A collection of values and ideas that I try to work and live by.
Competition is great but I love cooperation more.
Where both are important, I focus more on teamwork. Competition is great for innovation and new ideas. Cooperation is great for delivering on those ideas.
With the right people, though, cooperation distills ideas faster and better. With teams that work well together, the ideas are iterated on faster and with greater diligence and intent.
Check that ego
Ego is important as it helps us take risks so we get to that sweet sweet reward. But keep it in check. Recognize when ego is useful and when it is a detriment. Use ego to advance an agenda you feel strongly about but put in the hours to build your arguments and data. Always keep an open mind - you won't always be right.
Own your career and your craft
I am an engineer and the job of an engineer is to create solutions. As engineers, we should own that responsibility.
Own your craft. Do the right thing. Keep your skills up to date; never stop learning. Ask questions. Keep an open mind. Be deliberate on the code you create, it can save lives and it can take lives away - and just because today's code is for humble uses, you should always treat it with the utmost respect.
Grit
There will be bad days and there will be amazing days. It is easy to get lost in the bad days and lose hope for our future. Grit is the key. In those situations, we need to build our ability to persevere.
I love solving problems but writing documentation is tedious to me, yet, it needs to be done. Not all we do is fun and exciting - sometimes it will be boring or disconnected from our goals. Steady the course and keep focus. Knock out todos one at a time. The amazing days will be sweeter because of it.
I'll finish with a haiku...
Love all that arrives
Nurture moments yet to be
Explore the unknown