Author: Xiang Zhi
If you have the opportunity to come to Beijing, you can come and take a look at the subway line 15 from the city called "Shunyi" to "Wangjing" at eight or nine o'clock in the morning on weekdays. On it, you can see clearly , the appearance of people running towards their dreams.
1. Study room on the subway
Before I came to Beijing, I always felt that the people who work here are in the right place at the right time. It is the capital of a big country and has abundant resources. Everything exudes a sense of nobility. Even the soy milk and fried dough sticks on the street are more expensive than those elsewhere. If it costs two yuan, the people who work here will naturally be higher than those in other places in terms of their horizons and salary. But when I came here, became the first to drift to the north, and joined the army of workers at the bottom, I found that my previous understanding was too one-sided. There is nothing "natural" in this world, it is all "supposed". People in this city are no exception.
This new understanding came from when I rented an apartment and moved to Shunyi. When I took the subway to work on my first day in Alibaba, I saw this scene in the clanking above-ground rail car:
"A big brother wearing military green camouflage overalls was sitting on the seat, holding a nylon packaging bag in one hand, and holding a slightly yellowed book in his lap in the other hand, quietly there. Look, occasionally look up at the wiring diagram;
A girl who looked like she had just graduated was holding a pillar by the carriage door, wearing a pair of wired headphones, looking at her phone, raising her head and closing her eyes for a while, mumbling, as if she was memorizing some material;
A guy wearing a jacket with a Meituan brand belt hanging around his neck, holding a hanging ring in one hand and holding a small Kindle in the other hand, was swiping left and right on the screen to look at it carefully, occasionally frowning and swiping right. Went back, stopped for a while and then paddled back;
The carriage was not that quiet. Occasionally, two aunts chatted and suddenly started chatting loudly. But these few people didn’t look away for a moment. The sunshine in the April morning in the suburbs of Sunhe was just right, so they just worked quietly. The light shone into the car, and I was filled with the freshness of my first day working in Alibaba, observing everything around me with novel eyes, like an idiot. "
Later, I downloaded some technology community apps on my mobile phone. I also downloaded The Paper and CMG News in order to adjust my channels for obtaining information. I also became a member of reading software in order to listen to some interesting books, and even to change my taste. I downloaded a certain open class, a certain Ci Zhan and other content, and of course a Kindle was indispensable. On the way to work every day, I slowly regained my motivation to study, so that I could study in this self-study room on the subway. Don't look so "out of place" here, and don't feel "guilty" because you have nothing to do.
Later, from blindly imitating what others were doing, I gradually found what I was suitable for learning on the subway. Only then did I really make use of this time to subtly influence myself. Only then did I understand that "learning has never been a matter of learning". "I don't pick a place, I don't pick a time." Only then can I live up to the original intention of my fancy name "Xiangzhi": life has its limits, and knowledge has no limits. Live toward death, and never slacken your pursuit of knowledge.
2. Concept of learning
2.1 Entering the workplace for the first time
find growth type
The first two years after graduation are the two years when people grow the fastest. People at this time are full of vitality.
What does it mean to be energetic? It means being able to keep a fresh sense of everything, having flexible ideas, bravely trying, eagerly absorbing, and straightforward expressions. The path of technology involves the exploration of new technologies, the continuous implementation of ideas, and the continuous learning and trial-and-error of technical knowledge, which will ultimately be fed back into the needs of every industry and technology project.
Although they are all energetic, in the actual process of self-growth, there are actually obvious differences in efficiency. It is important to figure out what kind of growth type you are, or the easiest way for you to gain experience. When I was interviewing students for school recruitment in July and August this year, I gradually gained some insights into people's growth types, and during the interview process I continued to explore whether candidates had clear growth patterns to evaluate their growth. From a cognitive perspective, there are roughly three types of growth for a person:
-
Theoretical growth type: Can sit still, see and absorb technical information well, understand technical principles very thoroughly, and can easily form a knowledge system. And can integrate a steady stream of new technologies into the existing knowledge system.
-
Practical growth type: People who are good at technology implementation and engineering application, good at implementing technology, and can have a lot of paradigms and methodologies after each implementation Precipitation, and constantly forming a clear own engineering style, are those who get better the more they write code.
-
Experiential growth type:Have a unique perspective on the people, things and things experienced. In actual projects, observe the details of the project, observe the behavior of others, and observe the promoted SOP , and constantly establish one's understanding of the business model, communication skills, and procedures for implementing matters, which are related to actual operations. To put it simply, you are a born PM.
Most people actually have traits in multiple directions in this triangle, but there is always one particularly obvious main trait that will shape a technical person's future external technical role image, theoretical growth type People who are mainly focused on their own will always easily become a "technical scientist", while those who practice growth will become a "technical scientist" Engineer", and the corresponding image of the growth-experience type is "Technical businessman". Here I will discuss the three The generalization of this image may not be scientific, but it is expressive enough. I believe that everyone should be able to find the corresponding person among the students around them. Of course, the boundary between image and image may not be so obvious in real life.
At this time, the key point comes. When you can correspond to your main characteristics among these three growth types, then you can improve yourself in the most efficient way according to the corresponding characteristics. For example, if you are a practical player, you will learn skills the fastest. The best way is to first find cases to try experimental technology exploration, and then check the information when you encounter problems, instead of looking for a book on the underlying source code principles of the corresponding technology and start reading. For such players, reading the principles is more to confirm All kinds of things in practice and sorting out fragmented experiences.
If you go the wrong way, hard work will be in vain, so what is best for you is the best, and seize the rapid and efficient accumulation in the first two years.
Correct your attitude towards learning
When I first came out of school, one of the easiest misunderstandings was to be confused about the relationship between "study and work".
They tend to go to two extremes. The first is the concept of complete learning. To put it more generally, it means that the "student mentality" cannot be changed and always feels that work is for growth; the second is the concept of working to make money, which means that after graduation, They only make money for work performance, but they ignore that they still need "continuous learning and reflection", which is the foundation of a technical person's life.
The former concept is actually more of a refutation. I often tell my junior sisters, "Take money from others to help them eliminate disasters." In the workplace, the company pays you wages and buys your work. It will not do it for the reason of "letting you study with peace of mind." Or consider "whether what you do has growth value" and choose what work content you want to do. In this case, there is actually no position that can completely decide what to do or not to do. The layer-by-layer dismantling of OKR is also for employees at all levels to better achieve the company's goals, so from the perspective of oneself, Saying something like, "I don't feel like this is growing," or even using this as an excuse to refuse a job is a very childish behavior.
For the latter concept, it is more of a reminder. In the workplace, "Leave the results to the employer, but leave the process to yourself." Even though the most direct goal of many workplace skills is to better adapt to the workplace, the salary returns brought by this adaptive growth are also It will be real, and there is no essential difference from the human ancestors who continued to strengthen their bodies hundreds of thousands of years ago to better chase prey during hunting. They make a living without being shabby. Especially in the current Internet industry, changes in the market and industry are constantly taking place. You can only hold one bowl, but you will not discover new bowls. In the tide of industry replacement, the pot for everyone's meals is burned and extinguished. If you extinguish it and light it again, you will starve to death one day.
Although the above statement is too realistic, this is the real workplace. The result is the real purpose of work, but learning can be accompanied by the process, and ultimately it must return to a "balanced" state. “I know that many times, we cannot change the desire to obtain the final result of a thing, but when you have the opportunity to choose a path to obtain this result, please try to choose a path that can give yourself The path that brings additional gains, whether it is technology accumulation, methodology summary or cognitive improvement, while delivering results, let yourself have a little residual warmth."
At work, try to put yourself into a positive cycle: in the process of achieving results, look for learning value. Good results can also provide good emotional value for the next stage of work. In this way, you will not let yourself fall into the boring day after day and continue to wear away your enthusiasm. After all, there are few things that can make people happy in the work process, but promotion and salary increase can. It’s okay to learn something.
2.2 More than a year old
After working for several years, things at work are very familiar. Even if you don't see a clear solution at the beginning, you will understand how to act after taking it apart carefully. This is the precipitation left by time and experience on us. However, even in such a relatively stable environment, things around them gradually lose their challenges. There are so many unknowns and challenges in the world, but they don’t know where to start. People often fall into a kind of confusion, that is, the kind that cannot be found. Where is the "next step" or "next step", it corresponds to the sentence "drawing the sword and looking around with a confused heart".
I know that I have a problem, but I don’t know where the problem is. Regarding this, it is actually difficult for me to share a methodology that I am more comfortable with. Based on my own situation, I can only share my feelings with a conversation and an action.
A conversation: The antonym of anxiety and confusion is concrete
Some time ago, I discussed this matter with a friend because I felt that my enthusiasm for work and even career was gradually losing.
My friend thinks that the meaning of life is not just work. He said that my previous attitude towards life was too careless. I didn’t even have a serious hobby when I was at home after work. It’s better to find a hobby that can immerse me now. Soothe impatience. I argued that I still loved playing games and playing games, and that they could also temper my mind. My friend said that these things were still too sloppy for me, and that I needed to learn something in a serious and systematic manner to have a constant sense of gain and positive feedback.
After laughing and scolding her, her expression became serious and she suddenly asked me: "What do you think is wrong with you now? Are you dissatisfied with the working environment? Or are you dissatisfied with what you are doing now? Or do you feel that Is it boring? You have to list it clearly to make sense.” At that time, I didn’t answer this question until she later sent me this paragraph on WeChat:
"There is a saying that I like very much and I would like to give it to you: The antonym of anxiety and confusion is concreteness."
"I benefited greatly from this sentence, and it was also the way I asked you questions that day. I hope you can visualize the problems and emotions. Because we cannot defeat the invisible enemy, we can only solve specific problems."
In fact, many times, when we encounter adverse situations, we have never been able to further analyze what problem we have fallen into. As a technician or engineer, we are used to it. For clear business problems, we analyze, dismantle, model, and implement the process of solving them one by one. However, we fail to use this precious ability to solve the confusions in our own lives. We only mistakenly think that the confusions are various and indescribable.
One act: don’t stop
I remember that when I first started working at my previous company, I had a quarterly performance discussion. At the end of the conversation, my elder brother said to me: "You have to remember that this is the time when you are growing the most smoothly." At that time, just keep doing and thinking, don't stop, you will be discouraged if you stop."
Looking at this now, it seems a bit PUA, but even after so long, I still feel that the saying "don't stop" applies to every time period.
Everyone has different ways of thinking or cognition, and I dare not say that this view is definitely correct. Maybe this statement only applies to people like me: As for me, I am not a very smart person. It is difficult to ensure that at each stage of career development, I clearly understand what needs to be done in the next stage. After falling into confusion, even if I am given enough time to reflect on myself, it is difficult to see a clear path based on my own knowledge. Every time, I told myself to do the things in front of me first, and think about it while doing it. Once I have an idea, try it. If it doesn’t work, stop the loss in time and try another one. Anyway, as long as you get enough experience, there will always be quantitative changes that lead to qualitative changes. One day, just don’t stop.
If you don’t understand the business, then ask more questions shamelessly; if you don’t understand the requirements, then find a piece of paper and draw a picture first; if you don’t understand the code, then find a case to study first; if you don’t understand the principle, then search for books Read a book; if you don’t know what to do, then look at what the people around you that you admire are doing. The problems in this world always have the least clever but most straightforward starting point. Don’t stop and give it a try first.
There is a very good song, "If you dare to ask where the road is, the road is at your feet", The road is walked, not imagined. I am particularly afraid of it. Yes, when I decided to stop one day, my original intention was to leave after I had a clear vision, but I unconsciously felt comfortable during the long pause. I also called it "a change of mood", and gradually a sense of joy spread over me. Come slack and turn a blind eye.
2.3 Start anytime
Learn something from beginning to end. In fact, at each stage, you can start a new knowledge immediately. If you feel that life is boring, then it is better to find a new direction, learn something systematically, expand your own ability map, and also find some fun for yourself. Idle.
Find your own shortcomings
I personally think that the strongest motivation for learning comes from my dissatisfaction with myself. I feel that I can't do it without learning and that I must learn.
For example, a common problem among many technical people is that they are not very good at talking. They have all their fantastic ideas in their heads, but they don’t know how to express them clearly. Sometimes when they are in a hurry, they can only say, “I’ll show you.” Code," then why can't words explain something that can be explained clearly through code? Code is inherently logical, and coupled with mature rules and paradigm constraints, it is naturally clear and organized. However, as for language, it is because it is spoken every day. Anyway, it is human language, so there is no concern that it cannot be understood. Most people The organization and paradigm of speech will be ignored. But in our workplace, as we get further into the future, "speaking it out" will become as important as "doing it". The aroma of wine is also afraid of the alley, so it is not enough to keep running away without solving it. Systematic solutions are needed. It is inevitable to read books such as "The Pyramid Principle" and "The Art of Communication", and even "The Crowd" and "Human Weakness".
So back to the beginning, you actually need to clarify your own shortcomings first. It is better to take the time to draw several ability radar charts for yourself layer by layer to have the most preliminary assessment of yourself.
Or perhaps the ability to be solved is not a human development issue, but just a self-assessment of workplace skills. Then such a radar can be built for specific scenarios.
Whether it is a radar chart or any other chart is not the point. Whether the assessment problem is big or small is not the point. The point is to really evaluate it! Going back to the previous argument, it must be specific and clear, so that you will have a clear goal to solve. If you ask me how to rate this thing, I would say just rely on your own feelings. Complacency or dissatisfaction are all your own feelings. Even if people around you think you are not doing well, you just firmly believe that you are good. , then it is useless for anyone to advise you to learn; on the contrary, you have obviously reached the top in a certain circle, and others only deserve to follow behind, but you just feel dissatisfied and keep studying, isn't it good~
To put it simply, we live in an era that is worth celebrating, because we have various ways to obtain this knowledge. As long as we want it, we can get it at our fingertips, but for this reason most people do not cherish it. a>But knowledge never becomes easy or cheap because of the way to obtain it, it will only become dusty because of our neglect and avoidance.
Find your own interests
Think about it, is there anything that you said when you were in school: "I will try it when I can work and make money later."
Think about it, is there anything that you said when you were at work: "I must do it next year."
Think about it, is there anything that you said when you were busy, "I'll start doing it after a while when I'm not busy anymore."
In fact, many times, we are obviously interested and willing, and we are so close to a new beginning, but we find a seemingly reasonable reason to put it off until we forget it, and then never start. My old father has always warned me since I was a child not to "constantly set aspirations" but to strive for "long-term ambitions." Although I haven't practiced it very well until now, the older I get, the more I realize that this sentence is really right and simple. Back then, That little kid with a runny nose, why the hell can't he listen?
Go with your heart, start right now, don't stop.
2.4 Proper approach
Make good use of tools
To be honest, I didn’t expect that I could study in various ways on the subway and persist for such a long time. Of course, I wasn’t able to accept it so smoothly at the beginning. I tried various learning methods, but later I found that they were too single. The form of knowledge acquisition will be tiring, and it has to be paired with it. No matter how fragrant the rice is, you have to have a bowl of noodles occasionally.
-
Listening: The easiest way to start at the beginning. Although like most people, it was better to listen to Guo Degang's cross talk on "Himalaya" to help me sleep at first, but later I found books to listen to on the way to work, especially in the noisy subway. In the car, it is relatively quiet with headphones on, and it is easier to concentrate. I find that I can gain a little insight every day, and over time I can quote it in articles. Later, as the good things above gradually started to cost money, I reluctantly recharged one, and found that the quality of the things I bought was higher. More importantly, the money was spent, and I felt a loss if I didn't listen carefully. On the contrary, it was motivation. There is no space limit at all. You can do it with earphones. You can do housework, walk, take a car, or drive. However, it is not appropriate to fall into deep thinking. "There are thousands of roads, and safety is the first priority."
-
Reading: the simplest form. At first, I preferred physical books. Later, I found that it was really difficult to hold, so I bought a Kindle. I enjoyed reading it for a while. Later, I found that I wanted to read content with pictures, so I bought another Kindle. IPadMini, in order to prevent myself from playing games, I deliberately bought the smallest version with 64G, and then charged it with a WeChat reading account of 19 per month. After this year, I have already read enough content~ So for reading, just take it It doesn’t matter what you watch, but you really need to watch it, and you can’t lie to yourself.
-
Write: Regarding reading, at first I read slowly and remembered too much, but then I read more and more and couldn’t remember it anymore. Maybe I am too idealistic about my brain’s memory. So I thought of the old saying, "A good memory is worse than a bad pen." So I bought a Pad pen that can be used together (with the App: GoodNotes). I can write while standing on the subway, and I can summarize important content and insights in real time. Record it down, and even if you cannot remember the original text in the book after a long time, you can review the past and learn something new by looking through the notes.
The handwriting is crooked. Looking back, I think it was interesting to write and draw in the noisy carriage without any distractions.
My methods are definitely relatively crude. I believe everyone will have better ways to suit themselves.Form is not important, suitability is the most important. If you are willing to look for it and give it a try It’s also important to give it a try.
sit still
To study, you still have to make yourself sit still.
If you can’t control yourself in the environment, find an environment that doesn’t require control. Some people need to have a sense of ritual before doing things: if you can’t read the book on the subway, go home and read it; if you can’t read the book at home, go find a coffee shop If you can't find books in shops or coffee shops, you can find a study room in the library and study with those teenagers who are a little younger than you. As an adult, if you can't sit still, you always have an uneasy look on your face.
The environment, methods, and tools are all the same.We do this for the sake of learning, not for the sake of learning beautifully< a i=2>, don’t care too much about whether the process is brilliant or not. The most important thing is to be able to sit still. Even if you just like to read the Classics and History with your arms and legs clasped and a cucumber in your mouth, as long as you can sit still and your mind is calm enough, then that’s it. .
Don't be too eager for quick success
Reading does not necessarily mean you will gain insights right away, and learning does not necessarily mean you will gain something immediately. Don’t be too eager for quick success. The point is that in this process, we are constantly continuing, accumulating, and brewing. We must believe that one day in the future, one moment in life. , what you have heard and seen will eventually turn into inspiration and be fed back, and the rest is needless to say.
3. Conclusion
Go to work, work, get off work, rest, sleep. Most of the time before retirement may be spent like this. Even if one day you change from a worker to a boss, although the process becomes complicated, the general framework may still be the same.
I am particularly afraid that one day in the future, when my physical strength and mental strength can no longer keep up, when I think back to this ordinary working time, my mind is full of needs except for those projects, but I can’t think of any color, and work just becomes A part-time job is just a part-time job.
So at this age that can still be changed, I hope that during this process, in every different space and every different stage, combined with my own status, I can gain something extra and turn my learning attitude into a Take it for granted, learn something wherever you live, let the time you pass by be full of weight, and when you talk about it with those who come after you, it will be colorful and shining.