Making small changes

I'm a big believer in the power of habits, and how small changes can compound to create amazing results. I also think small changes to your daily routine are the best way to learn any new skill (like coding). One of my favourite quotes on this subject is from James Clear, author of the book "Atomic Habits":

"Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity. This is one reason why meaningful change does not require radical change. Small habits can make a meaningful difference by providing evidence of a new identity. And if a change is meaningful, it is actually big. That's the paradox of making small improvements."

This concept gets really exciting when you apply it to your professional life. For example, if you want to transition into a programming career, while you're currently working full-time in another field. You don't just quit one day and suddenly you're a programmer. Change takes time.

Instead, you focus on building the right habits. You find a way to code 15-30 minutes per day, and more on the weekends. You pick up some technologies like HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Then you move onto a framework.

Little by little, you cast more votes towards your programming identity. Or towards being a person that knows X technology, language or framework.

With this mindset (and a proper strategy around it), I truly believe you can learn anything you put your mind to. And that's one of the most important skills for any developer: being able to pick up new knowledge as the tools and industry changes.

Make small changes, then give it time. You'll be amazed at the results.

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