Why Data Engineers Can’t Afford to Wing It (Yet, So Many Do)
Why Preparation Is Everything
If you want to do “okay” in data, wing it. You will probably get by — for a while.
I’ve seen it time and time again. People are winging it all the time and doing just enough to do the job — no more, no less.
It’s not only in tech — it’s everywhere!
This seems to be the norm for people nowadays. Attention has eroded to the point of no return. Distractions and random hustling are the name of the game now. With AI all over the shop too, it’s probably going to get even worse.
Thing is, winging it will get you so far until some sh*t blows up in your face, and then you will be faced with the inevitable choice. Either shape up and change your ways, or pretend to change for a few months until the shame of failing wears off and you’re back to your old ways.
Around and around it goes.
These people tend to come and go, and they do alright — I guess. They must be doing okay; they’re everywhere if you look hard enough.
The B.S. Filter
I sleep well at night knowing data has a way of filtering out the average Joes from the grafters out there. Winging it will always catch up with you in the end, whether you want to believe it or not. It will.
I come from the tech days of old. A different time. A no B.S. time where character was built from the ground up. How? With hard work and dedication to the task at hand (cue the burnout police).
Preparation is how I counter the winging it culture.
If you want to be great at data and good at what you do, get prepared. That means being a step ahead of the game and getting your sh*t together. This will set you apart from 90% of people out there.
How do you, as Mr. Data Guru, prepare?
Simple — first and foremost, it means planning, not winging it.
Plan Your Day
If you are walking into your days with only a vague idea of what you will be doing, then you’ve already lost. Plan your day and your week; prepare for tomorrow today. Don’t walk into the day not knowing how you will spend it.
That’s just dumb.
It’s like telling a captain of a ship to sail to Jamaica and then pulling the rudder off the ship as you leave. Not knowing how you will spend your day at work leaves you open to other people planning it for you. Yes, yes, I know sometimes things pop up that are out of your control, but most of the time, the day is yours, so plan well.
Research
Get good at mapping out a task or a project. This means before you even start typing a line of code, you should have mapped out your plan from beginning to end — in detail. Abraham Lincoln said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” If you plan what you are going to do well, you should be able to whizz through tasks pretty quickly. Too often, folks jump into coding only to get nailed by something they didn’t consider. Research equals preparation.
The Focus Zone
You know that feeling when you start doing something and time melts away? Hours seem like minutes, and when you finally look at the clock, you can’t believe where the time’s gone. People call this flow state; I call it “the zone.” I love being so absorbed by a task that my attention is nowhere else. I’ve found it’s far easier to hit these focus zones if I’m prepared. If you know how to implement systems that enable you to form good working habits, then you will be in the zone more often than not. Preparation is the key to finding the zone, that and putting your phone far away.
Push Yourself
Preparation means leveling up yourself and your skillset. It also means moving out of your comfort zone. For some, that might sound scary, but if you really want to grow as a person and a data engineer, that nice rosy place where everything is easy for you is not where you want to be. If you’re in that place now, stop everything you are doing and make a plan to get your ass into gear.
Refuel your ambition.
Understand where your weak spots are and work on them every single day. Not only on Tuesdays when you feel like it, but every day! Set goals, explore new tech, read articles both technical and soft skills related, write daily, and share your journey online. Do whatever it takes to push yourself to the next level. Doing this will prepare you for opportunities before they come your way. It will make you a better person too.
The truth is…
Most people want it easy. I don’t blame them, but I’d rather be prepared as best I can for any and all outcomes. Doing so means I did everything in my control. I am, most of the time, a step ahead.
“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.” I had a mentor tell me this once, and it’s stuck with me throughout my career.
Preparation helps you balance your time and your effort.
Preparation kills procrastination and distraction.
Preparation gets you to a goal faster.
Preparation stops you from getting overwhelmed and letting the system beat you down.
Preparation is where it’s at.
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Excellent advice! :{>