Pinned — 28 Oct 2025 #codingStreet-Smart Coding: 30 Ways to Get Better at Coding Without Losing Your Mind
I spent five years in college learning to code.
A stupid dissertation delayed my graduation. But that’s another story.
Most of my five-year program didn’t prepare me for real-world coding. My real coding journey began at my first job, with one Google search: “how to get good at coding.”
I found a lot of conflicting advice:
“Use comments”
“Don’t use comments”
“Do this”
“Don’t do that”
Arrggg!
It took years of trial and error to learn what worked.
I had to survive on-call shifts, talk to stakeholders, and say “no” politely. More importantly, I had to learn that coding takes more than just syntax.
That’s why I wrote Street-Smart Coding— a roadmap of 30 lessons I wish I had when I started. For every dev who’s ever typed “how to get better at coding” into Google or ChatGPT. (Back in my days, I didn’t have ChatGPT… Wait, I sound like a nostalgic grandpa…)
Preview of the first ~12 pages
Inside “Street-Smart Coding”
This isn’t a textbook. It’s a battle-tested guide for your journey from junior/mid-level to senior.
Some lessons are conventional.
Others were learned the hard way.
And a few are weird.
One lesson comes from a TV show. Nope, not Mr. Robot or Silicon Valley. That’s on Chapter #29. It will teach you about problem-solving.
You’ll learn how to:
Google like a pro
Debug without banging your head against a wall
Communicate clearly with non-tech folks
…and 27 more lessons I learned over ten years of mistakes.
This book is my case against obsessing over syntax to stand out as a coder.
I’m writing it for my younger me who believed his only job was to write code. Younger me needed to learn that code alone won’t save him or make him stand out.
It’s a manifesto for mastering the skills that create real impact. That’s why I’m calling it Street-Smart Coding Manifesto. It’s about the why, while Street-Smart Coding is about the how.
#3. Product managers exist because we coders speak another language. That makes the relationship dysfunctional. But here’s a guide on working well with them (11min).
(Bzzz…Radio voice) This email was brought to you by… Preorder your digital copy of Street-Smart Coding Manifesto—starting at just $1—and learn how to stand out by mastering skills beyond syntax. If you’d like to support the work, contribute $5 or more and I’ll thank you in the Acknowledgments.
He was holding two Roblox cards.
One for him and another for a friend.
That family stood behind me at the grocery store.
The boy insisted, “Buy them with my money.”
His older brother tried to convince him otherwise:
“My only advice is not to spend a lot of money on games. I’ve been there too.”
His mom, trying to reason with him, added up his expenses and the money she managed for him.
When those arguments didn’t work, she simply told him, “Buy something else.”“But mom, you’ve said no to everything I want.”
Most of us would agree that game cards for skills or powers aren’t worth the money.
But for the little boy, it wasn’t just cards.
It was surprising a friend, countless hours of fun, and bragging about his character at school.
Next time you see someone buying an iPhone, a fancy watch, or a designer bag, remember the boy.
We’re just older, and have replaced video games with other toys.
Money isn’t rational, but emotional.
Just like a boy who wants two video game cards.
Recently, I logged into LinkedIn after a week.
I’ve started using social media mindfully.
And one of my posts got above-average impressions, with no hacks.
I noticed the same after a week off social media.
Publish ideas worth resharing and connect organically.
Good ideas stand on their own. No hacks needed.
