The two driving forces behind every new beginning
Whenever we start something new, I think that – at a very fundamental level – we are driven by either a strong curiosity towards the unknown and what we can discover if we start diving into it, or some sort of thirst for payback. We want to prove to the people around us that we can do it and get good results.
Whatever the reason that prompts us to take the very first steps – whether it’s starting to learn a new technology, exploring no-code tools, or simply improving our daily habits – that initial feeling we think could be able to change our fate is going to fade away pretty quickly compared to the time that is actually required to start seeing the results of our efforts. I guess we all experimented with something like that at least once. And it doesn’t have to be something as ambitious as starting a new business or changing career. In fact, it often happens in daily life, when we start going to the gym, paying more attention to nutrition, sleeping more, and being more thoughtful to the people around us…
The fading spark and the reality of persistence
Why does this happen? Being not an expert, I don’t have an answer. It might just be that the chemical reactions in our brain only last for a very short period of time. Also, as its first priority, our brain does its best to protect us – which does not always match with what is actually better for us –, and embarking on a new journey by breaking the habits and going out of our comfort zone is something that requires a lot of energy. It is very stressful, especially at the very early stages, when almost everything we do has not become a habit yet – or something we are somewhat used to.
The solitude of the journey
Walking in life is not as straightforward as walking on a street can be. We do not have a map, streets always change, and asking other people for directions most of the time does not lead to where we want to go because every one of us sees a different world. We can communicate, share our experiences and points of view, but we cannot see with the eyes of someone else. People are like grains of sand on the seashore: they are countless and close, but they are all unique, somewhat separated from each other.
This talk is clearly supporting an idea that I personally don’t like – maybe just because I’m a human, or maybe because it’s not reassuring at all: whatever the journey we decide to take, we essentially walk alone. No one is going to take us where we want to go. We have the responsibility to decide which direction to take at each turning point, and no one will fuel up our energy or raise our motivation. Of course, the connections we make with other people along the way, the inspiration we get, and the experience we build by interacting with the world around us can spark our imagination and become a great source of motivation. But it’s all up to us and how we decide to see and perceive the world around us.
The power of individual perspective
Everything boils down to the individual approach we decide to take: we can decide to embrace our fears or constantly refuse, fight, and get defeated by them; we can be scared of failure and think that failing means being a loser, or we can think that it just means we’re still not good enough and that it’s just a matter of time. We can hide ourselves behind the belief we’re not talented (which is true, most of the time) and give up on our dreams, or we can be patient, committed, and walk at our own pace to go as far as our feet can take us. It doesn’t really matter if we can’t be the best at what we do.
These words are flowing on this digital paper because I try to repeat them to myself every single day, wishing not to be overwhelmed by both my ambition and the feeling I’ll never be enough for myself.
Sharing knowledge to lift others
For this reason, I do my best to share what I know with the people around me, hoping that knowledge will turn into useful tools that speed up other people’s journeys. It’s why I make free tutorials, write, and build resources for anyone stepping into web development and eager to learn – because the fastest way I’ve found to make a hard journey lighter is to hand someone else the map I wish I’d had when I started.
What I want to build is a space where people can learn and grow at their own pace: something they can always come back to for guidance, inspiration, or a new idea to fuel whatever they’re working on.
Keep walking
There’s still a long road ahead, and I’m walking it at my own pace – the same one I’d wish for you. If you want to take your first step but still don’t know where to begin, don’t wait to feel ready. Start scared, start small, start anyway, and let the walking teach you the rest.
Have an awesome journey,
Francesco