Just DO it
Y es, the phrased coined by Nike, Just Do It. It is that simple. If you want something, go after it.
Is it going to be easy?
That depends on what you are going after, but most likely you will encounter some hurdles.
Will it be scary? Probably. But isn’t that half the fun?
“If you do what you always did, you will get what you always got.”
I earn my income as a software developer but in my spare time I create content, such as blog posts ( like this one ) and tutorials. Something else I started doing was speaking at conferences and putting on workshops. Yes, this involves speaking in front of people and presenting myself as an expert in the given field.
Am I an expert? No.
Do I always know the answers during a Q & A session? No.
Do I still give talks and workshops? Yes.
“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.”
I do it because I love sharing knowledge. I know more people would do the same if they could just put aside a few things. One of the biggest hurdles to overcome is caring what others think of you. I am a young female in tech and I know many people discredit me just based on that. But who cares? I don’t. I use that as fuel to keep producing content and to keep putting myself in those uncomfortable positions.
Another point is to have confidence in what you know. We only know as much as we know and are willing to learn. Confidence is having self-assurance. You most likely know something the person next to you doesn’t. Speak with belief in what you are presenting, and confidence will radiate through you. This will make you a credible and engaging resource.
Here are four simple ways to start building your confidence and making yourself into that expert.
Here are four simple ways to start building your confidence and making yourself into that expert.
- Start saying ‘YES’
If you are like me, you probably attend a meet up every so often, and every time you do, you leave feeling glad you went. While I was at one I got asked if I would present on a topic for next month. I boldly said ‘YES’ not really knowing what I would talk about. So my first talk was a five minute lightning talk. I was extremely nervous but afterwards I felt great and knew I wanted to give more talks. By saying ‘YES’ I opened the door to speaking at international conferences and workshops. Saying ‘yes’ can lead to many unexpected opportunities.
2. Volunteer to present on a topic at your next company meeting
At the previous company where I worked, we had weekly developer meetings at which we would present on topics related to our jobs. I loved this because it opened my eyes to tools other developers were using and also different processes. For us to grow as developers or designers it is important to share knowledge and processes that help makes us become more efficient.
3. Write blog posts
Writing blog posts can be a task you do every morning to jump start your day. When you are doing a task and run into an issue, write out how you solved it. Open up a Medium tab and drop in your content and click ‘Publish’. A blog post doesn’t need to be this long perfect piece, it can just be quick read for someone to get inspired or to solve an issue.
4. Create YouTube videos
Have you ever faced a bug or problem and wished there was a video to show you how to solve it? This is a great reason to start creating videos. We all face issues everyday but many times we don’t think of the others that may be facing similar ones. So, share your idea, even if it is a quick 5 minute video explaining an advanced programming topic. I find by doing this, I am able to grasp the topic better and it forces me to explain it in a way that others will understand.
Above are just a few ways I put myself out there. I do it to make myself better and to help others. You may surprise yourself at how fun it is. If you enjoyed this article give it some love by filling up the heart.
