A good craftsperson never blames their tools

Yesterday, I came across a site someone had created to trash the popular Blue Yeti microphone and encourage people to buy other, more expensive options instead.

It included all of the typical gatekeeping nonsense you’d expect from a site like that:

This is what all the cool kids are using these days…
You’ll sound like a true podcaster….
…ultimately you’d be better just throwing it in the bin and getting one of the suggested options.

But as my buddy Todd Libby says…

A good craftsperson never blames their tools.

I taught myself to code on a sluggish Dell computer and Notepad++. I started my first podcast with Audacity and a $20 wired headset with a built-in microphone.

Over time, I slowly upgraded my tools.

I bought a faster, more reliable computer. I purchased Sublime Text. I upgrade my microphone. I purchased screencasting software. I upgraded my microphone again.

Each upgrade brought an initial dip in productivity as I learned the new tool, and then made me a little more productive once I learned how to take full advantage of it.

But I’m not a better coder now just because I use Sublime on a MacBook Pro.

I’m a better coder because I put the time in (much of in Notepad++) to really learn my craft. I’m a better podcaster and educator because I’ve improved my ability to teach clearly and effectively, not because I use a $350 mic setup.

Those tools cut down on the time I have to spend doing certain things, but if something I create is good or not is not the fault of my tools.

If you want to get better at your craft—any craft—use the tools you have, and put in the time to practice. Good tools can help, but only if you know what to do them. Focus on that first.

If you’re not sure what to work on or how to practice coding, I’ve got a free collection of lessons and projects you might be interested in at vanillaJSprojects.com.