Education
Every day is an opportunity to learn something new.
Quote category six in the Desktop Don Reference (DDR) is about Education. There is so much out there in the world to learn. We just have to go find it and learn it.
Education
With so much to learn in the world, there is the challenge of deciding what and where to learn. Education doesn’t have to be strictly formal, like at a university or through an online course. We can learn stuff…
- in meetings
- pair programming
- in code reviews
- having coffee or going to lunch
- reading, writing, teaching
- doing
- listening
The following are the three quotes from the Education category with an explanation for each.
Learn something new every day.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said “Knowledge is when you learn something new every day. Wisdom is when you let something go every day.” I found and read this quote for the first time, today. I had previously been unable to attribute the quote in the DDR. I have updated the DDR.
What does it mean to me?
We are the product of what we know. The more we learn, the more we can teach. The more we teach, the more we can learn. The more we gain knowledge, the more we can identify the important stuff and develop wisdom. I like to say that I’ve forgotten more than I know. I’ve had a lot of time to think deeply about things I have learned over the past five decades. The most important thing I’ve learned is that I have not learned nearly enough. Tomorrow is another day to learn something new.
You can’t listen when you’re talking.
Ernest Hemingway said “When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.” Another quote that Google helped me find today so I can attribute it in the DDR.
What does it mean to me?
Shut the hell up! Let someone else speak, and listen intently. Many senior engineers, myself included, love eagerly sharing their thoughts and knowledge. This is a trap. We miss out on so many opportunities to learn things about others when we dominate a conversation. Give everyone, especially junior developers, a platform to share their thoughts and knowledge. We all learn a lot more when everyone is able to share their voice and be listened to.
There is always someone smarter — find them and learn from them!
Confucius apparently said something along the lines of “If you are the smartest person in the room, then you are in the wrong room.” I have not been able to attribute my version of the quote, but it aligns well with the saying from Confucius. I think we all hear from a young age that there will always be someone smarter, richer, prettier. This is sometimes an early lesson in humility, and that we should be the best version of ourself, and not worry about how we compare to others.
What does it mean to me?
I like to play tennis with players who are better than me. Better tennis players help me up my game. I like to be the least smart person in the room. This makes sure I am in the position to learn the most. The trick is to find the best rooms for you to be in. Imposter syndrome can be difficult to overcome here. If you are invited to a room with super smart people to help make decisions, it is probably because you know something useful and have earned your place. Believe in yourself, and maximize your opportunity to learn.
Do not be afraid to put your ignorance on a topic on public display. If you try too hard to cover up your ignorance with fancy words and hand gestures, smart people will know, and they may not invite you the rooms they are in to learn from them.
My favorite way to learn is for developers to review my code. I sometimes have multiple folks review my code. When I put code in a blog, then everyone who reads it potentially becomes someone who can review and provide me feedback.
Education is much more important than adulation.
That’s all for Education
I hope you enjoyed the read, and will stay tuned for category number seven: The Future. If you haven’t already, you can read about categories one through five: Simplicity , Quality , Process, Time and Teamwork.
Thanks for reading!
I am the creator of and committer for the Eclipse Collections OSS project, which is managed at the Eclipse Foundation. Eclipse Collections is open for contributions.
