Self Development
Nikita Malyschkin
@nmalyschkin
Nikita Malyschkin
software architect by day
philosopher by night
Javascript / Python / C++ / more
Twitter / GitHub / Telegram
@nmalyschkin
Self Development
Accumulation of knowledge and skills
Why do we learn?
Constant deprecation of knowledge
Knowledge gets non-applicable
Language and framework features get disabled
New skills needed to do the same tasks properly
Can you think of examples yourself?
What does this mean for our self development?
The more you have the more you lose
The leaky bucket of knowledge
The more you know the more you have to learn to stay on the same level
Here in Wonderland you have to run as fast as you can to stay on the same spot. And to get somewhere you have to run twice as fast.
– Queen of Hearts,
Alice in Wonderland
Experience helps us stay on the same spot
We need active self development to get somewhere
4 categories of knowledge
1. Knowledge
Things that we know
2. Potential
Things that we know of but don't know right now
3. The Void
Things that we don't know that we don't know
4. Misconception
Knowledge that we think that we know but there actually is knowledge that we don't know that we don't know
Dunning-Kruger effect
1. Knowledge
2. Potential
3. Void
4. Misconception
importance of each category for developers
1. Knowledge
Our daily bread and butter
2. Potential
Knowing of possible solutions to new problems
Knowledge that can be learned on demand
3. The Void
We want to move knowledge away from here
4. Misconception
The main source of bugs
and inefficient code
Streams of learning
2. Potential → 1. Knowledge
classic learning, I decide to learn something and learn it
- books
- online courses
- documentation
- articles
3. Void → 2. Potential
exploring new potential knowledge
finding new skills to be learned
- articles
- conferences / meetups
- chat rooms
4. Misconception → 2. Potential
resolving misconceptions, preventing future mistakes
- mistakes
- self exploration
- share experience
- giving talks / writing articles
1. Learning
Potential → Knowledge
2. Exploring
Void → Potential
3. Resolving
Misconception → Potential
Words of caution
Don't get hung up on your potential learning!
The more you know
the more there is to learn
Having much to learn
is a sign of competence
Conclusion
Be aware of deprecating knowledge
Never stop investing
in self development
Exploring new knowledge and resolving misconceptions is
as important as learning itself
Don't let your potential demotivate you
Make self development a part of your daily/weekly schedule
Conclusion
- be aware of deprecating knowledge
- never stop investing in self development
- exploring new knowledge and resolving misconceptions is as important as learning itself
- don't let your potential demotivate you
- make self development a part of your daily/weekly schedule