The Healing Power of Programming = Less Target and More Journey

Programming is a practical and special skill. Once a specialist technique is mastered it can be re-used. Programming is time-intensive in terms of learning and presents a moving target. Sometimes programmers feel as if contending with a landslide as development infrastructure changes under their feet. More effort seems needed to achieve the same results achieved previously with less effort. But this is the learning cycle. New, more powerful, more general abstractions arrive with the ultimate aim of empowering you the programmer - not to take your freedoms away. Case in point is the evolution of the DataGrid or the evolution of DAO, ADO and ADO.NET. New paradigms mean old abstractions may at times need to be revamped totally to fit the new abstraction. People's minds need to be reformulated to orient themselves with the new paradigm. This requires fluid adaptation and tai-chi like re-harmonisation skills. It is like the separation of continents or coming or going of an Ice Age, no less. It may take time and so patience, and persistence too, is necessary. The healing power of programming relies on acceptance and enjoyment of the process of change, not fighting it, not resenting it, but appreciating it. Focus less on the target, though keep mindful of it, and focus more on the incredible learning journey and the learning process - you will enjoy it more. Failure to hit the target (due to necessary time spent learning and re-adapting to the new development landscape) should not be a source of frustration, though often is as ego enters and the anti-programming devil says: "why is this taking longer than what it should". Answer: Adaptation. Understand, appreciate and acknowledge. This is part of the healing power of programming. The commercial animal must be mitigated by the absolute acceptance of transitional learning phases - the tiger must relearn how to hunt.