Summary
Owning our careers is hard. We need to put a lot of effort into getting to a position where we can say, “I feel confident I can find a good and well-paid job whenever I want.” Determination and passion are essential for a successful career as a software craftsman. However, without focus, much of our efforts are wasted. We need to learn how to keep ourselves up to date and how to practice. We need to learn how to use our time well. The day we stop learning and practicing is the day we start losing control of our careers. The more knowledge and skills we have, the easier it is to own our careers—that means we are able to choose where, when, and for whom to work, and how much to charge for our services.
Time should never be used as an excuse for not doing certain things. Ever. We all have time. In fact, we all have exactly the same amount of time. The difference is how we choose to spend our time.