Harry Potter might not be a superhero in the traditional sense, but I believe he still has a lot to teach us and show us about life as a developer. If you have been living under a rock for the last 17 years, you might not know that Harry Potter is the main character in an extremely popular series of books and movies documenting the education and tribulation of a young wizard (and his friends).
Throughout the seven books and eight movies, Harry Potter learns to face his fears, trust his friends, and grows as a person. This series was so beloved because of the real life lessons each story contained. So what can we learn about developers from the world’s most famous wizard?
So how are developers like Harry Potter?
Well, read on my list of reasons.
Never Give Up
Never give up. Harry Potter faced some astounding obstacles in his life – first, losting his parents, living with his horrible aunt and uncle, and facing He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, the most evil wizard in all history. Developers may not face pure evil brought back to human form, but they certainly do not give up in the face of difficult problems.
Have Dependable Friends
Rely on your friends. Throughout the books, Harry learns that he cannot stand up to his troubles alone, and that he has to trust his friends to be by his side. Developers may not have gone to wizarding school with two of their closest friends, but they know that teamwork is extremely important to job performance.
Fake it until You Make it
Fake it until you make it. Harry Potter was just eleven when he faced his first challenge in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Think back to what you were doing when you were eleven years old – certainly not battling an evil wizard! Developers often face challenges they have never heard or seen before, but that doesn’t mean they give up.
Go with Faith
We choose “good” every day. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the students are sorted into “houses” by a magical hat. When it is Harry’s turn, he hopes with his whole heart to be sorted into Gryffindor, not Slytherin. Throughout the series, this choice makes Harry question his own motives – is he good in his soul, or good by choice? In the end, he learns that we all have to choose “good,” and wanting to choose, it is as good as being good in your soul. Programming problems may not be the choice between good and evil, but developers often have to choose between a quick patch and a permanent solution. Wanting to do a good job and developing a permanent solution may not be easy, but wanting to accomplish it is half the battle.
Reference: Pinal Dave (https://blog.sqlauthority.com)
3 Comments. Leave new
I really respect your work, but that may be the most moronic article I have ever read by a professional.
The analogies were so weak, so vague, I could have as easily argued why developers are like vegetables.
If you have run out of things to write about, it is better simply not to write at all.
I like Harry Potter and reading the books now with my daughters (60% through book 4 – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire). It’s amazing how the series progresses and you learn so much about the characters and get to be there with them as they grow up. I think the best lesson with Harry is how we are there with him as he feels his fear – he doesn’t deny it and doesn’t try to cover it with bravado – he feels it and does what needs to be done anyway.