at taking blame. I do it pretty smoothly.

People making hiring decisions, handing out assignments and deciding who's next to run the group are usually looking for great people to do those jobs. The greater the better. They are going to take the greatest one they can get (most of the time).

If they have to interrogate you to find out your level of greatness, they might take a pass. After all, the next guy in line is making it easy to find out how great he is. You don't want to bludgeon anyone over the head with self-serving arrogance, but it shouldn't be a secret either.

I try to make it part of my day to do something great, something unexpected, better than expected. The next step I have to master is making sure the right people find out about it.