Tavis Hudson is a Tech Headhunter who first recruited me in 2005 to work for Magenic. Over the years we have kept in contact and run into each other at a few events here and there. Recently, Tavis contacted me about doing an over the phone interview (as in journalism not recruiting) for his blog.

In the first of a series of blog posts he is authoring called “Prodigy Developers” he did a write up based on the conversation we had. I’ll try not to let that title go to my head but thanks for the vote of confidence Tavis.

One of the things he touches on in his post is something that I’d like to elaborate on a little more. This is something I consciously say to myself from time to time:

One thing that I have learned in college and in my career so far is that there are lots of people who are smarter than me. I mean downright geniuses. I am not a genius. I am constantly awed by these people and their mathematical abilities or their ability to grasp incredibly complex topics or the speed with which they are able to get to conclusions. This is not my strong point even though I am not an idiot by any means. Yet somehow, in a field generally regarded as primarily mathematical, I seem to thrive. It’s not to say that intelligence is overrated but I think that passion and dedication are, perhaps, underrated.

Sometimes I like to say that I’m an artist who can’t paint. I know that sounds corny but what I’m trying to say is just that I have to rely more on my creative side than my intellectual side when programming. I’m more of a right brainer than a left brainer, if that makes sense. Maybe more people than I realize would be able to associate with this notion but I feel like this is what has helped me more than anything, not that it’s more important but maybe that it’s rare.

Sorry, enough self congratulation and introspection. Head on over and read Prodigy Developers – Justin Chase, by Tavis Hudson.