Attitude

Let me preface this chapter by say that can totally take or leave my advice. As with this whole book, I’m just here to say what has worked for me and made me enjoy my teams more.

Attitude is important in CS. Sometimes I think that this is the crucial thing that differentiates a computer scientist from other people, even if they know how to code.

Since I started coding at a young age, I grew up with friends who would always be worried about what they were going to do after high school, and they would always ask me for inspiration. I would simply say computer science, because I knew at that point and had a dream. Those friends would often give coding an honest effort and be able to code, but never really enjoyed it. It’s not to say those friends couldn’t have learned the mindset and the field - some of these friends I know are now studying neuroscience and psychology, and I’m sure they’re going to go great places in their careers. But whether or not they wanted to commit their life to the ups and downs of coding is a different question, and one they probably answered well.

When I’m asked for advice by high schoolers or undecided majors on going into CS, I tell them it can be great, but I make it abundantly clear what they’re getting into. I’ll tell them how they need the right attitude, mindset, and a lot of patience.

Empathy

I used to have the line “empathy over genius” plastered all over my website. While this may have been a little bit extreme, the point I was trying to make was that if you can understand and work with people, the genius relating to the code isn’t the important part.

Empathy is defined as: the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. In this context, I am using empathy by definition but also adding ideas of soft skills and compassion.

This is the hardest thing to learn for computer scientists (or anyone, for that matter). We’re taught and wired to systemize rather than empathize. We solve problems, and problems with people are usually much harder, so we would rather solve those problems with machines.

A lot of people say you can’t learn soft skills and that many come innately. Whether or not this is true, I truly believe you can learn a lot of soft skills with a lot of practice. The results may not be immediate, but you will get better over many years.

Start by asking someone how they’re doing, and truly listen. Notice how their face changes in relation to new information. Did you say something funny? Did you say something hurtful? Notice these things and reflect on them.

I’m sure there are plenty of other guides and books and people in the world who could help with this. But just stay curious about yourself and others, and aim to care about others. It goes a long way.

Remember where you came from

So many computer scientists I know are so humble and modest that I questioned even writing this section. But you’re bound to get a few big egos every now and then. Whether it’s because they invented some great technology or startup or maybe they make three figures more than you, these people are sometimes not great to work with. Sometimes they are, it depends.

So, here’s my two cents on being humble: Try to stay grounded. Remember when you could barely write a line of code, and remember those people who took you under their wing and showed you the ropes. I think this is especially important so that we can bring new people and new ideas into the field. It rarely ever hurts to be humble.

You’re probably better than a lot of people in some ways. And a lot worse in others. And equivalent in others. That’s just life. You might have a lot to say about one thing, but on another topic, you might just take the backseat and let the expert explain.

Perseverance

I probably don’t need a chapter on this either, as this is a universal experience at this point throughout many professions. But beyond just perseverance, perseverance with patience seems to be the key while coding.

Yes, your code will break. Yes, you will be angry, frustrated, and/or disappointed. But if you can be patient and recognize that it will get better if you put your mind to it, you will succeed. If you can believe this, you can also inspire your team to work through the hard things and be patient as you develop something great over time.

Growth Mindset

Growth mindset, simply stated, is a learner’s belief that their intelligence can expand and develop. In contrast, fixed mindset is a learner’s belief that their intelligence is a fixed, immutable trait. - Stanford/Carol Dweck

I think growth mindset is also something you’ve probably heard of by now and is universal across all professions. But if not, read up! Your intelligence is not fixed. Your beliefs aren’t fixed either. You can grow and change, and that’s the beauty of life.

There will be things you don’t know. Always. Forever. And you have to believe that you have the ability to learn it, even when it seems like rocket science. Start small, put in the time, and you’ll get there.

Perhaps a more cynical view of growth: adapt before you’re left behind! Or, even better, keep an open mind toward new people, new teams, and new technologies. CS as a field always moves forward quickly, whether it’s a groundbreaking discovery like generative AI or a new JavaScript framework. A growth mindset will help you drive forward into the unknown.