Many paths often lead to the same destination

Everyone has their own way or doing things. Everyone has their own direction they like to go. If four people ask for directions to the same location, and get four different answers, is one direction better than the other if they all get to their destination safely and in a reasonable amount of time?

There are a million ways to make spaghetti sauce. But is there one “right” way to make it?

When it comes to directions, cooking, or studying, what works for one person may not work for another, and there are many ways of doing things that can be successful. But often times in the developer and tech world, I hear people talk about the “right” way to do things. That if you don’t do *this* or don’t do *that* that you are doing it wrong.

Some developers will tell you that other developers and designers are doing it wrong, and tell you that their way of doing things is better. They may even go so far as to denigrate someone else’s skill or the value they bring to their clients, because they don’t approve of their methods.

You know what I say to that? PHOOEY!

Sorry about my harsh language. 

There are many different ways to approach a solution to a problem. And if I can provide you the solution to your problem, does it really matter how I did it?

There are many different paths that will lead us to the same destination. It’s okay to take a different one. It’s okay to try new ones.

My advice is this: Try new things, learn from your mistakes, strive to be better, and do what works for you. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad because your method is different.