I often find myself looking back at my early days in IT, sitting in front ofclunkydesktops with half-baked software, debugging code that seemed like it hadapersonal vendetta against me. Those were the days when I would dream bigbutstumble on every small obstacle. Over the years, one thing became crystal clear:intent is the magic ingredient that separates those who ‘try’ from thosewho ‘make it happen.’
Now, as a CEO of Cubastion Consulting, I see the same patterns inyoungdevelopers joining the industry. The pace of technology is dizzying—GenerativeAI, automation, cloud computing, blockchain—it’s a buffet of complexity. The
truth is, the tools will keep changing. What matters is the mindset you bring to thetable.
The Power of Intent
Intent isn’t just about saying, “I want to build a great solution.” It’s about askingyourself: Am I digging deep to understand the problem?
Let me share a story of one of my team members, Anubhav Mangal. Fresh out ofcollege, he joined us as an entry-level developer. His first project was to buildanautomation tool for a legacy CRM system—a nightmare, even forseasoneddevelopers. The CRM had zero documentation, inconsistent APIs, and a pileofmessy user requirements.
While others in the team dreaded touching the project, Anubhav took it asachallenge. He called me one day to just talk about what he was doing. He toldme he stayed late, combed through forums, watched tutorials, andevenconnected with developers who had worked on similar systems on LinkedIn.Isaid “… okay, that’s great you’re putting in hardwork but what are you trying totell me”
His reply surprised me – “Sir I know that, I’m using you as my sounding boardtomotivate myself” Two months later, he delivered a working prototype that not onlysolved the issue but also added new features no one had even asked for.
What set Anubhav apart wasn’t his skill set (he didn’t have anyspecializedtraining for this). It was his intent to solve the problem—his mental resolve thatfailure wasn’t an option.
Learning and Unlearning
Another key aspect of intent is the ability to learn and unlearn. The IT industry isnotorious for making yesterday’s expertise irrelevant today. When I started,mastering JavaScript was considered an achievement. Now, you’re expectedtojuggle frameworks like React, Vue, and Angular—all while staying up to dateonbackend systems, DevOps, and AI integrations.
Unlearning is even harder. It requires you to let go of practices, habits,orsolutions that no longer work. Just last year, Cubastion Consulting revamped itsentire approach to developing client-facing applications by adopting amodular,microservices architecture. Look up our website when you have the time.Thisrequired senior developers to unlearn years of monolithic programming habits—aprocess that wasn’t just technical but deeply emotional.
Perseverance: The Real Superpower
If there’s one story that perfectly encapsulates perseverance, it’s the one of thelegendary Indian cricketer MS Dhoni. You’ve probably seen M.S. Dhoni: TheUntold Story, but let me highlight what makes his journey so relevant forITdevelopers.
We saw Dhoni dreaming of playing cricket at the national level. He spentyearsplaying for small clubs and facing countless rejections. The odds were stackedagainst him—he came from a small town with no access to high-end trainingfacilities, no big-name coaches, and limited exposure. What he had was intent.The mental resolve to work harder than anyone else, to sharpen his skills everysingle day, and to keep pushing forward despite setbacks. We know whatheachieved. And that goes for every other national level sportspersonwhorepresents his/her nation.
What’s inspiring about Dhoni’s story isn’t just the victories. It’s the journey—theyears of grinding, of not giving up when nothing seemed to work. His storyreminds us that perseverance, when combined with intent, leads to extraordinaryresults. There are Haajlands, Mbappes and Rodris of the world, but they havetorepeat their super success year after year for some 20-22 years to reachwhereMessi and Ronaldo, or Sachin are.
For young IT developers, Dhoni’s journey is a lesson in sticking it out when thecode crashes, when the deadlines feel impossible, and when nothing seems togo right, not once but again and again. You don’t have to know all the answers. You just need the will to keep going untilyou figure it out.
The CEO’s Takeaway
If there’s one piece of advice I’d give to young IT developers, it’s this: Yourtools, skills, and tech stacks will change a hundred times over during yourcareer. But your intent, perseverance, and willingness to learn will alwaysbe your greatest assets.
The IT world isn’t for the faint-hearted, but it’s incredibly rewarding for those whodare to stick it out. Next time you’re stuck on a problem that feelsimpossible,remember: Where there’s a will, there’s a way. And often, that way begins withyou simply refusing to give up.
So, roll up your sleeves, dive headfirst into the messy, beautiful chaos of IT, andmake things happen. Because in this industry, it’s not the smartest or the fastestwho win—it’s the ones who don’t quit. Let’s keep building.