#067: You Don't Need To Know Every Data Tool & Skill

Many of us data engineers feel the urge to learn every tool and skill out there.

Otherwise, we feel behind or as though we aren't good enough.

We look around at others who seem to have it all figured out and masters at their craft.

(note: don't be fooled, nobody knows it all)

But lately I've been thinking a lot about why we end up with this mentality.

I've started to compare it to learning a new spoken language.

It's not about trying to learn every word or phrase.

Instead, the real goal is to become FLUENT enough to communicate effectively.

For example, I've personally been speaking English my whole life and there are still many words & phrases I don't know.

And in data, there are also many tools & languages I don't know.

Yet I still navigate the landscape & continue in my career.

This mindset has guided my learning process over the past 10 years and is an approach I believe may help you as well.

And it's what I'd like to discuss in this video.

By the end, you'll understand how to approach learning data engineering with a focus on fluency, making your journey less stressful and, hopefully, more enjoyable. 

The main things we'll cover include: 

1. The importance of fun projects for learning
2. The value of your own data playground stack
3. Leveraging a job to get paid to keep learning 

Enjoy!

Michael