It just hit me a few minutes ago, that I can name precisely 3 sources for my recent inspirations and growth as a developer.
..oh, you want me to actually tell you? ok. Ayende (blog), Rob Conery (blog), and Ruby on Rails. It comes in the form of new ways of thinking, new (to me) technology like NoSQL, and understanding good principles and concepts like REST. Interestingly, Rob intersects with Rails in his use of it for both his blog and TekPub. Rob and Ayende intersect regarding TekPub content and NoSQL. I think the major common denominator is NoSQL, but there is also the dynamic nature of Ruby itself. Ayende wrote a DSL book which I’m a fan of. It used Boo to do some interesting things in .Net; things which would be possible or even easier in Ruby.
The key is the realization that some of my core coding beliefs aren’t as concrete as I had held them. Specifically SQL/RDBMS, and that static languages are best.
I’ve been on of a minor self transformation in the last couple years; challenging my own beliefs and habits to see if I can find a better way. Which I often have. It’s interesting how seemingly small changes can yield a big effect, or show how mentally dependent my thinking was on something. The classic example, was changing which pocket I kept my wallet in. What I found was I became more conscious of my wallet and whatever else I put in my pocket; instead of just an unconscious habit, I was thinking with more focus in that area.
I think that’s the key to self-improvement in general; become more focused. Doesn’t mean having to re-invent yourself. I’ve just found that removing old habits helps by taking away the crutch those present.
What’s funny is this started as a simple observation and the thought that I’m finding less to push me forward coming from Redmond. Not even in small ways. Yet it naturally evolved into some thoughts on personal growth. Seems somewhat unrelated. Or maybe not.
To more directly fan the flames, read Rob’s post.