Three things I learned about myself and my ego as a result of core learning...

I learned that I still have some development to do in the “emotional awareness” department on all five ‘components’ of EQ. I learned that I’m starting to adopt a more growth oriented mindset when faced with challenges. But I might still get into a fixed mindset mode at times, especially when I am not getting anywhere with a challenge. But I learned to take a moment to reflect on my small victories which helps me switch back to a growth mindset. Following on from that I realised that I needed to train and practice my focus and attention; I was a bit lacking in that regard. So I took my mindful meditation practice to the next level by using the Calm app daily and reading “Search Inside Yourself”. It helped with giving me the tools to stay calm and focused. It also helped me to deflate my Ego which can get in the way of mastering programming, asking a question, learning from mistakes, and building relationships.

Values, empathy and self-awareness; their roles in learning and programming...

Simply put our actions and how we spend our time give us peak into what we deeply value. Our values in turn represent what is important to us and are a guide to our decisions. It influences our behaviour in all aspect of our lives. When we know what they are we can ensure that our programming learning journey is in alignment with our deepest values. That allows integrity and authenticity rto flourish.

Empathy is the awareness of other peoples feelings, needs and concerns. Empathy is a key ingredient in emotional intelligence, an intelligence which will be drawn upon whenever we learn (having to ask questions or collaborating) and programming, especially when working as a team.

Becoming more self-aware is a skill that can be learned and it can be beneficial in every facet of ones life. Being able to know yourself, reflecting on your learning style, knowing your own preferences, motivations, what your strengths and weaknesses are, and why you feel a certain way can help you realise your full potential while learning to becoming a programmer.

What surprise me the most about core learning is...

The diverse range of topics that were covered. Seeing that everything from mindset, to neuroplasticity, to meditation, EQ vs IQ, to the importance of good habits and reflection is being introduced and discussed made me excited. I have read books and articles about these topics and have tried to integrate it into my own life. But to see a learning programme so heavily focused on it is refreshing and I was happy to see all my past effort is not wanted.

What I found to be the most challenging aspect of core learning was...

Being true to who I am. I would research a topic and read some really inspiring article or story and I would try to emulate that. I started to realise what I was doing so I backtracked a few times. I still wanted to be inspired but rather use that to explore myself and who I am. I also found writing a concise blog challenging without focusing too much on getting absolutely perfect. I tried as much as possible to cut out filler words, sentences and paragraphs and only leave the core of what I had written behind. I then had to learn that what I produced was good enough otherwise I would spend too much time on each blog.

But why spend so much time with core learning when you are at a programming school?

The EDA core learning materials is really a journey of self-discovery. By giving each of the core learning materials an honest attempt you are learning (albeit on a higher level) about how your own brain operates, what your own values and strengths are, what your motivations are, how you learn best, what your own emotional intelligence level is, what kind of mindset your have, and how to become a better problem solver. Each of the core learning sprints is an opportunity to know thyself better. And knowing thyself better is at the core of emotional intelligence which is useful in every relationship imaginable. And ultimately everything great is accomplished with other people and in service of people.

... So you don' think all the core learning was a waste of time?

Not a waste of time at all. There are few reasons why each of the core learning topics play an important role:

There are many other topic covered in 'core learning', but hopefully the picture is a bit clearer now. Just learning to code in isolation won't get you very far. But coding with the correct tools, mindset and solid foundation of knowing who you are can set you up for a fantastic programming journey.