When you go to an event, or when you meet someone, do not say what is in your heart at first. But watch yourself, and then say what is appropriate. – Epictetus
Reflection
For a second, everything just stopped.
No words. Just you, the screen, and that feeling hanging in the air.
And even now, it hasn't cleared.
Something about it felt off and still does, maybe.
And if you're honest, you're not through it yet.
No one talks about this part.
That weird in-between where you get it, but nothing's changed yet. It's quiet, sure, but heavy. And what do you do now? That's where it turns.
Here, most devs pivot.
They chase momentum. New tech. New commits.
Not because they're growing. But because stillness unsettles them.
But stillness isn't stagnation. It's retention.
Holding the insight long enough to burn away what no longer serves.
You refactor the same pattern again.
You name a variable twice before settling.
You review your code like it's someone else's.
Not to impress. Not to perform.
But to become someone who writes differently. Not just better.
Your brain wants to move on.
Part of you wants someone to notice.
But honestly? Change takes patience. The quiet kind. The kind nobody sees.
Security works this way, too.
Patching isn't enough. You monitor. You trace. You stay vigilant.
You're not just fixing mistakes.
You're shifting the shape of your default.
Most people bail right here.
When it feels slow. When nothing shows.
But you? You stay with it.
Today's Insight
Change doesn't hit all at once.
You get clear, then you show up.
That's how it sticks quiet, steady, one choice at a time.
Action Steps
- Commit without theatrics - Choose one principle from your last review. Practice it until it stops feeling like a correction and starts feeling like instinct.
- Track your attention, not just your output - You'll catch yourself drifting. That's fine. Bring it back. Do it again. That's the real work.
- Watch how you react when things get tight - Deadline's closing in. Feedback stings. Someone pushes back. What kicks in first habit or choice?
- Fortify your invisible habits - Fix an unclear name. Delete code that's hanging on. Tidy the parts. No one will notice except you.
- Let time do its work - The growth that matters doesn't rush. It settles. Stay with the discomfort of patience. Let it work on you.
Consider This
Can you act as if the change has already happened, even before it shows?
Can you walk with the weight of who you're becoming before the world reflects it?