I’ve had some challenging conversations this week.
Lately, my calendar has been filled with calls from developers reaching out for advice because layoffs were just announced at their company.
Having been in their shoes myself, I could really empathise with their anxiety.
The thing is though, when we’d dig into why there was such anxiety, a common confession surfaced. It often boiled down to something like this:
“I got comfortable. I stopped learning. I haven’t touched a new framework or built anything serious in two years because things were okay.”
They were enjoying “Peace Time.”
I like to think of life in two modes: Crisis Mode and Calm Mode.
- Crisis Mode: Life is chaotic. The house is on fire. You just lost your job, or your project was cancelled. Stress is high, money is tight, and uncertainty is the only certainty.
- Calm Mode: Life is stable. The pay cheque hits every few weeks. The boss is happy. The weekends are free.
The deadly mistake most developers make is waiting for War Mode before they start training.
They wait until the severance package arrives to finally decide, “Okay, time to really learn Python/FastAPI/Cloud.”
It’s a recipe for disaster. Trying to learn complex engineering skills when you’re terrified about paying the mortgage is almost impossible. You’re just too stressed. You can’t focus which means you can’t dive into the deep building necessary to learn.
You absolutely have to train and skill up during Peace Time.
When things are boring and stable, that’s the exact moment you should be aggressive about your growth.
That’s when you have the mental bandwidth to struggle through a hard coding problem without the threat of redundancy hanging over your head. It’s the perfect time to sharpen the saw.
If you’re currently in a stable job, you’re in Calm Mode. Don’t waste it.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Look at your schedule this week. Identify the “comfort blocks” (the times you’re coasting because you aren’t currently threatened).
- Take 5 hours of that time this week and dedicate it to growth. This is your Crisis Mode preparation. Build something that pushes you outside of your comfort zone. Go and learn the tool that intimidates you the most!
- If crisis hits six months from now, you won’t be the one panicking. You’ll be the one who is ready.
Does this resonate with you? Are you guilty of coasting during Peace Time?
I know I’ve been there! (I often think back and wonder where I’d be now had I not spent so much time coasting through my life’s peaceful periods!)
Let’s get you back on track. Fill out this Portfolio Assessment form we’ve created to help you formulate your goals and ideas. We read every submission, Pybites Portfolio Assessment Tool.
Julian
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Edit: Softened language from “War” and “Peace” mode to “Crisis” and “Calm” mode. Special thanks to our community member, Dean, for the suggestion.