Mindset Matters

[1] Why I went

I came to Devacademy for three reasons. Mindset, learning how to learn, learning how to think/approach technically and commercially. I like to call this upgrading my CPU.

I believe AI cannot replace what understands and leverages it best, but instead enable and help us become super professionals.

I've noticed there's still so many of us that simply have no website, no idea what technology can do, nor how to implement or use it. I aim to be equipped enough to be able to fill it.

Journal, blog 4, 5 April 2026

[2] The decision I made before any of this

When I was managing payroll, I found that the existing template was consistently producing errors. People were being underpaid or overpaid for months without anyone knowing. I realised fixing it would take quite a lot of time, and at the time I was already drowning in work with my performance under question. It was a matter of efficiency versus honesty.

I eventually decided to rebuild the process from scratch. I took on the additional workload that came with it, outside of work hours, unasked.

The values in tension were loyalty to the people affected versus my own comfort, and choosing to let it be someone else's problem later. Loyalty won.

Journal, blog 3, 5 April 2026

[3] What I got wrong before, and named

At Bayleys, I tried to introduce better, more technical systems to a team that generally weren't technical people and wanted things done the old-fashioned way. My intentions were good, I wanted to increase productivity, but I was always met with resistance.

At Dev Academy, where collaboration is built into the structure, I won't have the option of building around people. I'll need to actually develop the skill of bringing others with me.

Journal, blog 3

[4] How I want to be managed

Honest, direct, and specific feedback. I don't want and neither expect encouragement. I value signals that specifically address and inform me of my work/output being below standard and how best to improve. I also want to be challenged on my understanding or called out on pattern matching.

Journal, blog 4, 5 April 2026

[5] Where I still struggle

Collaborative ambiguity tolerance. The ability to be comfortable and positively begin a group task with little information, and working coherently with the team as a result. When the rules aren't fully set, I go into panic mode.

Journal, blog 4

[6] A real debugging session

I learned that error messages tell you where the problem is; figuring out the logic is still my job.

I finished the function correctly after 2 days, 3 hardcore gym sessions, and almost biting my fingers off.

Humans > AI. If its stressing you out, stop digging deeper and being stubborn. Take a breath, step away, make a note, and ask for help.

Journal, blog 9, 20 April 2026

[7] The line that stuck

It doesn't have to be perfect. It just needs to get done.

That was the most often repeated sentence in the feedback that I received from other members, which they liked the most.

Journal, blog 7, from my Toastmasters speech

Tomorrow will be better. My new motto.

Journal, blog 10

[8] Why a coding school teaches this at all

I joined Devacademy to learn software development in this new era of AI, not to take a deep dive on who I was and what makes me tick.

I realised that the time spent on human skills is actually what made the tech-learning sustainable.

Human skills builds well rounded people, not machines.

Journal, blog 10, 29 April 2026

[9] Where I come from

I grew up in an Indian household, very dominantly cultural, where education and work shape what people think of you and what you can or can't do as a person. I was conditioned to equate self-worth with what I achieved and could show for it.

I'm not trying to reject where I came from. I want to keep what's useful and work on what isn't.

Journal, blog 3