Words collide

I think one of the most important virtues of a software professional is being fearless. Someone can lack fear for many reasons:

1) They’re naive

2) They’re stupid

3) They’re experienced

A naïve or stupid person is either naturally or consciously ignorant of the risk involved with the activity they’re about to embark on. The first can be forgiven until becomes a trend (in which case they’re starting to become the second).

J.B. Rainsberger once wrote (in JUnit Recipes):

Test until fear turns to boredom.

Taken up a level, it means do the little things that help you become fearless. Don’t just act without fear.

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Originally published at http://jamiemcilroy.wordpress.com on October 26, 2006.