This post is based on a talk I gave at a college Computer Science club, yet these principles apply to anyone.

Do what you love, love what you do

Over the years, I’ve observed successful people and noticed that, for most of them, their work is their passion. It’s a combination of being gifted, enjoying the process, and hard work.

Talent is no magic. Like an eagle searching for a rising column of air to soar in an otherwise transparent surrounding, you have to fly through it to feel it. Trying different things and exploring various areas is how you get a hint of where your gift lies. You might notice it yourself, or an observer might point it out.

Hard work isn’t hard when you’re enjoying it. To master a skill, the hours you put into it matter. If your work is also your hobby, these hours come naturally. In my grad school years, I saw my (tenured) professor working weekends on research. It wasn’t “work” for him. In industry, we often got together with the like-minded colleagues after work to chat on engineering topics, roast each other’s diffs, and discuss recent tech papers.

If you can turn your hobby into your work, you’ll get paid for doing what you love. You’ll be good at it, and you’ll live a happy life.

Hopefully, by college, you have a sense of your interests and can use those years to prepare for a career. If you’re still exploring, now’s the time to kick things into high gear. By mid-college you’ll want to be in line for internships, which can make landing a full-time role much easier.

Keep getting better

Our lives are on a constant path of improvement. Like in a computer game, we gain experience and skill to reach the next level. But unlike in a game, life has no narrator. It’s on you to learn what’s holding you back, and this information is often hidden in a blind spot.

Imagine walking through a glass maze, hitting walls repeatedly because you can’t see them. Maybe, at this point in life, you just don’t have enough experience to see the wall. Do you want to keep smashing into it?

Say you’re actively interviewing but keep getting rejections; or the promotion isn’t coming, even though you feel ready; or it’s midnight, and you still can’t get that piece of code working.

The first step is to realize there’s a wall stopping you. You may not see it clearly, but you sense it’s there. That’s when you should ask for feedback. Honest feedback is crucial. Self-reflection helps, but it’s hard to be fully objective. Family and loved ones can offer insight, but an unbiased third party might be even better.

For example, a mock interviewer might tell you to work on your attitude; your manager might point out missing competencies for a promotion; or your partner might tell you it’s late, and you aren’t thinking clearly anymore.

Feedback can help you see the wall, but it doesn’t necessarily show you how to get over it. Seek guidance from those with more experience. Everyone benefits from a mentor, or several. Some mentors are technical experts, some excel in soft skills, and some can provide emotional support.

A seasoned interviewer might tell you how to relax and treat an interview as a jam session with a teammate rather than an exam. A tech-savvy colleague might point out that poor test quality led to recent bugs. Your loved one might grab your hand and send you to bed to sleep on the problem (it’s midnight, and I feel a breathing behind my chair as I type).

You’ll be surprised how many people are willing to help if you ask politely, come prepared, and are mindful of their time. Some of these interactions will be life-changing.

Just as these life principles shaped my journey and get me to where I happily am, I hope they inspire and guide yours.