Month 1 : Perhaps I’m Not The Problem Solver I Believe I Am…Yet
I’ve come to understand why some of the developers I’ve met proudly declare, ‘I’m a developer,’ even before sharing their names. In a tribute to Limpopo songstress Makhadzi, I can say that as of right now, ‘Zwanga zwa coding zwi khou ghanama’ — meaning that in terms of coding, things aren’t looking good. Don’t worry; I didn’t write this article to throw myself a pity party but, rather, to reflect.
Have you ever heard of the Dunning -Kruger effect? If your answer is no then you’re in luck because I’m about to tell you. The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias where individuals with low competence in a particular domain tend to overestimate their abilities, while those with high competence may underestimate their abilities. Essentially, it means that people who lack skill or knowledge often believe they are more skilled or knowledgeable than they are. In this case I am “people”.
I’m at the end of the first month in my nine-month web development journey, and if I were to liken it to a boxing match, the score stands at 1–0 in favor of the program, with problem-solving having landed the heaviest blows.
On one hand, it’s been incredibly exhilarating to conquer some of the coding challenges I’ve encountered. There have been moments when I cracked problems even amid slumber, much like a scientist having a eureka moment. However, this success has also led to an unintended consequence — an overestimation of my abilities and an underestimation of the complexities of web development.
To my utter surprise, just a week ago, I received an astounding 0 on a Coderbyte assessment, which tests problem-solving using a coding language (in my case, JavaScript). Today, I went into another technical assessment brimming with confidence, only to leave with my ego bruised and licking my wounds.
It’s becoming clear that the most challenging aspect of this journey isn’t just about mastering coding skills; it’s about developing grit. It’s about finding the resilience to stand up time and time again after experiencing failure. It’s about extracting valuable lessons from the smoldering remains of my confidence and using them as building blocks to reconstruct myself.
In this journey, setbacks aren’t roadblocks; they are stepping stones. Each failure is an opportunity to learn, grow, and ultimately become a stronger coder. So, I’ll keep on marching forward, fueled by determination, and embrace every challenge that comes my way, knowing that even in the face of adversity, I’m steadily becoming a better developer.
During this journey, I’ve also come to recognize the importance of taking ownership of both my successes and failures. It’s a delicate balance — not being overly critical of myself, yet also not being too lenient.
While it’s vital not to beat myself up over setbacks, it’s equally essential not to let complacency creep in. I’ve had an awakening regarding my use of platforms like HackerRank and LeetCode. I’ve grown a tad complacent, and it’s high time I reignite my commitment to self-improvement.
This moment of introspection marks a turning point. It’s a commitment to invest more time and effort in upskilling, ensuring that I don’t just tread water but make significant progress. I look forward to seeing tangible results from this renewed dedication in the months to come. Each challenge and each line of code I tackle will contribute to a brighter, more skilled version of myself.
Here’s to forging a grit-growth mindset and finding my balance.
Here’s to introducing myself by my profession first before telling people my name😉.