Skip to main content

Find Your Motivation

The tech world is vast, and your career satisfaction often hinges less on the company name on your badge and more on finding your personal "why."

If the corporate ladder or the latest framework hype doesn't fuel you, that's okay. Motivation is deeply personal. Here are a few avenues I've explored or seen others thrive on, far removed from just climbing the rungs at a massive company:

Content Creators & Communities​

The internet is brimming with developers sharing their journeys, struggles, and knowledge. Find creators whose perspectives resonate with you.

  • Watch, listen, engage: Back in 2022, while wrestling with some Next.js concept, I stumbled upon a guy named Theo (T3.gg). Fast-forward three years, and I still watch his videos. His transparency about industry frustrations, his approach to building, and the way he shares information are genuinely inspiring. Just by passively absorbing his content, I feel surprisingly comfortable diving into basic React/Next.js projects.
  • Join the conversation: Don't just be a passive consumer. Engage in the comments section, join their Discord or Slack communities, follow them on X/Twitter. You'll find others asking similar questions, sharing solutions, and venting similar frustrations. This sense of community can be incredibly motivating and combat the feeling of isolation.

Find Your External Anchors (Family & Responsibility)​

While I can't speak from experience, I've seen countless colleagues draw immense motivation from their families.

Knowing that people depend on you, seeing them every day, and wanting to provide for them or make them proud can be an incredibly powerful driver. It shifts the focus from abstract corporate goals to tangible, personal responsibility. If this resonates with you, embrace it – it's a valid and profound source of motivation.

Chase the Thrill of Learning (Knowledge Acquisition)​

Software development is a field of perpetual learning. Use this to your advantage! Instead of just learning what's required for your job, carve out a path for things that genuinely interest you.

  • Set a goal: I wanted to understand cloud infrastructure better, so I embarked on a path through Google Cloud certifications (Digital Leader → Associate Cloud Engineer → Professional Cloud Architect). It wasn't strictly necessary for my day job, but the structured learning and the sense of accomplishment were motivating.
  • Find your path: Maybe it's cloud, maybe it's a new language (Rust? Go?), perhaps diving deep into databases, or exploring AI. Research potential learning paths or certifications.
  • Bonus: These achievements look great on a CV, providing both intrinsic (knowledge) and extrinsic (career boost) rewards.

Become a Teacher (Knowledge Sharing)​

Discovering something new is exciting. Helping someone else discover it can be even more rewarding.

  • Share what you learn: I started my blog, pollito.dev, back in October 2022, primarily as a way to flesh out a somewhat empty-looking CV. I simply wrote about things I was learning or figuring out, aiming to create content I wished existed when I was stuck.
  • Unexpected passion: To my surprise, blogging became one of my biggest motivators. Explaining concepts forces you to understand them deeply. Getting feedback (even just knowing someone read it) is incredibly encouraging. You might have a hidden talent for teaching, writing, or simplifying complex topics that you haven't discovered yet. Start small – a blog post, a short internal presentation, helping a junior dev.

Nobody Knows What They're Doing​

The sheer volume of technologies, frameworks, and concepts in software development is overwhelming. It is impossible to know everything. Accept this sooner rather than later. Trying to master every new trend is a recipe for burnout. Once you accept this, you can focus. It's okay to say "I don't know, but I can find out".

Remember to Touch Grass​

touch grass

Go for a walk, pursue a non-tech hobby, spend time with people face-to-face, read a physical book. Disconnecting regularly helps prevent burnout, provides fresh perspectives, and reminds you that there's a whole world outside curly braces and pull requests.

Find what resonates with you and build a career that feels sustainable and meaningful to you, regardless of where you work.