The Single Most Important Lesson I’ve Learned Working As A Software Engineer For 5+ Years

Not all lessons are created equal.

Some lessons we learn are small. They are little reminders along the way of what truly matters.

Other lessons are giant. They fundamentally change the course of our entire lives.

Over the past 5+ years working as a Software Engineer, this is the single most important lesson I've learned:

The best leverage doesn't come from software; it comes from people.

We are all too familiar with sentences like "Software is the best leverage." However, people are.

And here's why:

Reason #1: You can't produce great software without great people.

It's plain and simple. Great software comes from great employees. Without them, you're stuck with a buggy, frustrating product that won't make you money. What's worse is that it ends up costing you more in maintenance and infrastructure.

Reason #2: You can't come up with the best solution on your own.

Before I became a dev, I had this idea of a lonely programmer hiding in a room only to emerge with a perfect piece of software. However, this is entirely false. Rather than crafting code in isolation, the process involves collaborating, seeking feedback, and engaging in brainstorming sessions before arriving at the optimal solution.

Reason #3: You need people to maintain your software.

Once your code is out in the wild, you have to keep it up, add features, and fix bugs that will inevitably come. And that's where having the right team becomes essential.

Reason #4: You need people to train others.

If software engineering was simply about teachable skills, ChatGPT would be enough. However, training requires the human touch of empathy, encouragement, and soft skills transmitted by others.

Reason #5: You need people so you can sell them your software.

No people means no customers. No customers means no money💸. And no money means you can't continue supporting your software. So, at the end of the day, you need people willing to buy your product.

Now, if you're a junior dev, why is this relevant to you? It means :

• You don't have to sweat over coming up with the best idea on your own.
• No matter how much care you put in the code, it will decay, etc.
• You can leverage other people's skills/experience.

So relax and enjoy the process 😉.

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