Healthy Developer

It's finally sinking in. Your software project is FAKE agile. Is there anything you can really do about it? The sad reality is that more companies have fake agile software development processes than those that are authentic. You can fight tooth and nail to try and change the system, or you can accept when there's nothing you can do. Being a truly agile software company is not usually something any...

Learning new technologies, frameworks, and processes as a programmer gives you a feeling of accomplishment. But unchecked, learning can become a dangerous addiction that damages your software development career. In this episode, I share how software engineers can cap their earning potential if they fall into common traps when learning is the absolute wrong thing to do. If you want to have a long c...

Have you ever seen another programmer who wasn't as skilled as you get promoted? Did you tell yourself management was making a mistake? Earlier in my career I didn't realize I was doing some things that caused managers to lose confidence in me. I would spend all my time writing code and never think about how I came across to other people. In this episode, I share some harsh truths I've learned abo...

Making videos, podcasts, or blogs could be just what your career as a programmer needs. But it could also be a complete waste of time. Many programmers become influencers, but there are two very different reasons for doing so. In this episode, I share the difference between being a pure influencer, or posting online for content marketing. Content marketing is helping people solve some problem they...

Six years ago I was suddenly struck with chronic insomnia where I couldn't sleep more than 3 hours a night. This lasted for nearly 3 years, and I struggled through sleep studies, behavioral changes, and all the typical tips you read online about overcoming insomnia. Working as a programmer in the tech industry can create a lot of anxiety because we work with our mind. And if your mind is stressed...

We programmers love to "do it ourselves", and this can help us stay productive and keep ourselves busy. But the dark side of this tendency, is that it can make it harder to get help - when we actually need it. In this episode, I share some ways I've learned that software engineers are trained by society, the workforce, and the software industry to resist getting help from others. Then I offer some...

Ever try to sell someone on why you're the right person for them to hire in tech? Or maybe you have a software product or offer freelance IT consulting services you need to sell? I'll bet you've run into the situation where the other person you're talking to doesn't seem to "get" why you're the best solution to their tech problems. In this episode, I share what I've learned through digital marketi...

On the first software project of my career, I thought doing a good job was all that mattered to move ahead. And while I was successful, I was manipulated by many other programmers through political games. After that experience, I was tempted many times in my career to fight dirty. And sometimes, I made the wrong decision. In this episode, I share the reasons why we're tempted as coders on software...

After my first decade of coding, I learned so much I thought: "I must be at least somewhat intelligent, right?". But there was something more valuable I lacked - wisdom. Without wisdom, you'll make decisions in your career that look right in the short term - but turn out disastrous over time. Wisdom is the ability to make decisions when the rules don't apply. There's no book you can read, no guide...

If you want a lasting career in software development, you've got to be wiser than your average coder. There's a lot of advice that promotes short-term thinking around programming, and if you aren't careful you can burn your bridges before you reach the finish line. In this episode, I share what I've learned about why most programmers don't last in their career. There are 8 laws to a lasting career...

The familiar question "should I stay or should I go?" is common to programmers, or really anyone in a tech job. But it's tempting to just bail the moment you don't like some aspect of the job, hoping for greener pastures. The flipside of this is when you probably should have left a long time ago but you stick around! Hey, I've been there. It's easy to have fear and blind spots make it hard to know...

You already know working in tech while staying in a romantic relationship is hard if you spend a lot of time on the computer. But there are other even more dangerous aspects of a tech job that can risk losing your romantic partner if you aren't careful. In this episode, I share lessons I've learned while married for 25 years to the same woman - and working in tech at the same time. It wasn't easy...

If you've never been an addict, you may be surprised to know many programmers (and other people in tech job roles) struggle with drug use. Nobody working in tech is a stranger to stress and pressure! But sometimes the ways we cope are unhealthy. If you're currently using, I've been honest and transparent with you - I've been there. I was a marijuana addict for 25 years, and often used it with the...

The popular thing to do when faced with a toxic software project - is to complain until you get out. But a healthier alternative, is to use it as an opportunity to get stronger in your tech career. In this episode I share some things I learned by reflecting back on my career through the lens of the book of Proverbs from the Christian Bible. It showed me that I actually have more opportunities to g...

If you're a programmer tired of the corporate grind, and thinking about starting a software company - watch out. I tried this twice and failed, but the third time went much better. Here are some practical tips to avoid pitfalls as a software engineer if you want to start a software company - and be successful! Join my Patreon:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/patreon Learn about one-on-one career...

The software industry may be messed up, but I need to be straight with you. You're resisting help! If you really want your job and life to get better, and to achieve better things in your software career - the complaining needs to stop. You need to stop resisting the things you already know you should do - and DO them. You can't solve all these problems alone! In this episode, I'm going to share s...

If you're about to get a new tech job, sometimes the red flags are obvious. But what happens when you want the gig anyway? The temptation to take a job when the pay is high, there's prestige, or it's a promotion are strong. In this episode I share some things I've learned about spotting these red flags, and resisting the temptations that come with the allure of tech company offers. I hope they hel...

If you're tired to the deadlines, pressure, and unrealistic expectations - it may be time to take programming for money into your own hands. In this episode, I share 3 ways you can escape the corporate grind and make money in tech yourself. Being a solopreneur isn't easy, but it's very rewarding if you're willing to learn things like digital marketing. I weigh 5 aspects of considering being a solo...

Programming starts out like any other career - then one day you wake up addicted. In this episode, I share big problems with programming's impact on your work/life balance, and offer solutions. As a software developer, it's easy to get caught up in the endless cycle of coding and problem-solving, often at the expense of personal time and well-being. I discuss how this imbalance can affect your lif...

Feeling swamped in your tech job? You're not alone! In this episode, I dive into the heart of what makes our programming world so overwhelming and, more importantly, how you can navigate it with ease. In this episode, I'm not just talking at you; I'm talking with you. We'll explore the common pitfalls that lead to feeling overwhelmed in tech jobs and share practical, actionable strategies to help...

Let's get real about AI and how it impacts programming. There's a lot of propaganda and fear being thrown around related to artificial intelligence (especially in software development and engineering) - so let's cut through the noise together. I made this video for all you software developers, engineers, and programmers out there who want to get a real perspective on AI's role in our field. Whethe...

If you've been programming for a while and it doesn't seem as fun as it used to be, maybe it's time to take a step back and look at why. In this episode I'd like to help you figure out what the the root cause of your frustration with coding might be. It's only natural that if you started off writing code and eventually got good at it, you'd come to the conclusion that programming is the best tech...

How does being a software architect differ from a typical programmer? In this episode, I share the 10 aspects I've approached software architecture from that I learned over 20 years of doing it. I was promoted to be a software architect at just 20 years old, and while I was qualified with some aspects of software engineering - I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. Being a great soft...

One of the biggest challenges for all software developers in 2023 (and leading into 2024) - is simplifying their tech stack so work can get done. The continued explosion of boutique frameworks and libraries is making it harder than ever to manage complexity as the stack of tools and technologies we use on our projects grows. Whether you're a software architect, senior engineer or developer, or any...

Burnout is one of the most common dangers to programmers over their career, and I was no exception. Software development and programming can make it difficult to find a healthy balance between work and life. My burnout was a combination of self-inflicted bad decisions, things done to me, and circumstances in my personal life.  In this episode, I share the story of my own burnout and how I lost nea...