The Passionate Programmer Creating a Remarkable
Career in Software Development Chad Fowler
Contents
Foreword 10
Acknowledgments 11
Introduction 13
Part I—Choosing YourMarket 20
1. Lead or Bleed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 23
2. Supply and Demand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
27
3. Coding Don’t Cut It Anymore . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
4. Be the Worst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . 34
5. Invest in Your Intelligence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 37
6. Don’t Listen to Your Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
41
7. Be a Generalist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 46
8. Be a Specialist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . 51
9. Don’t Put All Your Eggs in Someone Else’s Basket . . 54
10. Love It or Leave It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . 56
Part II—Investing in Your Product 62
11. Learn to Fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . 65
12. Learn How Businesses Really Work . . . . . . . . . . 68
13. Find a Mentor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . 70
14. Be a Mentor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . 74
15. Practice, Practice, Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . 76
16. TheWay That You Do It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
81
17. On the Shoulders of Giants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
84
18. Automate Yourself into a Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
87
Part III—Executing 94
19. Right Now . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 96
20. Mind Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 98
21. Daily Hit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . 101
CONTENTS 8
22. Remember Who You Work For . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
23. Be Where You’re At . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
106
24. How Good a Job Can I Do Today? . . . . . . . . . . . 109
25. How Much Are You Worth? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
112
26. A Pebble in a Bucket of Water . . . . . . . . . . . . .
115
27. Learn to Love Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
118
28. Eight-Hour Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 122
29. Learn How to Fail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 125
30. Say “No” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 128
31. Don’t Panic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . 131
32. Say It, Do It, Show It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . 135
Part IV—Marketing... Not Just for Suits 143
33. Perceptions, Perschmeptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
146
34. Adventure Tour Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
149
35. Me Rite Reel Nice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 152
36. Being Present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . 154
37. Suit Speak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . 158
38. Change the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
160
39. Let Your Voice Be Heard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 162
40. Build Your Brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 166
41. Release Your Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 168
42. Remarkability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . 171
43. Making the Hang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 174
Part V—Maintaining Your Edge 179
44. Already Obsolete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 181
45. You’ve Already Lost Your Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
184
46. Path with No Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
186
47. Make Yourself a Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
188
48. Watch the Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 190
49. That Fat Man in the Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
192
50. The South Indian Monkey Trap . . . . . . . . . . . . .
195
51. Avoid Waterfall Career Planning . . . . . . . . . . . .
199
52. Better Than Yesterday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 202
53. Go Independent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
206
CONTENTS 9
Have Fun 210
Resources 211
