The thing that you are most comfortable with that you do the best.
Steve Vai
First as always i hope everyone is safe. Second this blog is out of band so to speak. This question was posited to me during a technical discussion with some great folks whom i had just met and we were discussing re-tooling and scaling enterprise systems.
Completely almost non-sequitur this executive asked:
Q: What do you think you are good at?
There isnt too many times when i am personally caught off gaurd but i stopped and replied “Well that is a great question. So good in fact i am going to write a blog if you dont mind. “
Which then got me to thinking:
Q: If you really truly love what you are doing is it really work?
Not at all.
This goes along with several of the blogs i have done in the past concerning – What Is IT You Truly Want?
So without any hubris or narcissism as far as i know or have been told what i am good at is the following:
Evidently, i have an uncanny ability to see what needs to be built with the right team and at a pretty good time or within a certain timeframe.
The other thing i am supposedly good at is getting people aligned and excited around a common vision to execute said code base or system(s).
i also take the title CTO very seriously. i do pride myself on keeping up with technology. i attempt to find out what works and what does not work. Mathematics and Software completely and unequivocally enthrall me. i am always either reading a book, paper or blog on a technical subject. i don’t really keep up with the normal outside world. So i can’t really comment on sports, movies, or the daily news. Ergo i don’t go around chasing fads however many times you do have to create net new warez. i tend to go deep on technical subjects before i bring them into an organization.
Really after thinking about all of this is it useful? After thinking more about it i really cannot say at this time. Maybe it’s an occupational hazard nowadays. However, it is what i maybe think i am good at so to speak.
However, i can assure you that holding that mirror up to yourself and looking deep into it is an exercise we should all do on a daily basis. As the famous song lyric goes “Chickity-check yo’ self before you wreck yo’ self”.
So finding out what you are really good at and strengthening that creates a self-perpetuating system. It has been said You Are Your Best Charity. If you truly enjoy what you are doing then it really isn’t work is it? This allows you to concentrate on what you are good at and then in turn Amplifying_OthersTM.
Find Your Passion At All Costs.
Become the system You are creating.
Then IT will naturally happen.
I posted this video of Steve Vai a long time ago in another blog and in another life. i ran across it while taking a break at 2:30 AM EST working on a very serious bug with a company i co-founded. It paused me. i always come back to it. While this is supposedly a master class with Steve Vai he never talks about guitar technique but 1rather how to be successful (really at anything).
Possibly the only thing that i think is more amazing than creating software is music creation. Here is Mr. Steve Vai doing what he does best. Do yourself a favor, watch and listen. i’ll hopefully be seeing him soon in Charleston, SC.
Would love some comments and feedback on this blog. While it is short i have to tell you it was difficult to type those couple of sentences.
Until Then,
#iwishyouwater <- Will Trubridge 60M Freedive in 60 seconds
Muzak To Blog By: Steve Vai.