Thinking about thinking

Learning my way through Dev Bootcamp

4/1/2015

According to Dr. Anthony Gregorc I'm a concrete random thinker. That sounds like a pretty bad ass mind style to me. Hulk smash!

It seems like the fine Dr. has me pegged, because I do like:

Experimenting to find answers
Taking risks
Using my intuition
Solving problems independently

I think he's spot on about how I learn best when:

I am able to use trial-and-error approaches
I am able to compete with others
I am given the opportunity to work through the problems by myself

And one more list for good measure. This one describes what's hard for me:

Restrictions and limitations
Formal reports
Routines
Re-doing anything once it’s done
Keeping detailed records
Showing how they got an answer
Choosing only one answer
Having no options

This is some funny stuff. It really nails my personality. Having a corporate job has beat into me routine, formal reports and keeping records. But it's not my natural state.

If I think about some of the great projects I've worked on, where I felt like I really accomplished something, the process went something like: Bury myself in project. Research. Play around. Hit wall. Research. Play around. Success! What the hell time is it? Gotta eat something. Play around. Research. Victory!

If I had to do it all again I would pretty much be starting from scratch. There's no instruction manual. I just took a little bit from here and a little bit from there and threw it together. Eventually I had an automated home media center.

Even with my Hulk smash mind style, I haven't begun struggling yet at Dev Bootcamp. Things have been increasing in difficulty as we go and I'm keeping ahead as much as possible. I've been several different resources to learn the vocabulary and uncover shortcuts.

I'm still working a full-time job, and once I'm able to focus completely on DBC I should be able to accomplish even more.

I'm keeping my growth mindset and pushing forward. If you're not growing you're dying.