Don't build alone

"No one succeeds alone," was written on the wall of one of the best coworking spaces I've worked at (Work Nicer Edmonton, you're always in my heart).

Programming requires deep thinking. We tend to work solo a lot -- for long stretches of time, it's just me, my laptop, and my brain in deep thinking mode. This is important, and it's a must -- focused work is a key ingredient in our craft.

But. During those long stretches of focused time:

a) What do you build?
b) Why do you build it?

Getting the "what" and the "why" requires a very different mode of work — one with collaboration and an exchange of ideas and energy. And this mode, naturally, can't happen without other people working with you.

Yes, I know, you can chat with an LLM, but remember that LLMs will always converge to the median. If a model learned a "normal" way to do something, it will lean to it. We need a human to choose a "crazy" way -- and this is the only way to true innovation.

Exchange of energy is perhaps even more important here. We humans are social animals. We need other humans around us. When we work with others, we share our energy and can access the energy of our peers.

So, for your next project, consider assembling a small team, even if it's just two people. You'll see how, when you're stuck, others will sometimes get you moving. You'll also notice how the project takes new directions -- maybe not always right, but often less "normal" — and that's the point.