Things I have to remind myself as a developer
The path of a developer is rarely a straight line. Here are a few reflections on the messy, frustrating, and ultimately rewarding parts of the craft.
If you’re a developer, you probably know the feeling. You imagine building things will be a smooth process, that the code will flow, and that you’ll find a perfect tutorial for every problem.
But the reality is often more complicated. I’ve learned that most of my growth hasn’t come from the easy wins, but from the moments of struggle that I’d rather avoid.
Here are a few things I try to keep in mind.
1. Progress is usually messy
It’s easy to forget that real growth comes from tackling the hard stuff.
- The bug that takes hours to solve? That’s where the real learning happens.
- That messy codebase we have to refactor? It’s a frustrating path to clarity and better design.
- That feeling of being overwhelmed when a project scales? It’s the stress that teaches us how to build stable systems.
The work that pushes us to our limits is the work that shapes us.
2. The work is the reward
Shipping a feature is a great feeling, but it’s not the whole story. The real craft is in the process—the problem-solving, the learning, the refinement. The skills we build along the way are more valuable than the finished product.
3. Navigating opinions
We’re surrounded by advice. I’ve found it helps to be selective. Random tips from forums can be noise, and sometimes criticism from others is more about their own limits than ours. It’s often more helpful to seek feedback from a mentor or a developer who has been where we want to go.
4. The value of focus
In a world of endless tabs and notifications, the ability to concentrate is rare. I’ve found that making real progress isn’t about doing more things, but about giving my full attention to the one thing that matters most right now.
5. The fear of shipping
That hesitation before pushing a feature live is normal. It’s a fear of being wrong or of our work not being good enough. But I’ve learned that staying stuck is worse. A bit of embarrassment is a small price to pay for progress.
6. Consistency over intensity
It’s tempting to wait for the “perfect moment” to start a project or learn a new skill. But momentum is built from small, consistent efforts. Opportunities tend to find us when we’re already in motion.
7. The comparison trap
It’s easy to look at another developer’s success and feel like we’re falling behind. But their journey isn’t ours. The only useful comparison is with the developer we were yesterday.
8. The conversations we avoid
Whether it’s asking for help, clarifying requirements, or giving difficult feedback—it’s often the conversations we dread that open the door to real progress.
9. Learning from what breaks
Constraints can be a source of creativity. When a system breaks or a bug refuses to die, we’re forced to learn our tools and our code on a much deeper level than any tutorial can teach us.
10. A sense of ownership
It’s easy to point fingers when things go wrong—a buggy library, a difficult client, an unclear task. But blaming others gives our power away. When we take ownership of the code and the outcome, we put ourselves in control.
11. There are no real shortcuts
The most valuable skills—writing clean code, designing scalable systems, building robust apps—don’t come from quick hacks. They come from effort, patience, and the willingness to see a hard problem through.
12. Learning from rejection
Failed launches and rejected PRs are just part of the process. They feel personal, but they’re not a judgment of our worth. Seeing failure as a normal part of growth is freeing.
13. The quiet work of practice
Talent is great, but it’s no match for consistency. Shipping regularly, coding weekly, and studying consistently—over time, this quiet practice is what separates good from great.
14. Action is the antidote to doubt
That feeling of being “underqualified” or not ready? It might never go away completely. The best antidote I’ve found is to take a small step: send the email, submit the PR, apply for the job. Action creates clarity.
A final thought
It seems the most rewarding path is rarely the most comfortable one. The developers who find long-term success are often the ones who embrace the messy reality of the work and just keep going.
/Michael Andreuzza