Get ahead of 99% of software engineers in JUST a few minutes per day

Summary

In this video, Scott shares actionable steps to elevate from an average to a top 1% software engineer. He emphasizes the importance of daily action, networking, contributing to open source for experience, seeking mentorship, and learning from open source issues. Scott also encourages building a software business for entrepreneurial experience and stresses the need for consistent effort, introspection, and adjustment of strategies for better results.

Takeaways

• 🚀 **Commit to Action**: Consistently taking action every day is crucial to becoming a top 1% software engineer.
• 🔍 **Identify High Leverage Activities**: Structure your day to focus on activities that have the most significant impact on your career growth.
• 💼 **Network Effectively**: Reach out to founders and software engineers through calls or DMs to build valuable professional connections.
• 🛠️ **Gain Experience**: Contribute to open source projects to gain experience and mentorship, prioritizing skill development over immediate financial gain.
• 💰 **Invest in Mentorship**: Pay for the time of experienced individuals to gain insights and advice that can benefit your career in the long run.
• 📚 **Learn Continuously**: Read through open source issues to learn new concepts and improve asynchronous communication skills.
• 🔬 **Experiment and Iterate**: Actively experiment with new coding techniques in a personal sandbox environment to understand and master them.
• 💡 **Entrepreneurial Experience**: Build your own software to gain entrepreneurial experience and solve real-world problems with your coding skills.
• 📈 **Consistent Execution**: Execute on high-leverage activities consistently over time to see extraordinary results, akin to the compound interest principle.
• 🤔 **Reflect and Adjust**: If results are not as expected, introspect and adjust your approach, ensuring that you're doing enough and doing the right thing.
• 🔄 **Do More and Better**: Adopt the concept of 'do more better' by intentionally taking action towards your goals daily, regardless of how you feel.

Q & A

What is the main goal of the video presented by Scott?

The main goal of the video is to show viewers how to become a top 1% software engineer by taking specific actions every day.

What was Scott's background before becoming a software engineer?

Scott did not study computer science and initially had a background in business. He taught himself computer science to achieve his goal of becoming a software engineer in Silicon Valley.

What principle does Scott mention that can help in achieving extraordinary results in software engineering?

Scott mentions the compound interest principle and the Pareto principle (80/20 rule), emphasizing the importance of doing the right things consistently over time.

What is the common denominator Scott identifies for success in software engineering?

The common denominator is taking action every day, regardless of the situation, and being intentional about it.

What was one of the actions Scott took to network in the software engineering field?

One of the actions Scott took was sending call DMs to founders and other software engineers to build his network.

Why did Scott start contributing to open source projects?

Scott started contributing to open source projects to gain experience and mentorship, which he believed was more important than getting paid at the early stages of his career.

How did Scott approach learning from open source issues?

Scott would read through open source issues to learn how to communicate asynchronously and to identify problems he could solve or learn something new from.

What did Scott do when he encountered unfamiliar code or syntax in his open source endeavors?

When Scott encountered unfamiliar code or syntax, he would research it, understand its use, and then practice using it in his own sandbox until he fully grasped it.

How did Scott apply the concept of 'do more better' in his career?

Scott applied the concept by consistently taking intentional actions towards his goals every day, and when he wasn't getting the desired results, he would introspect and adjust his approach accordingly.

What advice does Scott give for those who have been applying for jobs without success?

Scott advises that if one has been applying for jobs without success, they need to introspect and change their approach, as simply submitting resumes online might not be yielding the desired results.

What is the significance of the 'do more better' concept mentioned by Scott?

The 'do more better' concept signifies the need for continuous action and improvement. It encourages individuals to either start taking action if they are not doing anything or to increase and improve their actions for better results.