Small Announcement

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I refunded the few people who purchased it for $49 since I decided I want the course to be accessible to all aspiring developers.

If you're new to programming and need clarity on where to start go check it out!

Enjoy the newsletter!

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I recently read the book Failing Forward by John C. Maxwell.

In the book he mentions an experiment that goes like this:

5 monkeys were placed in to a cage.

There are bananas hanging from a string, with a ladder leading to the bananas.

When each monkey goes for the bananas, the researcher sprays all five monkeys with freezing water for five minutes.

Eventually, when any monkey goes for the banana, the other 4 monkeys attack them since they are afraid of the punishment that may come.

The researcher then replaces one of the monkeys with one who never experienced the freezing water.

When the new monkey goes for the bananas, the other 4 attack him.

One by one the researches replaces each monkey, and each time the newcomer goes for the bananas they get attacked.

Eventually, all 5 monkeys in the cage are replaced with monkeys who never experienced the freezing water. Yet, when any of the 5 monkeys go for the bananas the other 4 attack them.

They all continue to do this, and none of them know the reason why.

When I read this I couldn't help but think:

"What I do in my life without knowing the reason?"

It was a thought provoking drive home to say the least.

Unfortunately, this experiment never happened.

I fact checked for you guys and the only similar study I found was this one.

I guess you shouldn't trust everything you read in books...

But he point of both experiments still stands.

When we learn a response or experience punishment we will often teach it to others without considering root cause of our behavior.

So where am I going with this?

Today's newsletter is about reconsidering your purpose as an employee.

We are generally thrown in to the world with no instructions.

Over time we accumulate what I call the "default instructions".

The default (especially in America) defines employment as an end goal.

→ School + Higher Education

→ Employment + Skill Acquisition

→ Higher Paying Employment + More Skill Acquisition.... (repeat)

The main thing you might be asking here is:

If not employment, then what?

Telling you to "start a business" is way too vague.

It's like saying "just do something else" with no other instructions

I will cover better options in another newsletter, so stay tuned for that if you're interested.

But let's talk about employment.

To be clear: I think employment is extremely valuable

Here is what you can get:

• Problems to solve
• Real reasons to acquire skills
• Skilled mentors to help you grow
• An opportunity to get paid to learn

Let's do a thought experiment:

Take a moment to reconsider your employment:

What if the purposed of your employment was not to be employed?

What if the purpose of employment was to acquire skills you want?

What opportunities does that open up for you?

What would you change about the things you look for in a job?

What does that change about how you approach your day-to-day?

I talk to software engineers who feel stuck in their careers. They feel like every move is a "sideways step" and are struggling to find excitement in their lives.

Alternatively: I also talk to software engineers who love their careers and their employment. If that is you, then this newsletter might not be for you.

But for those who are feeling lost or stuck. I'm offering the re-frame above to help you.

If you crave more, or different, or uncertain:

Employment doesn't have to be your last stop in life.

In fact, it can be the most powerful stepping stone to level up your skills to a point where you can operate as a one-person unit, lead a team, or build that idea you always had.

It doesn't have to be the end.

But be careful how you frame it.

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Thank you all for reading this week's newsletter.

I appreciate all of you who read to the end.

Email me at swdlodonnell@gmail.com with any questions

Check out my free course if you are learning to code

Until next week!

I hope you all have a great weekend.