Three quotes from the (Audio) book: Make It Stick:
- Unsuccessful attempts to solve a problem encourages deep processing of the answer when it is later supplied.
- Its better to solve a problem than to memorize a solution.
- Its better to attempt a solution and supply an incorrect answer than not to make the attempt.
Is it weird that I here this in Yoda’s voice, followed up by:
Do, or do not. There is no try.
What this means to me is that we are infinitely capable of doing things. But we have to start doing them. Mastery and self-confidence are not required to do something better, new, differently. Rather, it is making up your mind to ‘Just do it.’ and ten keep on doing it. Persevering through unsuccessful problem solving attempts instead of memorizing or watching someone else solve a similar or same problem is move valuable in the long run that the solution you seek. The journey is more valuable than the destination. By fighting through headwinds you gain mastery and self confidence that lasts longer than just the solution to any one problem. This is true in all things. Creating things with software engineering at all levels: small projects to giant organizations. Athletics, marriage, parenthood and everything else that people do are things we choose to do for a variety of reasons. Either way each one is a series of problems to solve and only by solving them incorrectly at first can we solve related problems with mastery and self confidence later on.
