Motivation as a Tech Professional

The question about how to stay motivated as a tech professional comes up a surprising amount. For those of us that have found our niche it seems like an odd question, but for many the lack of motivation causes real harm to their career.

[@somedonkus69420]

Eli the Motivation Guy

[@sailorjohn2224]

Worked AT&T for 22 yrs ,chucked it, and bought a sailboat and knocked around for 20 yrs took any crap job to maintain a reasonable lifestyle (usually for medical) now 73 and life has been an great adventure.

[@elithecomputerguy]

▶ Motivation as a Tech Professional - KZbin

[@joshuajerrick]

Eli the Computer Guy For all those out there here are some reasons to be motivated 1. the pay 2. the process of getting the job done 3. that you are in the IT profession.

[@calebpearman9069]

Another great video. Honest and BS free. Much thanks Eli!

[@danielcolon18]

Caleb Pearman What is BS??

[@kimfucku8074]

colonglz Bullshit

[@danielcolon18]

jajaja, ok *****

[@cheers234]

Nice to have you back Eli. Love your Reflections on life and connection of thoughlines.

[@crusty21]

Agreed, the human relations part of IT is the most stressful and probably the most "De-motivating" factor about your job. Basically your viewed as a tool and your only as good as the last fire you were able to put out. Keep organized ,be goal oriented and stay off of ppl's sh*t list....these are the 3 skills you need in the trenches.

[@jaerhee7978]

Eli, I have been working as an IT Tech for a year now. I learned so much technical stuff and IT foundation through watching your videos and I can relate to most of my experiences to yours. Just wanted to say thank you for keep doing what your are doing, and I am sure so many people appreciate what you do for them.

[@catalin.baron.damaschin]

You really shared some wisdom with us in this video. Like you always do.Thank you Eli!

[@buckfush187]

So glad you're back man! Thank You!

[@donaldhunt4]

I love this guy! He motivates me! Thank you once again Eli

[@bloodface24]

These videos alone are great motivation to me. I don't watch your tech videos as much as your advice videos only because I think you have a great knack for story telling.

[@duccky94]

This is a very sensible and down to earth talk. Thanks Eli

[@Californiansurfer]

Eli, Eli. I have learn so much from your podcast. Thank you. I been in tech industry since 1980. I remember Ibm and clone computers which I learned DOS which is still being used by windows. Then , I used word perfect, lotus 123 and dbase, 1995. Windows 95 came out we had a whole revolution which we had browser . So, I learned HTML to creat website. Today, with cell phone and new stuff, I don’t know what to do. I have 20 more years to go. I ask my customers has you have taught us. Ask what the customer wants to do. Thanks.. Downey California

[@ValeryDjondo]

Thanks 4 this soolfull speach. The breath of creation is all we need to blow our sales on the sea of IT... Thanks for your inspiration.

[@myvanwycalista3387]

Yeah, on the code part - I learned C++, C# and Java first. And if you are really good at them, if you really put your back into them - they are great. But my first complete program was done in HTML & PHP. I had this 4000 lines of C++ code from a university project, most of which was just simple rendering, simple UI, simple input and event handling and so on. It's something no one who is a beginner should start with because it make no effing sense. I didn't learn about IDEs, I didn't learn about net code, I just learned basics I have since not used. Not that it's bad to know how matrices work or multidimensional arrays or how to serialize data, but it's pointless unless you're going to be doing that. PHP is great because you don't do any of that. You figure out what you want and you go and do that. "I want a button that plays a random KZbin video." Then you find how to add buttons, how to add a list of links and how to randomly pick a link and how to embed and play a video. Along the way you learn how to manage files, if you have your own videos you want to store, or if you're storing the links in a database, whatevs. It's more to the point. Way better for beginners. Since the core basics are the same anyway as with all languages.

[@IHACKER316]

Love these videos - love the money one too - great location too

[@Rezonantenergy]

8 years later, this video is still quality. I've been in tech for about 4 years now, Eli definitely played a big role in my success.

[@_Em0jiPraza_]

Great video man, I watched the whole thing...THANKS!

[@johnaward6703]

I'm a student currenlty majoring in IT, your videos are great, thank you!

[@sadinboton1487]

I've never listened to any other person for freaking hours and hours as much as I did this guy. This channel is gold.

[@nudoge]

Eli the Computer Guy Thank you! I have been studying with The Linux Foundation for about two years now and I have been busting my ass for 5-8 hours a day and ya didn't learn very much. I am going to use this method to learn as a much softer pace and I do believe that I stressed myself to the point of forgetting some things I had learned because I pushed myself so hard. Dude you are one of the greatest tech teachers in the world and in my top 10 all time hero's.

[@sysad88]

Thanks for sharing. Great and honest thoughts.

[@elijahdayan3645]

This is perhaps the most practical advice I've ever listened to. Do dream big crap , down to earth.

[@lordpolo01]

the tribe example cracked me up! thanks eli !

[@KnightMorelos]

Sir you are awesome, thank you so much for your videos :)

[@ShivaAcharjee]

Man! You just cleared everything. It all makes sense..

[@cacurazi]

Amazing insights. Thanks Eli

[@johnmal5975]

Great video, It took me a long time to realize what you just said. I have done a lot of different things in my life until I realized I wanted to work for myself it was never satisfying no matter what the money was. At the end of the day, if you have no goals you will have no motivation. Whatever it is like it you are gonna spend a lot of time doing it!

[@MrRadioperse]

If you have a real problem with having money being a motivator and you want to create an 'action plan' to succeed in your goal, your goal can be: Grasping a certain technology, getting to a certain level in your programming skills, being able to create a project that can do something cool/great, getting a job as a whatever the position. Instead of money mindset you could focus on giving a solution to people's problems and of course you want as many people to have their problems fixed as possible for you to feel more useful, so focus on growth and money will come... as long as you value your time.

[@7Samples]

exactly what i needed been trying to figure out why i cant find the energy to program anymore

[@Aleks-mg4ki]

Thanks man, im at a point in life where i needed some career advice and motivation and i got both. I'm new here and not going anywhere now, thanks again

[@undeadlizard3478]

Aleks If you need motivation, I'd recommend changing your profile pic :^)

[@Aleks-mg4ki]

Why lmao Only WE can make change, not one man

[@jonynazar4100]

Eli, with your ability to talk for such a long time (In your case, I enjoy it because all your thoughts make perfect sense), if I were you I would think about being a life coach speaker and maybe release a book or two. Something similar to what Tony Robbins does for living. Good work on your videos, peace.

[@philaell]

This is one of the best channels I'm subscribed to. Even if it's a subject I have no interest in I still take away something useful. Plus he reminds me of Richard Pryor for some reason. Lol

[@abdulomar2880]

Eli ur awesome, thanks for the videos

[@taylorhutchinson3564]

Great videos! Keep them coming

[@go_better]

Thanks! Interesting thoughts.

[@ShotgunAFlyboy]

Hey Eli, FYI, a lot of recent community colleges are now getting IT degrees that teach exactly like you were saying: they start with web programming and databases, then build out from there.

[@antonsgi]

Eli rename your chanel to Eli the life Guru Guy and open radio station :)

[@TheEPROM9]

That is why I have found the Arduino the best platform for leaning programming, I can build code that does stuff, sometimes useful stuff. I like HTML, nice and easy to lean.

[@vidalashcroft7945]

I can now do almost all the practical stuff you have been sharing, but don't have a paid job up till now

[@carsonjamesiv2512]

ELI (so far in your videos) U SPEAK THE TRUTH!!

[@PTwolf]

Erasing all your company's data. That's failure :) Amazing Video Eli, love your content. You're 100% on point.

[@edwinremudaro7953]

You are right on point sir

[@JohnSmith-nk4vn]

I'm still rewatching this after seeing it when it was first pushed.

[@relval3306]

good talk. bookoos of wisdom.

[@ilyas0007]

Great video!!

[@arxdial9453]

Great video.

[@FDJustin]

People need to study in smaller intervals. Like... 20 - 30 minutes at a time, with breaks in between.

[@Potenti4lz]

Joining a company (and doing more constant practical work put into useful use) invigorates yourself :) Neat video. Drive and goal setting should be your priority. What happens when your drive is on more than one field?

[@shottymonsta]

Well said. My goal is to have creative control over the production of games within a game development studio. I have two paths to get there, both of which I am working on. Firstly I am setting up a small start up in the UK with an experienced artist, I program the games and he produces the art. We make small scale games which more than likely won't be huge commercial successes. However, if we keep plugging away at it we will build up a portfolio and a reputation so we can look for investment. Secondly I work in the games industry to gain experience from people with far more knowledge than me. I give it my all there in the aim to move up the ranks and become creative director. This is essentially my fall back option in case my startup doesn't come off. It also means I build a network of people who I might be able to source work from to put into the startup portfolio. Sometimes it's a grind, but most of the time I'm happy. I don't want to be rich, just enough to support a family and buy a house.

[@Av-tz4cf]

how are things going?

[@aisais-nt1oc]

Dude... just THANKS!

[@vidalashcroft7945]

You are my best tech guy

[@rukisar6312]

100% right on the education system. In high school, I saw a lot of frustration from the other kids, and I believe this was one of the biggest reasons why. They weren't doing work of value. By that age, especially teenage boys need to know they're doing something of value. If there aren't opportunities to do real work, society shouldn't act surprised when they show signs of frustration and depression. There should be apprenticeships and internships encouraged for teenagers that they can do instead of the 7 hour school day, so that even if they are earning a very small amount, they are still doing work of value and learning real skills. Then by college age, after they've done a few of those, they'd have some real marketable skills and a far better idea what career path to follow, because they already had a chance to try out a few different fields.

[@rob59214]

Great Vid!

[@ballackuk13]

Nice now I want to go back in time

[@TheRangeControl]

Quick question. If a PFSense box has 8 ports (1 WAN of course)... ....could the other 7 (each assigned a seperate subnet) have routers placed onto them? Generally speaking, is there any technical reason which would preclude me from doing this?

[@DavidJapanese]

Good question. My motivation is to work from home.

[@tristannlee]

Hey Eli what should I do? I'm a information systems major, but the only thing that gets me excited to learn anything related to computers is setting up game servers, and becoming a game master or someone who runs a game server. What kind of job will provide this type of satisfaction? Would I also be applicable to be an IT recruiter?

[@kevinabate6056]

I'm based in New Mexico, now, and recruiting for both investors and upper management.

[@slothnobody7609]

I just wanted to say thanks Eli. As a 28 year old with a programming degree who realized after getting the degree I hate programming. I slowly been re-inventing myself. And, I do mean slowly it's hard to rip away the layers at times. But recently I've become very interested in Cybersecurity and Pen-Testing. Strangely enough my first time dealing with Cybersecurity / Networking in college. I hated the idea of being force to learn something that didn't apply to my degree. So me being a complete dumbass I vowed I would not learn what they were teaching well that's exactly what happen I barely passed those classes. Anyway, as life happen and my goals began to shift I am actually interested in learning this time around (self study until I decide going back to college is worth my time). But, I felt like a screw up since I would study 30mins - 1hr a day trying collect information and research about Cybersecurity and more importantly how to go about learning it. Somewhere in the back of my mind I felt like a failure since I was not doing the 10hrs+ marathon people talk about. Instead try to go with more a practical approach (learning to crawl before walking). I guess I'm just glad to hear 1 - 2hrs a day is not a bad study habit. I find watching your Self-Help videos as along side the networking / IT ones. Are very helpful because real-life experience is not something that is bought but more learned. I guess this long rambling message I just want say thank you again for this video. And found it very helpful and look forward to checking out your other videos.

[@brandonfarfan1978]

56:40 Yep. 57:04👍 58:55 That wasn't nice Eli. Lol!😂 59:46 👏👏👏👏 This is a nice real talk vid. Thanks dude!👍

[@arbaazmir854]

Hey Eli can you make a video on socket programming?

[@Ustoria]

Eli. I heard someone once say take stimulants to stay enthusiastic and motivated lol

[@victorjereza7635]

Lol this was totally my mentality last month during my senior year in college... I felt like my senior project was going to be totally pointless when i graduated, so there was no motivation by the end >.>

[@Sanchellios]

Eli, listen to me. Thank you!!! Thank you very much!!!

[@jkguitarfreak95]

how did you like rhinebeck?? i live in the next town north in red hook!

[@fraser1237]

dropped computer science! now work in IT, looking at getting into the business side.

[@Potenti4lz]

What if you're trying to transition from an admin background to Dev?

[@lasthandman]

i love coding i have learned java(only about a years worth) and would like to get a job with it. I am 35 but would like to switch careers from construction. What is a good way to get a job without a certificate or is that even possible?

[@MrJayzion1]

two thumbs up eli

[@Wideolink]

Eli U ROCK !

[@adnaneafifi2234]

It's all about discipline

[@ddcll9538]

you nailed your prophecy about your youtube business hitting a brick wall. dam how did you know?

[@Omoiyari23]

Wow great video! Is there any other programming language where you can create things that are useful in real life pretty quickly like PHP? Or is PHP the only language where you can start making practical things that early?

[@stefanp.9631]

Ruby on Rails or Python(Django)

[@Omoiyari23]

Stefan P. i heard ruby/ror takes a long time to start creating things due to a long setup or something. ruby interests me though.

[@stefanp.9631]

Not really. On a Mac you type in some command lines to install it. After that you can choose how you want to work, with a Web IDE or sublime/brackets whatever, on your desktop. Ruby is great for building MVPs. I would try them all and decide whats best for you. PHP is more complicated but more mature (larger community, more courses to learn it etc.) Also there are many php-frameworks like cakephp, laravel, codeigniter. Ruby on Rails is also great if you wan't to build and launch a MVP fast. It works with gems like for example paperclip for file management. Python is the easiest to learn since the syntax reads like a book :). All 3 of them are powerfull where the one is weaker the other is stronger and vice versa. 

[@Omoiyari23]

Stefan P. hmmm hard choice. Thanks for the info! I think il choose ruby as my first language :s

[@stefanp.9631]

Omoiyari23 I forgot one thing: RoR Apps are most of the time hosted on Heroku. For PHP there are many hosters like GoDaddy, DigitalOcean, Linode (my choice 😀), Arvixe, Hostgator etc. Which goes from Small Server for 70$ per year up to a VPS from 20-xxx per month. Sure you can use a VPS and setup your own ruby server like you would setup a LAMP or LEMP server but i have neve done it for RoR so take this into consideration. Anyway have fun with coding :)

[@papijelly]

Very true i did so much shit in college for my CET and EMT degree and at the end is all for shit. all that matter at the end of the day is the internship i did that got me experience.

[@EndritLozi]

Probably the best part you need to take from this video: 56:55

[@hiddenobjectsinnasaimages6444]

thanks for movivation the book of eli

[@LukeLGK]

Tough stuff. Gotta read read read!

[@deathdealer13cat]

My question is, What do you do if you start out liking your field but slowly become sick of it? You can only stay positive in negative situations for so long before you just start not giving a shit

[@guardianangel5254]

Failure is a good stepping stone IMHO.

[@croquis24]

at the scool i went to thea teach fist is how to make linear batch scrpt in dos then we mouve to event base wit vb then we lurn html/css wit Dreamweaver as for me i am very intrested wit opensource and lunux/unix serveurs so i am lernin pearl and pyton and linux batch file

[@__KMFahimImran]

51:44 what was that ?

[@Mrgoogle8]

"I want a hit of that" LOL

[@vincenzi977]

Very helpful video. Eli the the great lol

[@F.T.L]

Can we have a small talk? We are so similar in thoughts , how fan i reach

[@bbowling619]

Not sure why this vid came up today but bumping this video for fun. Hopefully the algo hasnt fuqed him to bad lolol

[@techniteazyceomaynardmorga5608]

How do we get this kid motivated!!! That was hilarious...

[@Potenti4lz]

1:10:55 receptors :)

[@user-kv4mg9ug9w]

Wait... did Louis steal this part for one of his videos? XD

[@markus7n]

Amenn

[@nexusmirror5108]

Coding can also be very stresful, mostly the deadlines and small annoying bugs. I don't think that if you cannot handle any stress that it would be the reason to start coding. If you want to be a programmer you have to have atleast some passion for it, or as you stated: a goal.

[@PreetiSharma-zl9iz]

Sir,Its my request to u plz upload tutorial on redhat 7 as u xplan vry nycly...i likd alot ua xplantn plz plz upload tutorial on redhat 7....thnx 4 d ubuntu tutorial videos...

[@TheZarkoc]

Priti Sharma I don't think he can even read your request.

[@taylor_rackley]

Priti Sharma English Translation: Sir, It's my request that you would please create a tutorial for redhat 7 becuase you explain very nicely. I need a lot of explaining please upload a tutorial on redhat 7. Thanks for the Ubuntu tutorial videos...

[@michaelboyd6721]

can. anyone. make. a generates. and tessa. Eangnearying.

[@iconard]

Eli, what is your MBTI personality type? Do you know what types are most successful in the IT field?

[@elithecomputerguy]

iconard I have no idea...

[@elithecomputerguy]

***** Here's the only personality test you need... when you watch my videos what is your reaction: A) HORRIFIED B) Sounds about right... Remember there are a lot of facets to being a technology professional, and we need numerous types of people to build anything of value.

[@arxdial9453]

Kevin J. Dildonik "it really just uses a broad set of general statements most people will agree with". " same cold reading tricks as used by fortune tellers". Lol, no. I don't pay too much attention to typologies such as MBTI, but I know the test, and your statements are definitely false.

[@isaacconard9077]

Eli the Computer Guy Eli, I appreciate you and really enjoyed the video. I have been trying to figure out where I belong in the IT field(what motivates/excites me the most). As a current IT professional, I like everything IT but I have been told by some older IT guys that its best to specialize vs. being only so deep in every area(my current state). I wish there was some sort of test to help us determine where we "FIT".

[@kimfucku8074]

iconard I'm probably a INTJ but sometimes ESTJ with a tendency to ENTJ. Never a ISTJ.

[@kevinabate6056]

@1:13:00 KA-BOOM. YES OR NO. MUST RESPOND.

[@geitinblik]

iam from the netherlands, when trump got elected the reporter of the news was going to public places to ask people their opinion about trump winning the election and there was this young lady that seriously began to cry when the news reporter told her that trump had won the election, like are you shitting me

[@TopJoo7]

video is not long enough

[@carlhopkinson]

Eli, you would make a good oversee on the Plantation working for the Man in the big white house. I would humbly suggest that having to make large amounts of money to support loan repayments to the bankster overlords is not a psychologically sound basis of motivation. More like, it is a recipe for slow psychological suicide and an early stress-induced grave. FYI, I was a senior kernel engineer for Sun Microsystems for 17 years and I have seen the industry deteriorate from a life-affirming supportive environment conducive to innovation and camaraderie to a cut-throat rat race environment that has produced very little relative real progress except for the ability of banks to handle many more fraudulent transactions and saddle the working class with ever more debt and allow the military-industrial complex to completely undermine the Bill of Rights with ever more sophisticated spy-tech. This, sir, is not any kind of "progress" that I would want to be associated with and your simple-minded analysis does a great disservice to your subscribers of which I am no longer one.

[@elithecomputerguy]

+Carl Hopkinson What are you even talking about? I reread this comment 5 times thinking that maybe a relevant point was lost in some bad grammar, but all I get is a rant that has nothing to do with the video. If you're really such a great developer go and build something that you think matters...

[@timyaw58]

+Carl Hopkinson Good we don't need you and your kind.

[@josher3436]

+Eli the Computer Guy ..... "Build something that matters to You"....... title of next video.

[@electric_sand]

@@elithecomputerguy I read it twice... wondering what I missed.

[@kevinabate6056]

taos isn't bad. it just needs to stay a small town that respects the historicity of the original people.

[@MrFooSteven]

Anyone miss the PMA version of ELI??? Nowadays its the schadenfreude Eli lol

[@Charlie_904]

when your goal is to get a job with ccna... never happy, feelsbadman