Staying Motivated as a Developer

I've been working professionally as a software developer for three years and as a hobbyist for two years prior to that. Ever since I started, I've been keenly invested in learning various web technologies. When I first began, I dove deeply into topics that were far beyond my grasp before mastering the basics (CSS, HTML, JS). This significantly slowed me down during the first three months, as I got trapped in tutorial hell, and it almost led me to quit altogether. The feeling of imposter syndrome was strong in me—and it still is. Over the past year, though, I’ve started to feel less like an imposter and more like a sloth. Let me explain…

We are all accustomed to that honeymoon phase when we first start a project or enter a new relationship—whichever suits your fancy. That honeymoon phase is filled with motivation and excitement. It’s all we think about, and we’re always eager to return to work or go on another date. The problem is that this feeling eventually wears off, leaving us with monotony or extremely difficult challenges. This can lead to feelings of sloth or laziness, as the energy we initially had dissipates and our momentum crashes. This dreadful feeling is exacerbated when we approach the end of a project, where bug reports and sometimes major changes arise. Just when we think we’re done and can move on to something more enjoyable and exciting, we’re hit with the last 10% of a project. This can kill our love for programming and destroy our motivation. When this happens often enough and we don’t change our approach, people often quit the industry. Those who push through these challenges will eventually experience something truly remarkable: mastery and a relentless attitude toward growth.

I’m still early in my career, but I have a strong sense that if I'm persistent and continue to develop my learning strategy, I’ll reap the benefits over time. My experiences have taught me that everything I learn is relevant and makes me a better developer and person. Here are a few insights I’ve gained:

1. Technologies are just tools for achieving an outcome.
2. Getting something done is more important than getting it done perfectly.
3. Planning for a project is more important than starting it.
4. Talking through problems, rather than trying to solve them alone, can be invaluable—especially the really tough ones—because someone else may have encountered the same problem and can point you in the right direction.
5. Having side projects within domains that interest you is important for motivating yourself.
6. Taking time away from work to do other things is important (I love bouldering and climbing!).
7. Socializing with people outside of work helps you see the world and yourself from different perspectives.

These aren’t lessons you can learn in a day or two; they require time and plenty of practice. I’m still learning, failing, and striving to improve in these areas. I hope to eventually succeed at these more than I fail. One thing I think everyone should keep in mind is that if you receive positive feedback, please take it to heart and don’t be too hard on yourself.