The labels you attach to yourself

Before, I labeled myself as a craftsman. One who writes code in beautiful prose. This is good but it’ll take me a lot of code revisions in order to arrive at something that I can be happy with. The problem is—deliverables getting delayed—not good.

I then changed my label to pragmatist. One who get shit done in a pragmatic way. This has helped me remove my attachment to my code and just do what is necessary to solve the problem in a direct way, without overly complicating things, in a minimal amount of time but this has left a hole in my soul as a programmer. It feels like I am just grinding.

I always considered myself as a journeyman, like in the ancient times. The one who wanders off learning, taking time to deepen his skills. It’s our identity as a programmer—learning, solving and building stuff.

Being pragmatist killed that. It looks like there are no silver bullets.

Watching this scene in Game of Thrones made me realize that I don’t have to choose between a craftsman or a pragmatist but instead become a hybrid.

Game of Thrones choosing

You don’t have to choose. You are a Greyjoy and a Stark.

It means, if time is not a constraint then we can indulge in our code beautifying it or else just get that shit done!


Join my newsletter and get monthly articles on productivity, habits, and decision making in your inbox.