| Call it intelligence, smarts, IQ, talent or whatever you want. We are all born with a certain level of it. The sooner you realize your limits the better. The issue with most of us is that we don't push hard enough to understand what those limits are. As you've seen, you've worked hard and now know your limit. But frankly, what's the issue? You're not good enough to pass a leetcode interview? Guess out, most people writing software aren't able to either. If all you do is compare yourself to the Wayne Gretzky's and LeBron James you're always going to feel inadequate. Ask them why they are so good and they will tell you that it's hard work and dedication. Because it's more fulfilling to say that than to say "yes, it is those things but heck, I'm just naturally good also". Read "Flowers for Algernon" for some perspective. Personally, I always remind myself that the intelligence I do have is a gift because there are those with no fault of their own that are far worse. If you don't enjoy programming or just want to do something different, be honest with yourself. Your conclusion is right - The is reality not everyone is lucky enough to be intellectually gifted to succeed and not all hard work pays off. But the issue is you've boxed what success means you to so much that it's suffocating you. Most of us writing software are failures if we use passing a Google interview as a metric. |
For some reason that I can't really articulate, I never liked that story. I agree that it can add some perspective. Maybe it has to do with seeing a somewhat similar struggle with my grandfather going blind later in life. That many things he used to do easily became arduous or impossible, and the ways that affected him and those around him. I feel the story doesn't do that sort of situation justice (maybe too simplistic?).