first, clean up the mess (Weekly Newsletter, May 7th, 2025)

If your life is a mess, your developer career will be a mess.

A few days ago, Bogdan and I were checking on our students.

We wanted to find out the difference between the developers who got amazing results…

And the ones who did just okay.

Guess what?

The difference was that developers who succeeded actually completed the program!

The others were just cherry-picking different sections or doing nothing at all.

Instead of making cooler materials, we realized….

It doesn’t matter how good the training is if people don’t do it!

The worse part is people wanted to do it…

But they couldn’t stick to it.

Mainly because their lives were so chaotic!

They subscribed to 50 different newsletters… Listened to 15 different podcasts… Started 3 new courses… Checking out 2 new frameworks… And thinking to start learning a new one!

The result was mediocre progress in 50 different directions.

Knowing about everything but mastering nothing.

We’ve been conditioned to believe that the grass is always greener on the other side. The answer to all your problems is something new.

Something that will change everything. It used to be a new JS framework.

Now, the shiny object of the moment are LLMs or "AI".

False.

The grass is not greener on the other side.

It is greener when you water it.

The best framework or programming language is the one you commit to. The one you are disciplined enough to master.

So right now, Bogdan is putting together a new module.

It is not about React, Kubernetes or AI-coding… But about how to clean up the chaos in your life… And get your dev career back on track!

Here are a few hints in no particular order:

1. Keep a clean email inbox, unsubscribe if it doesn’t add you value
2. Clean your desktop
3. Limit social media (use a feed blocker and please delete TikTok)
4. Have only ONE main goal at any given time
5. Block “deep work” time, use software like SelfControl to block distracting applications
6. Keep a shiny object list, where you add stuff that you might or might not check out later
7. Get at least 7 hours of sleep
8. Don’t eat sugars before going to bed (best don’t eat at all 3 hrs before)
9. Don’t use screens 1hr before going to sleep
10. Move a bit every day, it will release anxiety and make it easier to focus (it improves the executive part of the brain)
11. Hang out with people instead of screens
12. Remember nothing is as good or as bad as it seems, be a stoic
    

I could add more items, like getting rid of people who bring chaos in your life or meditating.

For now, this is a good starting point.

But Dragos, what does this have to do with being a better software engineer?

My friend, it has everything to do!

Being able to focus when everyone else is so distracted will put you 10 steps ahead!

Now the call to action.

This Friday I am packing up for Spain, meaning I can only take calls today and tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Software Mastery Mentorship spots are flying... And I am begging Bogdan to extend our limit from 5 to 8 so we can take more people in.

He agreed, but only in May.

Do you also want to become a “recession-proof” Senior dev?

Book a chat with me here and let’s see if we can help you.

(if by the time you book a call, we run out of spots, we might be able to get you on the waiting list so you are first when we next open)

In the meantime, clean up your life…

So, if we get the chance to work together, you will be able to give your very best!

‍

Your one and only,

Dragos

P.S. We always talk about “the fundamentals” on this email. Has it occurred to you that all programming is in the end is only functions and data? Data is the "stuff" we want to manipulate, and functions are rules on how to manipulate that data. What makes it complicated is all those elements interacting together and adding more and more abstractions to it. But more on that in another email. Stay cool :)

P.S. This idea about procedures and data is nothing new. I stole it from "Structure and
Interpretation of Computer Programs" by Harold Abelson and Gerald Jay Sussman with Julie Sussman.