Today, the tech world is filled with tons of individuals who can write code and develop good software. The competition to be at the top is increasing continuously, and to stay employable throughout your career; you need to excel at what you do.
Whether you are a frontend developer, backend developer, or cloud specialist, you need to be good at it. The increasing influx of new fresh talent has made it hard to hold your positions.
One of the best ways to always excel at your position is to be a 10x programmer. In this article, you’ll learn about who is called a 10x programmer and how to be a 10x programmer.
Who Is A 10x Programmer?
In simple words, 10x programmer is highly good at their development work, and they are far ahead in productivity compared to their peers. A typical software programmer has a 1x productivity, but these 10x programmers are ten times efficient than ordinary people.
Such programmers can be an excellent resource for any company. People who’re planning to hire dedicated developers as there is so much to learn from them. Transitioning from a 1x programmer to a 10x programmer is a bit challenging, but if you are ready to take this challenge up, your rewards will be exciting.
It is usually noted that people who’ve achieved explosive growth in their tech careers are from the 10x programmer breed. Such programmers also hold a high post in their companies and lead the business to grow with their abilities.
Having known about who is a 10x programmer, you should know the benefits you get to enjoy after becoming one. These benefits will act as fuel for you to start your journey.
- You’ll have explosive career growth.
- You’ll work on exciting things and solve significant problems.
- Being a 10x programmer, your views will be highly regarded, and you’ll be respected more for the work you do.
- As you become 10x efficient from your peers, you can get your work done faster, and you’ll be able to enjoy more free time. You can utilize such free time to upskill and polish your skills.
- You’ll be paid handsomely for your contributions, and you can reach higher positions faster because of your efficiency and determination.
Let’s dive in and explore how to be a 10x programmer.
How To Become A 10x Programmer?
Some people think 10x programmers is a tech myth, and there are no such people, but the reality is different, there are 10x programmers, and they are as rare as diamonds.
This makes people believe that the 10x programmer thing is a facade. If you want to become one of those elite few, you’ll need to change many things and take up challenges. Here is a list of things you should do to achieve the 10x programmer status.
Develop A Learning Habit
One of the best ways to stick in the tech industry for a really long time is to develop a learning habit. Knowledge can take you to heights you cannot even imagine. New frameworks and trending technologies are coming up every day in development, and you cannot stick to one thing throughout your career.
Moreover, people who are quick learners are usually liked by recruiters and even managers. Such people are employable and can quickly start working for the company.
To be a 10x developer, you’ll need to handle a lot of things, and you’ll have to excel at each one of them. One of the best pieces of advice for all developers out there who want to excel in their careers is that you should never stop learning. You can only do this when you develop a learning habit.
Integrate learning times in your daily and weekly plans, and stick to them consistently. You’ll be surprised by the results of your learning consistency. The more you learn, the more you are able to gain practical experience, and the more experience you have, the more efficient and effective you become at your position.
Learning habit is a core fundamental to becoming a 10x programmer, and it is a stepping stone you cannot overlook. The earlier you adopt this habit, the easier it becomes for you to become a 10x programmer.
Work On Problem-Solving Skills
As a software programmer, the majority of the time you’ll spend on solving complex problems. Hence, it is vital to have good problem-solving skills. Problem-solving skills help you to enhance your approach to every problem.
You’ll be solving real-world problems whenever you are working on a project, and programming is all about that. So, without good problem-solving skills, you cannot pave your way to becoming a 10x programmer.
To start off, you should work on problem-solving skills by training your mind to love hard things like mathematics, puzzles, quizzes, and the likes. To get better at problem-solving, always be open to challenges and keep practicing. Without practice, problem-solving skills can even decrease over time.
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This will set you up for day-to-day challenges and even help you build confidence in problem-solving. Also, it is an excellent way to prepare for tech interviews if you are looking for a switch.
Another way you can work on problem-solving skills is by building side projects regularly. This will set you up for real-world problems that you’ll be expected to solve at your work. Projects are crucial to distinguish you as a 10x programmer, and the more complex projects you build, the better you get at problem-solving.
Read And Write A Lot Of Code
Reading and writing a lot of code is a great way to become a 10x programmer. Some new developers think that reading other people’s code does not help, it’s just your code that helps you learn, but this is totally wrong. Such perceptions stop you from becoming an elite programmer.
Reading other people’s codes is a good exercise for your mind. You get to learn a lot of new things while reading others’ code. You learn about the coding principles you should adopt, the program flow you should keep in your code, and other things.
When you read others’ code, you increase your problem-solving and understanding skills because you are trying to understand everything independently without someone’s help. This lets your mind find better solutions and connect the whole code to make it understandable. Simply put, when you read a lot of other people’s code, you are improving your code over time.
Writing code is equally important. It is a real-world firsthand experience that you cannot get from any other place. If you are in a position where you don’t have to code much, start working on side projects and keep coding your way to a 10x programmer.
It is the only way to be better at coding. You can have excellent problem-solving skills, but if you don’t put them into practice by writing code, you’ll waste it over time.
Be Motivated
Many people ask how to be a 10x programmer. The easiest way to start is by being motivated. Without motivation and determination to make a change, you’ll give up on the first challenges. Being motivated does not mean that you have to keep doing something every time. It is more like you should not give up after some challenges.
An easy way to be motivated throughout your journey is to create a plan and stick to it. Starting the journey with motivation and plans will set you up for success. Always look at the brighter side of being a 10x programmer so that you can stick to your path even after some severe challenges.
Conclusion
Becoming a 10x programmer is not for everyone. It requires hard work and determination. If you can put these, no one can stop you from joining the elite club of 10x programmers. Even if you don’t become a 10x programmer instantly, these tips will help you progress your journey of how to be a 10x programmer. Stick to these patiently, and you’ll surely see the results in some time.
