Oct 14 2009
Curiosity and Exploration
I have two pieces of advice for anyone who is getting started in Information Technology. First and foremost: Don’t ever let anyone tell you that something can’t be done. Now I don’t mean that you should tell your boss that you can and will bring in your favorite La-z-boy chair because you need to feel comfortable at your desk. What I mean is that just because someone says that “this” or “that” won’t work doesn’t necessarily make it true. If everyone just went by what the book says the earth would be a dull place to live in. Be Curious. By all means listen to your colleagues and heed their advice and learn from their experiences, but don’t take everything you see and hear as 100% fact. Even Microsoft in their infinite wisdom makes the statement that some things can’t be done. People then prove them wrong. Perhaps this is done in an effort to discredit those people that say its impossible to do this or that, but I really think that the majority of people that come up with proof positive that the impossible can be done just like to feel satisfaction with themselves for doing a good job.
Secondly: Along the same lines as Curiosity there is Exploration. Curiosity in trying new and exiting way to solve problems is great, but without a big helping of the urge to Explore new methods and experiments there will be precious few expansions of knowledge. If you have a hunch, follow it and see where it leads. For example, Curiosity to see what is over the horizon will make person look out a window, but it is the spirit of the Explorer that makes that same person walk out the door and head down the road.
So here is my advice: Always be Curious in your IT career. Let your Curiosity lead you to Explore!
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