Day 43

At 8th Light, every once in awhile they will have some internal reviews. It is a way for everyone to learn all they ways they can improve, and to make educated goals to work towards. I sat in on these reviews, taking notes, and looking for common trends and things that were frequently suggested, or traits that were frequently praised.

I came up with a batch of traits and qualities that seem to highlight many of the virtues you would find in a Craftsman, as described by 8th Light. I thought it would be valuable to have such a list so that I don't have to wait for a review to begin setting my own goals!

*Strong Enthusiasm - Always brightening everyone's mood with your love of what you do.

*Don't be afraid to ask for help - Especially if you feel rushed, or have bitten off more than you can chew.

*Ask a lot of questions - Even if you are already a Craftsman, if you are surrounded by other Craftsman, there will always be new things to learn.

* Discipline Discipline Discipline - The mark of a Craftsman is to have an unfailing discipline to do the right thing. Whether that is constantly learning new things, or never forgetting what you know, especially when it is hardest to practice. Here are three disciplines:
* Go Slow - Often it is better to take your time, making sure you do every step correctly, rather than rushing for a temporary spike in productivity.
* Do it Right - Never stop practicing the things you know that work. Don't stop testing first. Don't stop refactoring.
* Being Methodical - Be thorough. Be certain you are producing the best work that you are capable of through a steady and unflinching practice of virtues.

* Lists - A Craftsman knows his own productivity, and can gage how much he can get done in a certain time span. Making lists, getting metrics, and measuring your productivity will help to accomplish this.

* Understanding the Real Business Intent - It is important to remember you aren't just writing code to fulfill some requirement on a note card, but you are actually creating a product that a business intends to use. Try to understand what that note card means to them as you transform the requirement into a feature.

* Recognize your failures of the past so that you can move forward on a new level.

* Don't be shy with your ideas - Throw your ideas out there, and then be the biggest critic of them. You only stand to gain when others see your ideas (unless youzz crazy).

* Lessons always come at a cost - Stay positive, because if you are getting punished by your mistakes, remember that you also learning from your mistakes.

These are the big qualities I took from the reviews, and although I am sure there are others, this is a solid list to begin modeling my character against.