Why Having No Idea What You Are Doing is a Feature, Not a Bug

(As long as you are making some kind of progress)

May 07, 2025

Most people quit because they don't realize that 2-3 months of feeling like you have no idea what you're doing is a feature, not a bug.
—
DAN KOE
(maybe)

I read this quote the other day, and it hit hard.

It hit hard because it reflects exactly what I’ve been going through ever since I graduated from University with my shiny Master’s Degree in Computer Science.

For reference, I’ve been:

A Backend Developer
A Frontend Developer
A Geospatial Data Scientist
A Data Structures and Algorithms Teacher
A DevOps and Continuous Integration Consultant

And now, on top of all that, I’m also a “Substack Writer.”

The motivations that led to wearing these many hats were mostly monetary.

More jobs led to making more money and saving some of that to eventually make some kind of breakthrough in life. The university job made it easier for me to access the internet in Cuba so that I could look for more remote developer jobs. The DevOps career wasn’t something I particularly enjoyed, but it gave me the opportunity to increase my salary by four times.

The funny thing is that in the pursuit of money, I ended up finding much more:

I found purpose in doing hard work.
I became my healthiest self at the age of 27.
I launched into a whole new life in a foreign country.

And two and a half years after writing my first word on the internet, I’ve started to create a business around my ideas.

It hasn’t been easy. I have struggled with consistency. I’ve had ups and downs.

I’ve questioned myself if this is the path I want to pursue.

And while I’ve been busy asking myself stupid questions and second-guessing my decisions, I’ve accomplished something that most people never will:

I’ve kept going, no matter what.

I have found ways to bring myself back on track when my motivation was low. I have become a more disciplined person. I have finally understood what separates successful people from the crowd:

It’s tapping into the unknown and giving themselves permission to fail, assess, and adjust.

The Reason I Write This Newsletter Is To Help You If You Are In The Position I Was Three Years Ago

Here are my three main content buckets:

1) Thrive While You Build

For junior devs who want to stay fit, creative, and sane in a demanding tech world.

You’re scared of burning out before you even “make it.”
You’re staring at screens all day, and your body feels it.
You want to do more than code—maybe play music, write, read—but can’t find the energy.

Because I have built physical health, protected my mind, and still ship great work.

2) Break In From the Outside

For ambitious engineers from non-tech hubs trying to break into global opportunities.

You don’t have a Silicon Valley network.
You’re from a place with no big-name tech companies.
English may not be your first language, and immigration sounds impossible.

Because I have proved it’s doable: landed a top-tier job, moved countries, made friends, and built a new life from scratch.

3) Don’t Lose Who You Love

For young, hungry devs trying not to ruin their relationships while chasing their careers..

You’re obsessed with “making it.”
Your partner or family feels distant.
You’re not sure how to stay close to people without sacrificing your ambition.

Because I have learned how to reconnect, rebalance, and build a career and a life that feels full.

But It Took Me Years To Figure Out What I Actually Wanted To Write About

If you’ve been here since the beginning of this publication, you might remember the days when I used to write about Data Structures and Algorithms as a way to get people interested in Computer Science.

It was natural to start there because I used to be a top competitive programmer. I enjoyed solving interesting algorithmic challenges. I had the feeling that most people, even those without any technical background, should know a little bit of Computer Science in a world where technology is omnipresent.

I even wrote a book about Graph Theory, because it was the topic I was most passionate about.

And yes, this publication was not named Smarter Engineers but Algorithmically Speaking instead.

Maybe Dan Koe Was Right After All

Two or three months (in my case, years) of not knowing what you’re doing isn’t failure.

It’s initiation.

It’s supposed to feel like a mess. Like you’re lost. Like you’re making it up as you go.

Because you are.

But if you keep showing up—even imperfectly—it starts to click.

You find your rhythm. You find your voice. You find your people.

And eventually, you realize: That confusion you were afraid of?

It was the doorway all along.

If you’re standing in that fog right now—unsure what to write, what to build, or how to break in—you’re exactly who I write this for.

Stick around. Hit reply. Tell me what you're working on.

Smarter Engineers 💡

Discussion about this post