Excitement and analytical thinking

April 2023

It's important for me not to be excited while I code. Excitement clouds my decision making. I cannot think analytical when I am excited. I must be critical, thorough, contemplative. It is a vastly different state of mind than excitement.

I suspect there isn't any professional, that requires decision making, where excitement is conducive to good work. Think of Kobe - he was stone cold when he was on the court. It didn't matter that Pau Gasol was his teammates; he was there to destroy. I need to be the same way when I'm behind the keyboard. It's important to approach engineering with a stone cold problem solving mentality. Mamba mentality but for programming.

And when it's time to be excited, I should be excited. I should not let this mindset trickle over into hanging out with my neices and nephews. Play when it's time to play! When I'm with my friends, family, or partner, I should let the excitement flow through me.

I don't want to control the emotions. I want to be aware of them and allow the appropriate ones pass when they should pass. Allow undesirable emotions to be fleeting.