Why I Decided to Learn Software Development

    I decided to take a leap of faith to learn a whole new, foreign set of skills in software engineering. There seemed to be the perfect storm of factors and influences that came along at a time in my life when I felt ready for a new challenge. 
There’s a philosophical factor above any of the personal circumstances or career goals. This is how the world works. This is a thing I benefit from every day of my life. Generations of people (including my Grandfather, who worked in the WWII/post-War field of computer development, from very simple code inputs to corresponding outputs) have problem-solved and innovated to a point where real world solutions are a regular part of life, and taken for granted. I have a desire to be a part of that- to understand these systems that are commonplace in everyday life, but to the layman (ie. me) can seem like voodoo magic.
    I have reached a point, at 32 years of age, where I pretty much know what I've gotten good at, and I primarily lean on those skills in my life. It can feel like I've stagnated recently because of that. Challenges have always helped me better myself, and I've felt hungry to add a new dimension to what I can accomplish.
There are plenty of practical aspects to why I want to master software development. I want to have a higher ceiling for career advancement. Performing music will always be my central passion, and I think software development compliments that lifestyle perfectly. There's opportunity to work remotely, which, through the pandemic, I've realized suits me well, and would suit my musical touring ambitions as well. On top of that, I've been fortunate to make all sorts of friends that have pursued software development mastery and succeeded. They've encouraged me to do it myself and their support has boosted my confidence that I can succeed in software engineering as well.
    My journey to learn this whole new set of skills in software engineering comes from a desire to be a part of building something, from a desire to better myself, and from plenty of encouragement from my support system. I look forward to each and every step of the way.