Adam.Kahtava.com / AdamDotCom

I had x-ray vision as a child – that’s right, I could see through walls and birthday gifts. I was convinced I had super eyesight and my friends thought they had similar enhanced sensory powers – we thought we were super heroes.  In high school I was a wizard (one of a handful of computer enthusiasts).  University, College, and my first job were similar experiences – I felt special because most of my colleagues were fresh graduates void of the lifelong passion for computers.

Through all these experiences I was convinced that I was unique. Then I started becoming part of the bigger conversation. While engaging online I began learning that there were thousands of people like me: weened on computers, interested in good software design, and passionate about what they do.

Imar Spaanjaars’ signature always reminded me of this lesson:

Everyone is unique, except for me.

Yegge’s recent post brought up this thought again:

people like to think they’re unique and special, and that their tastes aren’t necessarily widely shared by others. This is what drives fashion: the need to differentiate yourself from “the crowd”, by identifying with some smaller, cooler crowd. … The reality is that for any given dimension of your personality, there are oodles of people just like you. – Business Requirements are Bull**** 

David Heinemeier Hansson reiterates this:

it’s somewhat counter intuitive … for a lot of developers …  it’s counter intuitive for humans in general to think they’re not that special, but when they do think they’re special … they kind of get these assumptions that they need very unique and special tools that will only work for them … We as programmers aren’t really unique or that special. – David Heinemeier Hansson, 37signals: “Friday Keynote”

Remember you’re not really special. :)