My Framework for Learning in Public as a Staff Engineer

WHY BOTHER?

✔ Writing is the best way to improve your thinking.
✔ Strengthen your vulnerability muscle. You learn to worry less about other people’s opinions. This makes everything I do easier.
✔ Connecting with others. You help and learn from like minded folks.

THE BLUEPRINT FOR LEARNING IN PUBLIC

1️⃣ Follow your interests.

Don’t niche down.
Don’t over complicate things.
Don’t worry about anything other than your current interest.

Look at people close to you — what do you connect on?
Look at how you spend money — what are you willing to pay for?
Look at what occupies your mind — what are you wondering about?

Go learn about something you are ACTUALLY interested in.
Not what you think you should be interested in.

2️⃣ Be intentional.

Set a target, pick a project, give yourself a milestone to aim for.

This galvanizes your time and energy.

Now you are learning to SOLVE A PROBLEM.
Rather than just learning to learn.

Intentional learning through a project forces you to FOCUS and DO.
You learn more by doing.
You learn more by having a goal.

Keep it small, and don’t worry about finishing it.
At least stay focused in one direction for a few weeks.

3️⃣ Make it public.

Share what you learn as you go.

Every time you have a 💡 moment, jot it down and share it.

Every time you have a ❓, go find the answer and share it.

Every time you feel some struggle and push past it, share it.

4️⃣ Start today.

I had plenty of fear and excuses for not writing in public.

But only after doing it for a few months you learn that no one really cares, at worst they are indifferent.

Most likely, you just learn and grow.

And occasionally, you help someone else or they comment and push you to grow further.