Just Paddle

3 years ago | Life
I really think too much. I have a lot of fear in me that keeps me from doing things I love to do. It's unhealthy and also self-obsessive (there are 3 "I's" and 2 "me's" above). I really need to stop thinking and just... do...

I have the hardest time starting things. Like this post, for instance. I'll just sit there and think... and think... which is funny because if you know me personally you might say something like "really, Rob? You... think too much?"

Riding waves is so much like life. I don't think I need to explain this too much - but often the hardest thing to do when surfing is paddling. Making the decision to go and then committing 100% to whatever happens.

That's the irony. I love to try things, change my mind, race around, zig and zag... you get the idea. I'm an optimizer. It's my thing.

This is my son finishing the last lap of a 6 race, three city racing series.  He finished first through a combination of effort, tenacity and results.
Photo by David Armstrong / Unsplash

Unfortunately I also tend to overthink things and don't even start the race. Take this blog, for instance. I've wanted to create something simple, where I can post ideas and long-form "tutorials" if you will, but every time I think about it I lock up, trying to optimize what I'll create, how it will be presented, etc.

People Like What I Create

Which is a problem. I've been making videos for years - even sold a company once. I write books, one of which has sold almost 30,000 copies, self published!
I research something, get excited when it works and then get even more excited when I see connections to other things I've learned. I take notes, make some demos and in 3-6 months I might have a video I can sell. Or maybe I'll take a year and write a book!

I like writing. I like making videos. I don't like how long it takes so I end up just giving up or doing less so it doesn't take a ton of time... with the videos ending up on YouTube.

There has to be a happy middle ground where I can do good, valuable work that people are willing to pay for without becoming a cheesy cloud coach guru. I don't mind giving things away, but if I'm getting paid to do it I'll make 10x the content in terms of quality and quantity.

But how do I go about that? What types of things will I create... how will I present this to people? I need to think about this...

Or Maybe I Don't

The domain for this site, robconery.com, seems pretty obvious for someone like me because that's my name. The problem is that I have a hard time with attention and I very much don't want to give the impression of trying to be a "guru". So I spent 3 days (literally) pondering domain names. It had to be just right so people didn't get the impression I was full of myself.

What a load of shit. I mean... I do good work! People like what I do (see above) so why shouldn't I be OK with doing more of it in a place with my name on it? I'm not a guru, I'm an explorer and hopefully that will come across in everything I do here.

Or maybe I just stop thinking about it and just do it already.

I want a place where I can stop thinking and just do things for fun. A long trek through the world of travel, software, whatever. I plan on discovering some fun stuff along the way and if you decide to join, I hope you find it valuable.

If not, that's OK too. I'll keep writing nonetheless and I can think this thing to death and sit here and tell you what my plans are but honestly I have no idea.

Big wave, might be too big, or maybe close out. Let's find out and just paddle.


Learn The Core CS Concepts Every Programmer Should Know - Free

Every day programmers like you and me have to solve complex problems. In this free, 52 page PDF I'll share with you some of the skills and techniques I use on a daily basis. Pop your email below and I'll send it right off!

    I respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

    Have some thoughts? You can always reply to this post (if you're receiving as a newsletter) or shoot me an email at rob@conery.io. If the conversation is a good one, I would love to add it here, with your permsission, of course. Otherwise, you can always take it to HackerNews.

    There's More...

    👹 The Wrath of the Junior Developer

    There are a lot of opinions about AI, whether it helps or hinders our coding process and our team in general. Many are concerned that junior devs will be the ones impacted the most.

    Following Your Imagination

    I learned to play ice hockey when I was 11 and, as a kid from Southern California, it wasn't easy. I learned how to skate and how to play the game at the same time, all while going through a massive growth spurt. My sister once called me a "baby giraffe on a frozen lake". Nice.

    It wasn't what you said, but how you said it

    I make videos for a living and I swear: each one is an adventure. You would think I would have a system down by now but, as it turns out, each video is a unique thing that demands it's own type of story telling.