In this Apprenticeship Pattern “Nurture Your Passion”, it explains the the importance of your passion as a software developer and how it can be exposed to situations or circumstances that can affect to maintain that passion. This pattern illustrates various ways to protect and keep that passion healthy as possible in order to prolong the enjoyment of being a software developer such as:
- Work on what you like.
- Join a local or study group that enjoys and focuses on the same things that you enjoy or want to learn more about.
- Read books that can expand your view of the field.
- Create your own path or move into an organization where your needs, asprirations, and goals can come to fruition.
“Paul Graham said, “The key to being a great hacker may be to work on what you like…. To do something well you have to love it. So to the extent that you can preserve hacking as something you love, you’re likely to do it well.”
This statement by Paul Graham was very interesting and useful to me because for me as an individual, I produce the best work when I love and enjoy what I do. There have been some instances of my life where I would not produce my best work where my state of mind does not like what I am currently doing, whether it be a class that I am taking at school or a part time job.
“To become a journeyman, you will need to have a passion for software craftsmanship. Unfortunately, your daily activities often work to diminish this passion. You might be faced with demoralizing corporate hierarchies, project death marches, abusive managers, or cynical colleagues. It’s hard for your passion to grow when exposed to such hostile conditions, but there are some basic actions you can take to sustain it.”
This is another statement that I found useful and will help me in my intended career because I understand at the end of the day, work is work, and there will always be times where deadlines, corporate needs, managers and co-workers will stress me out, which will lead to a decrease in my passion for software development, particularly video game development. However, the actions that I’ll take will help reinforce my passion to sustain the harsh natures of the work environment and to prolong my love to hone my craft.
Ricky Phan 