I was asked today if I thought I was doing my best work. “Best work?”, I thought, “what does that even mean?”
I feel that, at Teehan+Lax, I’m encouraged to do the best work I’m capable of in the moment and to expand those capabilities so I can do even better work tomorrow. I’ve heard the phrase that if, as a programmer, if you’re not embarrassed by the code you wrote six months ago, then you’re not doing your job. I wouldn’t take that extreme of a stance, but it’s a worthwhile thought to explore.
I believe that it’s always necessary to stop and consider if the approach that I’m taking to a problem is the best way to solve that problem. Maybe there’s a better way, but I’m not aware of it because I haven’t taken the time to stop and think. Maybe there’s a better approach that I’m already aware of but eschewing because it takes too much time or effort.
Avoiding a better solution because it takes too much time? Is it a good idea to make subpar work for the sake of a deadline? If it’s acceptable to underperform for the sake of a deadline, then what other circumstances lead to the acceptability of shitty work? It’s a slippery slope that I’m not comfortable sliding down.
