Don’t Try to Be Someone Else

Every so often someone asks me:

“How do I become a software engineer?”

or

“How do I get to where you are?”

It’s usually followed by questions about what languages to learn, what bootcamp to attend, or what framework is the hottest right now.

But my honest advice surprises people.

Don’t try to be someone else

Not me.
Not anyone else.

Instead, learn to think. Learn to adapt. Learn to build.

Because chasing someone else’s title is a trap.

—

Titles Aren’t Worth It

When people see the aged version of someone’s career, they assume the title is the goal.

• “Senior Software Engineer.”
• “Founder.”
• “AI expert.”

But those titles are just snapshots of a moment in time.

Technology changes. Industries change. Tools change.

The people who survive long careers in tech didn’t aim to become one specific thing.

They aimed to become people who could learn faster than the world changed.

—

The Real Skill Is Adaptation

If you look closely at anyone who has lasted in tech for 10+ years, you’ll notice something.

Their stack is constantly changing.

They’ve moved through:

• different languages
• different frameworks
• different companies
• different problems

The thing that stayed the same wasn’t the tools.

It was their ability to adapt.

The engineers who survive aren’t the ones who mastered one thing.

They’re the ones who learned how to learn.

Don’t Become Me

When I speak to students, I try to make one thing clear:

You shouldn’t try to become me.

My path only worked because it was my path.

I grew up in a rough environment where things weren’t always easy.
The choices I made were shaped by that reality.

Your path will look different.

And that’s exactly how it should be.

The Real Goal

Instead of asking:

“How do I become an engineer?”

Ask better questions.

• How do I solve problems?
• How do I build things?
• How do I keep learning?
• How do I adapt when the world changes?

If you can do those things, the titles will come and go.

Engineer. Builder. Founder. Creator.

They’re just labels.

The Long Game

The real game isn’t becoming a specific role.

The real game is becoming someone who can survive any environment.

Someone who can learn new tools.

Someone who can adapt.

Someone who can build.

Because if you can do that, it won’t matter what the job title says.

You’ll always find a way to win.