Do you need a lot to get started in IT?
Do you need a lot to get started? You shouldn’t!
One of the big problems for many people, especially when they are wanting to migrate to the technology area or have decided that they intend to continue in the area, is self-sabotage during the journey.
The first point I wanted to bring up in this article is that we often look for comfort in our daily lives and this is also true when buying our computers, peripherals, and so on. Okay, this is natural, but it becomes dangerous once you get caught up in an excuse for not having something. Example: “I will not continue to learn programming, my computer is very slow. I’m going to watch Netflix, make one more excuse, and procrastinate.” I agree it’s not the best-case scenario, but always think there’s someone in a worse situation than you. In this case, you have a computer, I’ve seen a lot of people turning to cell phones to learn programming, and as much as you find it difficult, whoever wants to really makes it happen.
In my opinion, the idea that you need a super-powerful computer, an ergonomic chair, and a keyboard that glows gets in the way too much. I can’t be naive enough to say that I’ve never clung to something as an excuse not to do something, but I’ve actually realized that I’ve created a much better awareness and luckily evolved in that regard. Of course, we want a great keyboard, a big monitor so we can see better, but in a lot of cases, we’ve created a false idea that we really need it. The most positive path should be to seek a balance that always reflects the idea of NEED x COMFORT and from there, increase your comfort as you develop and really need an upgrade.
To be clear, don’t think you need a 34-inch monitor especially if you’re just starting, but what if you’re already a senior developer or something? Ok, you already work and need to optimize your day-to-day a little and improve your experience, but these decisions need to be balanced and thought through calmly anyway. There’s no point in getting stuck with this because if you buy the 34 monitor without needing that much, you can be sure you won’t stop there. We always have better products coming out on the market and that’s why you fall into an endless loop of consumerism and excuses to spend more without noticing that you already have what you need to do your job.
The main point is that technology allows us to have access to a lot of information with little. But when you get into this loop, you’re never satisfied. To be a good programmer/developer it is not even necessary to have the best keyboard on the market or the monitor that tilts and rotates, but many hours of study and dedication. In this dilemma, a lot of time and energy is wasted. While you could be studying more about algorithms and data structures, you spend time wondering and looking at a keyboard that makes a “special sound” when you already have a keyboard that works perfectly!
Finally, I can’t tell you to deprive yourself of comfort, but my point is that you seek balance. It’s dangerous to enter this loop that I mentioned earlier because what you really need is to start, dedicate yourself, and practice. You can be sure that an expensive monitor, an expensive keyboard, and an expensive mouse won’t make that much of a difference in the end. If you can use an IDE on your current computer, have a keyboard that types normally and a mouse that works, the rest is a bonus. Get started, get dedicated, and focus on what really matters!