Software Development: A Woodworkers Perspective
About Meā¦
If you want to start reading A Woodworkerās Perspective Part 1 instead of reading this article detailing my career path to Software Developer by day and Woodworker by night, you wonāt hurt my feelings.
A bit about meā¦
Iāve always been curious about how we interact with the world. How objects, both man-made and natural, were created. As a kid, I would crack open toys to see how they were built and how the pieces interacted, sometimes destroying it in the process. I was excited to see all the pieces in a pile of rubble, what was normally hidden became a pile of new building blocks. I would attempt to learn and then use the parts in a completely new way. The way LEGOs used to beā¦
In truth, I didnāt understand a lot as a kid, but I wanted to. I studied and dabbled a lot in college. First, it chose Mechanical Engineering, then Graphic Design, then Biology, then Sculpture, then Computer Science, then Architecture, then Business, and back to an interest in Furniture Making. Needless to say, I pulled the all famous 5th-year and ended up with what I call a well rounded liberal arts degree. I used those years to find what I enjoyed, but even then, I was still naive and unsure of what to do.
Fast-forward 13 yearsā¦
Not a lot has changed. I still describe myself as a ābuilderā, and I still have an interest in all the things with a hundred ideas, hoping one day to merge them into something bigger than myself_._ For now, itās a dream. Honestly, like many others, my work has always been with an attitude, a chip on my shoulder. Whatās needed to survive and to provide? What does it take to keep moving forward? For any Luke Cage fans out there, the quote āNever backward, always forward. Always.ā comes to mind_._
Itās about the process... create ways to step away.
Iāve worked many odd jobs in my short career span. At some point in all of them, I hit a point knowing deep down it was never about that job or the type of work. Some of them were just means to an end, but you keep pushing forward. The motivating factor for me has always been the process. How can I get to a point where the results of what I create makes a difference? If I keep doing āXā and āYā where will I be in five years? Again, similar to other stories out there, I kept finding the same notes, advice, and habits each time I made a change. I soon came to the realization that itās not about the job ā itās about the process.
Currently, Iām a software engineer by day and a traditional woodworker wannabe by night. Both take time, patience, and a willingness to learn. One does not simplyā¦ pick up a chisel or start typing on a keyboard. Both are what I consider to be a craft. Although through different mediums, the approach is surprisingly the same. The practice and discipline from one reinforce the other. When speaking to new developers, the main advice I give is āDonāt try to learn everything at once.ā Find a hobby, create ways to step away, and most importantly find something that forces you to learn and engage thatās not āworkā. It should occupy your mind enough to forget about the other. When mastering a craft, itās about the process, not the outcome. Donāt burn out.
Admittedly, thatās the hard part. You want to be the best. You want to succeed. People are depending on you. Youāre running that race, but somehow always feel behind. Suddenly, youāre in your own head. When living that always forward lifestyle, people seem to forget the obvious. Itās exhausting. Itās a marathon, not a sprint, and the finish line moves. It doesnāt stop moving and neither will you if you choose. One day Iām unloading trucks, the next its building an app, and tomorrowā¦ maybe Iāll finally start building that kitchen table I sketched three years ago. Life changes. Enjoy the process, and learn from it.
In my studies as a woodworker, Iāve encountered multiple books that take on the same two questions every beginner has. āHow long did it take to master your craft?ā and āHow do I do the same?ā
Iāll be referencing a few books throughout as theyāve helped reinforced my own thoughts, and more importantly, pointed out that my crazy habits are not all that crazy. Although related to woodworking and trade, they are still relevant to any problem solver and a good weekend read. Iāve linked them below.
I plan to document and highlight some of these preferred habits and relate them to my day-to-day as a software developer. To startā¦ Letās make a box!
Books: