2025-11-15 06:00:23
Sean, Amanda and Van Lathan roast this fall’s underwhelming movie lineup before breaking down Edgar Wright’s ‘The Running Man’—a gloriously messy action spectacle powered by Glen Powell’s charm. Then, they dive into ‘Now You See Me: Now You Don’t,’ praising Rosamund Pike’s evil diamond heiress and guessing how this magic legacy sequel might fare at the box office.
Edgar Wright swings by in the final segment to chat about the evolving studio scene, reveal how he crafts his epic action set-pieces and tell the wild story of how Powell landed the lead. It’s a fun mix of insider insight, playful banter and unabashed film geekery.
Watch on YouTube
2025-11-15 06:00:17
React 19 is far more than a routine version bump in its ecosystem. It stands out for its efficiency and simplicity for both beginners and experienced developers.
This update introduces powerful new capabilities that simplify pre-existing solutions and development patterns, with application performance in mind.
**
**
React 19 introduces Actions, a more advanced approach to managing asynchronous operations with built-in state management. It seamlessly integrates with the improved useTransition hook, making concurrent updates and transitions smoother than ever.
React 19 code:
import { useTransition } from 'react';
function UpdateNameForm() {
const [isPending, startTransition] = useTransition();
const [name, setName] = useState('');
async function updateName(formData) {
const newName = formData.get('name');
// Action automatically handles pending state
await fetch('/api/update-name', {
method: 'POST',
body: JSON.stringify({ name: newName })
});
setName(newName);
}
return (
<form action={updateName}>
<input type="text" name="name" />
<button type="submit" disabled={isPending}>
{isPending ? 'Updating...' : 'Update Name'}
</button>
</form>
);
}
Previous React Version (React 18):
import { useTransition, useState } from 'react';
function UpdateNameForm() {
const [isPending, startTransition] = useTransition();
const [name, setName] = useState('');
async function handleSubmit(e) {
e.preventDefault();
const formData = new FormData(e.target);
const newName = formData.get('name');
startTransition(async () => {
await fetch('/api/update-name', {
method: 'POST',
body: JSON.stringify({ name: newName })
});
setName(newName);
});
}
return (
<form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
<input type="text" name="name" />
<button type="submit" disabled={isPending}>
{isPending ? 'Updating...' : 'Update Name'}
</button>
</form>
);
}
The useActionState Hook**
useActionState (formerly useFormState) offers a simpler and more unified method for handling form submissions alongside server actions. It easily combines state management with action handling, resulting in fewer lines of code and a clearer understanding.
React 19 Code:
import { useActionState } from 'react';
async function submitForm(previousState, formData) {
const name = formData.get('name');
const email = formData.get('email');
try {
await fetch('/api/submit', {
method: 'POST',
body: JSON.stringify({ name, email })
});
return { success: true, message: 'Form submitted!' };
} catch (error) {
return { success: false, message: 'Submission failed' };
}
}
function ContactForm() {
const [state, formAction, isPending] = useActionState(submitForm, {
success: false,
message: ''
});
return (
<form action={formAction}>
<input type="text" name="name" required />
<input type="email" name="email" required />
<button type="submit" disabled={isPending}>
{isPending ? 'Submitting...' : 'Submit'}
</button>
{state.message && <p>{state.message}</p>}
</form>
);
}
Previous React Version (React 18):
import { useState } from 'react';
function ContactForm() {
const [isPending, setIsPending] = useState(false);
const [state, setState] = useState({
success: false,
message: ''
});
async function handleSubmit(e) {
e.preventDefault();
setIsPending(true);
const formData = new FormData(e.target);
const name = formData.get('name');
const email = formData.get('email');
try {
await fetch('/api/submit', {
method: 'POST',
body: JSON.stringify({ name, email })
});
setState({ success: true, message: 'Form submitted!' });
} catch (error) {
setState({ success: false, message: 'Submission failed' });
} finally {
setIsPending(false);
}
}
return (
<form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
<input type="text" name="name" required />
<input type="email" name="email" required />
<button type="submit" disabled={isPending}>
{isPending ? 'Submitting...' : 'Submit'}
</button>
{state.message && <p>{state.message}</p>}
</form>
);
}
**
**
The useOptimistic hook allows applications to update state instantly with the expected result, even before the real operation finishes in the background. This makes applications seem faster and smoother, creating a responsive and smooth user experience.
React 19 Code:
import { useOptimistic, useState } from 'react';
function TodoList() {
const [todos, setTodos] = useState([]);
const [optimisticTodos, addOptimisticTodo] = useOptimistic(
todos,
(state, newTodo) => [...state, { id: Date.now(), text: newTodo, pending: true }]
);
async function addTodo(formData) {
const text = formData.get('todo');
addOptimisticTodo(text);
const newTodo = await fetch('/api/todos', {
method: 'POST',
body: JSON.stringify({ text })
}).then(res => res.json());
setTodos(current => [...current, newTodo]);
}
return (
<div>
<ul>
{optimisticTodos.map(todo => (
<li key={todo.id} style={{ opacity: todo.pending ? 0.5 : 1 }}>
{todo.text}
</li>
))}
</ul>
<form action={addTodo}>
<input type="text" name="todo" />
<button type="submit">Add Todo</button>
</form>
</div>
);
}
Previous React Version (React 18):
import { useState } from 'react';
function TodoList() {
const [todos, setTodos] = useState([]);
const [pendingTodos, setPendingTodos] = useState([]);
async function addTodo(e) {
e.preventDefault();
const formData = new FormData(e.target);
const text = formData.get('todo');
// Manually add optimistic todo
const tempId = Date.now();
setPendingTodos(current => [...current, { id: tempId, text, pending: true }]);
try {
const newTodo = await fetch('/api/todos', {
method: 'POST',
body: JSON.stringify({ text })
}).then(res => res.json());
setTodos(current => [...current, newTodo]);
} finally {
setPendingTodos(current => current.filter(t => t.id !== tempId));
}
}
const allTodos = [...todos, ...pendingTodos];
return (
<div>
<ul>
{allTodos.map(todo => (
<li key={todo.id} style={{ opacity: todo.pending ? 0.5 : 1 }}>
{todo.text}
</li>
))}
</ul>
<form onSubmit={addTodo}>
<input type="text" name="todo" />
<button type="submit">Add Todo</button>
</form>
</div>
);
}
**
**
The use() hook is a revolutionary addition—it allows developers read Promises and context directly inside components, even conditionally. It opens up new, seamless ways to handle asynchronous data and shared context values.
React 19 Code (Reading Promises):
import { use, Suspense } from 'react';
async function fetchUser(userId) {
const response = await fetch(`/api/users/${userId}`);
return response.json();
}
function UserProfile({ userPromise }) {
// use() unwraps the Promise directly
const user = use(userPromise);
return (
<div>
<h1>{user.name}</h1>
<p>{user.email}</p>
</div>
);
}
function App() {
const userPromise = fetchUser(123);
return (
<Suspense fallback={<div>Loading...</div>}>
<UserProfile userPromise={userPromise} />
</Suspense>
);
}
Previous React Version (React 18):
import { useState, useEffect, Suspense } from 'react';
function UserProfile({ userId }) {
const [user, setUser] = useState(null);
const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);
useEffect(() => {
async function fetchUser() {
const response = await fetch(`/api/users/${userId}`);
const data = await response.json();
setUser(data);
setLoading(false);
}
fetchUser();
}, [userId]);
if (loading) return <div>Loading...</div>;
return (
<div>
<h1>{user.name}</h1>
<p>{user.email}</p>
</div>
);
}
function App() {
return <UserProfile userId={123} />;
}
React 19 Code (Reading Context):
You can also use use() to read context—and unlike useContext, it can be invoked conditionally, providing more flexibility in component logic.
React 19
import { use, createContext } from 'react';
const ThemeContext = createContext('light');
function ThemedButton({ isSpecial }) {
// use() can be called conditionally!
const theme = isSpecial ? use(ThemeContext) : 'default';
return (
<button style={{ background: theme === 'dark' ? '#333' : '#fff' }}>
Click me
</button>
);
}
function App() {
return (
<ThemeContext.Provider value="dark">
<ThemedButton isSpecial={true} />
<ThemedButton isSpecial={false} />
</ThemeContext.Provider>
);
}
Previous React Version (React 18):
import { useContext, createContext } from 'react';
const ThemeContext = createContext('light');
function ThemedButton({ isSpecial }) {
// useContext cannot be called conditionally
const theme = useContext(ThemeContext);
const finalTheme = isSpecial ? theme : 'default';
return (
<button style={{ background: finalTheme === 'dark' ? '#333' : '#fff' }}>
Click me
</button>
);
}
function App() {
return (
<ThemeContext.Provider value="dark">
<ThemedButton isSpecial={true} />
<ThemedButton isSpecial={false} />
</ThemeContext.Provider>
);
}
Document Metadata Support
React 19 now supports rendering document metadata such as
function BlogPost({ post }) {
return (
<article>
<title>{post.title} - My Blog</title>
<meta name="description" content={post.excerpt} />
<meta property="og:title" content={post.title} />
<meta property="og:image" content={post.coverImage} />
<link rel="canonical" href={`https://myblog.com/posts/${post.slug}`} />
<h1>{post.title}</h1>
<p>{post.content}</p>
</article>
);
}
Previous React Version (React 18):
import { useEffect } from 'react';
// Or using libraries like react-helmet
function BlogPost({ post }) {
useEffect(() => {
document.title = `${post.title} - My Blog`;
// Update meta tags manually
let metaDescription = document.querySelector('meta[name="description"]');
if (!metaDescription) {
metaDescription = document.createElement('meta');
metaDescription.name = 'description';
document.head.appendChild(metaDescription);
}
metaDescription.content = post.excerpt;
// Cleanup is complex and error-prone
return () => {
document.title = 'My Blog';
};
}, [post.title, post.excerpt]);
return (
<article>
<h1>{post.title}</h1>
<p>{post.content}</p>
</article>
);
}
Ref as a Prop
In React 19, forwardRef is no longer required. In React 19, ref can be passed directly to components without using forwardRef, making component composition easier and more uniform.
React 19 Code:
// Option 1: Don't destructure ref at all
function CustomInput(props) {
return <input {...props} />;
}
// Option 2: Use a different prop name if you need to rename it
function CustomInput(props) {
return <input ref={props.ref} {...props} />;
}
function ParentComponent() {
const inputRef = useRef(null);
function focusInput() {
inputRef.current?.focus();
}
return (
<div>
<CustomInput ref={inputRef} placeholder="Type here..." />
<button onClick={focusInput}>Focus Input</button>
</div>
);
}
Previous React Version (React 18):
import { forwardRef, useRef } from 'react';
const CustomInput = forwardRef(function CustomInput(props, ref) {
return <input ref={ref} {...props} />;
});
function ParentComponent() {
const inputRef = useRef(null);
function focusInput() {
inputRef.current?.focus();
}
return (
<div>
<CustomInput ref={inputRef} placeholder="Type here..." />
<button onClick={focusInput}>Focus Input</button>
</div>
);
}
Improved Error Handling
Developers now benefit from more detailed reports and improved error boundaries that provide better information during runtime failures.
React 19 Code:
import { Component } from 'react';
class ErrorBoundary extends Component {
state = { hasError: false, error: null };
static getDerivedStateFromError(error) {
return { hasError: true, error };
}
componentDidCatch(error, errorInfo) {
// React 19 provides more detailed error information
console.error('Error caught:', {
error,
errorInfo,
componentStack: errorInfo.componentStack, // Enhanced stack trace
digest: errorInfo.digest // Error identifier for deduplication
});
}
render() {
if (this.state.hasError) {
return (
<div>
<h2>Something went wrong</h2>
<details>
<summary>Error details</summary>
<pre>{this.state.error?.message}</pre>
</details>
</div>
);
}
return this.props.children;
}
}
function App() {
return (
<ErrorBoundary>
<MyComponent />
</ErrorBoundary>
);
}
Previous React Version (React 18):
import { Component } from 'react';
class ErrorBoundary extends Component {
state = { hasError: false, error: null };
static getDerivedStateFromError(error) {
return { hasError: true, error };
}
componentDidCatch(error, errorInfo) {
// Less detailed error information
console.error('Error caught:', error, errorInfo);
}
render() {
if (this.state.hasError) {
return (
<div>
<h2>Something went wrong</h2>
<p>{this.state.error?.message}</p>
</div>
);
}
return this.props.children;
}
}
function App() {
return (
<ErrorBoundary>
<MyComponent />
</ErrorBoundary>
);
}
Async Scripts and Stylesheets
React 19 improves support for loading asynchronous scripts and stylesheets, providing greater control over application performance.
React 19 Code:
function ProductPage() {
return (
<div>
{/* React 19 handles async loading and deduplication automatically */}
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/styles/product.css" precedence="default" />
<script async src="https://analytics.example.com/script.js" />
<h1>Product Details</h1>
<div className="product-content">
{/* Content here */}
</div>
</div>
);
}
function CheckoutPage() {
return (
<div>
{/* Same stylesheet - React 19 deduplicates automatically */}
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/styles/product.css" precedence="default" />
<script async src="https://payment-provider.com/sdk.js" />
<h1>Checkout</h1>
<div className="checkout-content">
{/* Content here */}
</div>
</div>
);
}
Previous React Version (React 18):
import { useEffect } from 'react';
function ProductPage() {
useEffect(() => {
// Manually load stylesheet
const link = document.createElement('link');
link.rel = 'stylesheet';
link.href = '/styles/product.css';
document.head.appendChild(link);
// Manually load script
const script = document.createElement('script');
script.src = 'https://analytics.example.com/script.js';
script.async = true;
document.body.appendChild(script);
// Cleanup required
return () => {
document.head.removeChild(link);
document.body.removeChild(script);
};
}, []);
return (
<div>
<h1>Product Details</h1>
<div className="product-content">
{/* Content here */}
</div>
</div>
);
}
Conclusion
React 19 introduces a collection of powerful new Hooks that simplify complex patterns like form handling, optimistic UI updates, and asynchronous data fetching. The removal of forwardRef, native document metadata support, and the versatile use() hook collectively represent a significant leap in developer ergonomics.
These advancements make React code more intuitive, less bulky, and more expressive while maintaining backward compatibility for most existing applications. When migrating to React 19, ensure you review the official migration guide for potential breaking changes—especially around ref handling and deprecated APIs.
In essence, the new features in React 19 make your applications more maintainable, performant, and easier to build with with fewer lines of code.
2025-11-15 05:56:39
Original Japanese article: Apache XTableを使ったAWS上でのOpen Table Format相互運用（Delta→Iceberg）
I'm Aki, an AWS Community Builder (@jitepengin).
Lakehouse architectures have become increasingly common in modern data platforms. In many cases, multiple Open Table Format (OTF) are used simultaneously, such as:
For example:
“Our existing lakehouse uses Delta Lake, but the new project wants to adopt Iceberg…”
This kind of scenario is becoming more frequent.
When this happens, interoperability between OTF becomes a key challenge.
Interoperability refers to the ability to integrate different table formats and lakehouses smoothly and seamlessly.
For instance, Microsoft Fabric provides partial Delta ⇔ Iceberg sync via the Iceberg Shortcut feature.
However, it still suffers from type conversion errors, and full bidirectional sync is not yet possible.
This is where Apache XTable has been gaining attention.
In this post, I’ll walk through how I used XTable to convert and synchronize Delta Lake tables to Apache Iceberg on AWS.
Apache XTable is an open-source project designed to provide seamless interoperability between the following OTF:
https://xtable.apache.org/
Key features include:
Converts table metadata between formats.
For example, you can read Delta Lake tables as Iceberg tables.
Synchronizes metadata between multiple external catalogs.
Currently supported:
Upcoming support includes Unity Catalog, Polaris, Gravitino, DataHub, and more.
Polaris Catalog, which focuses on Iceberg interoperability, is also worth watching.
With these capabilities, you can combine the strengths of each OTF—Hudi’s real-time ingestion, Delta’s feature-rich capabilities, Iceberg’s flexibility—within a unified catalog.
I tested the following setup:
Unity Catalog cannot be used as a source yet, so I used Delta tables directly stored in S3.
Below is an example configuration.
The sourceCatalog uses a storage backend, and the target catalog is Glue.
The dataset section controls the Delta → Iceberg conversion.
sourceCatalog:
catalogId: "source-catalog-id"
catalogType: "STORAGE"
catalogProperties: {}
targetCatalogs:
- catalogId: "target-catalog-id-glue"
catalogSyncClientImpl: "org.apache.xtable.glue.GlueCatalogSyncClient"
catalogProperties:
externalCatalog.glue.region: "ap-northeast-1"
datasets:
- sourceCatalogTableIdentifier:
storageIdentifier:
tableBasePath: "s3://your-source-bucket"
tableName: "source-table"
tableFormat: "DELTA"
targetCatalogTableIdentifiers:
- catalogId: "target-catalog-id-glue"
tableFormat: "ICEBERG"
tableIdentifier:
hierarchicalId: "db.delta_table"
Execute XTable with the following command:
java -cp "xtable-utilities/target/xtable-utilities_2.12-0.2.0-SNAPSHOT-bundled.jar:xtable-aws/target/xtable-aws-0.2.0-SNAPSHOT-bundled.jar:hudi-hive-sync-bundle-0.14.0.jar" \
org.apache.xtable.utilities.RunCatalogSync \
--catalogSyncConfig my_config_catalog.yaml
The Iceberg table is successfully registered in the Glue Data Catalog!
Athena can query the Iceberg table via Glue without any issues.
Although true real-time sync is difficult, you can still implement periodic synchronization using EventBridge and Lambda.
For near-real-time workflows, S3 event triggers work well.
This enables low-cost near–real-time synchronization.
XTable loads multiple dependencies:
As a result, t3.micro or t3.small instances run out of memory and fail frequently.
Typical issues:
→ Use t3.medium or larger
Just like Microsoft Fabric’s Iceberg Shortcut, type conversion compatibility is still immature.
Cross-OTF schema compatibility is challenging, and full bidirectional sync remains difficult.
Even though OTF emphasize schema evolution, interoperability introduces new considerations.
In this post, I introduced Apache XTable — a powerful OSS for interoperating between different Open Table Formats on a unified catalog.
However, from hands-on experience:
So full production adoption is difficult at this stage.
That said, XTable is one of the fastest-growing solutions in the OTF interoperability space.
It has the potential to break down the walls between lakehouses, reduce data silos, and enable more flexible data architectures in the future.
I hope this article helps anyone exploring modern data platform design or multi-OTF environments.
2025-11-15 05:47:35
Some call them "Self-propelled missiles" this often refers to individuals who are driven, focused, and capable of achieving their goals independently with little to no external supervision. They are proactive problem-solvers, highly motivated, and thrive in environments where they can take ownership of their tasks. These individuals align themselves with the mission and have a clear sense of purpose, making them invaluable assets in any team or organization.
Characteristics of Self-Propelled Missiles:
Intrinsic Motivation: They are driven by internal goals, curiosity, or a passion for excellence rather than external rewards.
Proactivity: They anticipate challenges, seek opportunities, and take initiative without waiting for instructions.
Accountability: They own their successes and failures, constantly seeking ways to improve.
Problem-Solving Skills: They thrive in ambiguity and are adept at finding creative solutions.
Resilience: They bounce back quickly from setbacks, maintaining focus on their objectives.
Strategic Thinking: They prioritize effectively, focusing on high-impact activities.
Clear Communication: They know how to ask for resources or guidance when necessary but work autonomously most of the time.
How to Identify Them (To work with Them):
Now Like most others you are probably wondering, do I fit in this category and where can I find these people?
Through Interviews:
Ask for Specific Examples: Pose questions that reveal self-motivation, such as, “Tell me about a time you accomplished something significant without being asked.”
Focus on Ownership: Look for candidates who naturally use language like “I took the lead,” “I initiated,” or “I resolved.”
Behavioral Tests:
Use personality assessments to gauge traits like independence, conscientiousness, and perseverance.
Past Performance:
Review resumes or portfolios for evidence of entrepreneurial efforts, solo achievements, or projects that required high levels of autonomy.
Speak to references to confirm their work style.
Trial Assignments:
Give potential hires a project or challenge with minimal guidance and evaluate how they handle it.
Past Performance:
Check their history for signs of thought leadership or self-initiated projects.
How to Best Work with High Achievers:
When working with achievers on your team it is good to know what they like most, here are a couple of tips.
Provide Autonomy:
Let them take ownership of their tasks and allow them to make decisions within their scope of work.
Set Clear Goals and Expectations:
Define the "what" and the "why," but let them determine the "how."
Offer Resources, Not Micromanagement:
Be available to remove roadblocks and provide tools, but avoid over-directing their efforts.
Encourage Feedback Loops:
Create opportunities for regular updates or check-ins without imposing unnecessary oversight. Use these moments to align on priorities rather than review every detail.
Provide Opportunities for Growth:
Assign challenging projects that allow them to showcase their creativity and initiative.
Recognize Their Achievements:
Acknowledge their efforts and celebrate their successes. High performers often value recognition of their independence and impact.
Facilitate Collaboration When Needed:
While they excel independently, provide opportunities for them to lead teams or contribute to collaborative projects.
Rare like precious metals.....where can I find these people?:
Finding these rare inventors and creators of the future isnt easy. Here are some places to find these people since you likely want to work with them. And chances are if you are also a high achiever you will find some friends with similar values and ambitions.
Communities of High Performers:
Attend hackathons, startup meetups, or industry conferences where ambitious individuals often gather.
Niche Talent Platforms:
Use platforms like Toptal, AngelList, or specialized LinkedIn groups to find individuals with a track record of autonomy.
Universities and Alumni Networks:
Partner with programs or organizations that attract driven individuals, such as entrepreneurship centers.
Look for Side Projects:
Candidates with side hustles, passion projects, or prior entrepreneurial efforts often exhibit self-propulsion.
Recommendations:
Ask for referrals from trusted colleagues or industry leaders who know people with these traits.
By identifying, recruiting, and empowering these individuals, you'll build a team that drives itself forward and achieves exceptional results with minimal input—allowing you to focus on strategy and big-picture goals.
Indicators of Future High Achievers:
Certain life experiences, personality traits, and environmental factors can shape people into being "self-propelled missiles." These indicators don’t guarantee that someone will have this quality, but they increase the likelihood of independence, resilience, and high intrinsic motivation. Here are some common predictors:
Upbringing and Life Circumstances
Growing Up with Immigrant Parents:
Immigrant families often emphasize hard work, self-reliance, and resourcefulness due to the challenges they face. Many children in these households internalize these values and learn to navigate complex situations independently.
They may have had to translate for parents, advocate for themselves, or navigate unfamiliar systems, developing initiative and problem-solving skills early.
Early Exposure to Responsibility:
Children who were expected to take on significant responsibilities (e.g., caring for siblings, managing household tasks, or working while in school) tend to develop self-discipline and a strong sense of ownership.
Adverse Life Events:
Overcoming challenges like financial instability, loss, or other hardships often fosters resilience, adaptability, and the drive to take control of their circumstances.
Personality Traits
High Conscientiousness:
These individuals tend to be organized, dependable, and persistent, which correlates with self-motivation and accountability.
Curiosity and Open-Mindedness:
People with high curiosity actively seek new opportunities and solutions, making them proactive learners and doers.
Self-Efficacy:
A strong belief in their ability to influence outcomes is a key predictor of independent success.
Grit and Perseverance:
Individuals who demonstrate the ability to sustain long-term effort toward goals, especially through difficulties, are likely to thrive with minimal supervision.
Past Experiences
Entrepreneurial Ventures:
Anyone who has started a business, even if it failed, has demonstrated initiative, self-reliance, and an ability to manage uncertainty.
Side Hustles or Passion Projects:
Self-started projects, hobbies, or freelance work indicate intrinsic motivation and a willingness to take action without external pressure.
Work History in Autonomy-Driven Roles:
People who have succeeded in roles with minimal oversight, such as remote work, consulting, or freelance jobs, have already proven they can handle independence.
Participation in Competitive Environments:
High performers in competitive sports, debate, chess, or other skill-driven activities often have self-discipline and a strong drive to improve.
Education and Learning Style
Self-Taught Skills:
People who have taught themselves skills (e.g., programming, design, a new language) without formal instruction show initiative and the ability to manage their learning process.
Experience with Rigorous or Unstructured Learning:
Attending schools or programs that emphasize independent thinking (e.g., Montessori schools or research-focused universities) can foster these traits.
Social and Cultural Background
Cultural Expectations of Excellence:
In some cultures, there is strong pressure to excel academically or professionally, instilling a "work hard and figure it out" mindset.
Exposure to Diverse Experiences:
People who have lived in different countries, moved frequently, or grown up in multicultural environments tend to adapt quickly, solve problems creatively, and navigate ambiguity well.
Psychological Indicators
Intolerance for Complacency:
Look for people who are dissatisfied with "good enough" and continually push themselves to achieve more.
Internal Locus of Control:
These individuals believe that they are in control of their outcomes, rather than external forces or luck, driving them to take action.
High Emotional Intelligence:
People with strong self-awareness, empathy, and interpersonal skills often manage their own goals effectively while working well with others when needed.
How to Spot These Indicators in Candidates:
If you are working for a company and targeting high achieving individuals here are some things you can do to stack the odds in your favor.
Behavioral Questions in Interviews:
Ask about specific instances where they solved problems, initiated projects, or overcame challenges. Example: "Tell me about a time when you had no guidance or clear path forward—what did you do?"
Look for Patterns in Their Story:
Did they show early signs of independence (e.g., working during school, starting initiatives)?
Do they share stories of overcoming obstacles or taking control of situations?
Body of Work:
Review their portfolio, LinkedIn, or any public record of achievements. Look for a track record of initiating or excelling in high-autonomy tasks.
Reference Checks:
Ask former colleagues or managers, "How well did this person manage themselves? Did they seek solutions independently?"
While factors like growing up with immigrant parents or facing adversity can build resilience and initiative, the best way to predict whether someone will be a self-propelled missile is to assess their patterns of behavior—how they have acted in situations requiring autonomy, initiative, and grit. Look for evidence in their past experiences, values, and personality, and provide them with an environment where they can thrive through ownership and minimal supervision.
*Statistically Speaking: *
Individuals who exhibit the traits of "self-propelled missiles" or high intrinsic motivation tend to be statistically higher performers, particularly in environments that reward autonomy, initiative, and problem-solving. Here's why:
Why They Are Higher Performers:
Intrinsic Motivation Drives Excellence:
They Operate Proactively:
They Learn and Adapt Quickly:
Resilience Enhances Long-Term Success:
They Save Time for Managers:
Accountability Drives Results:
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Improves Collaboration:
Statistical Evidence Supporting Their Performance:
This isn't all lip service. And many may ask why even bother? The main reas0ons people want to find and work with these humans are as follows.
10x Productivity:
Google’s research on high-performing employees found that the top 1% of talent (often self-driven individuals) can be 10x more productive than average employees. This stems from their ability to work autonomously, innovate, and manage their time effectively.
High Initiative = High Performance:
A study by Bain & Company revealed that employees who demonstrate proactive behaviors (initiative and ownership) perform in the top 20% of their organizations across metrics like goal completion and leadership potential.
Resilience as a Success Predictor:
Research in education and workforce development has consistently found that individuals with strong resilience and grit achieve higher grades, job performance ratings, and long-term career success.
Entrepreneurial Drive = Better Outcomes:
Employees with entrepreneurial mindsets (e.g., those who started side projects or businesses) tend to outperform others in roles requiring innovation or independence. They are 25% more likely to be promoted within their first year, according to LinkedIn's Workforce Insights.
Why These Traits Lead to Better Performance:
Higher Engagement Levels:
Self-driven individuals are more engaged because they derive satisfaction from their work. Engagement, in turn, is linked to better performance, retention, and innovation.
Efficient Problem Solving:
They spend less time waiting for instructions and more time solving problems. This agility allows them to adapt to challenges and deliver results faster.
Stronger Alignment with Goals:
These individuals are often highly aligned with their personal and organizational goals, ensuring their efforts have meaningful impact.
Greater Ownership Mentality:
When people take personal responsibility for outcomes, they tend to over-deliver because they see success or failure as a reflection of themselves.
Capacity to Scale Impact:
These individuals often create systems or innovate processes that benefit their entire team, scaling their value beyond individual tasks.
Self-propelled individuals tend to be higher performers because their intrinsic motivation, resilience, adaptability, and accountability allow them to achieve superior results with less management intervention. By identifying these individuals through their past behavior, personality traits, and experiences, organizations can build high-performing teams that excel under any circumstance.
Birds of a Feather....Fly Together:
Did you know that high-performing, self-driven individuals often prefer to work with other high performers?
Here’s why:
Shared Standards of Excellence
Increased Efficiency and Productivity
Intellectual Stimulation
Mutual Inspiration and Motivation
Faster Problem Solving
Reduced Frustration
Better Opportunities for Personal Growth
Shared Vision and Goals
Preference for Meritocracy
Desire to Avoid Burnout
Do High Performers Ever Avoid Other High Performers?
While high performers generally enjoy working with peers of similar caliber, there are exceptions:
High performers overwhelmingly prefer to work with others like themselves because it leads to greater efficiency, innovation, and satisfaction. They value collaboration that pushes them to grow, ensures high standards, and aligns with their ambitious goals. Creating an environment where high performers can collaborate productively is key to unlocking their full potential as individuals and as a team.
High performers, often described as self-driven individuals with intrinsic motivation and a proactive mindset, are invaluable to any team.
Studies show that top talent can be up to 10x more productive than average employees (Google), while teams with proactive members achieve 20-25% higher efficiency (McKinsey).
These individuals thrive on autonomy, solve problems quickly, and elevate the entire team’s performance through their high standards and collaborative energy. Seeking and hiring high performers isn’t just beneficial—it’s transformative, leading to greater innovation, productivity, and long-term success.
2025-11-15 05:44:23
2025-11-15 05:43:22
If you’ve ever been near a software developer, you’ve probably heard a frustrated groan followed by the classic phrase: "But it worked on my machine!"
This, and a million other frustrations like File Not Found or Symbol Not Found, often boil down to one of the most misunderstood parts of software engineering. It’s not a bug in the code, but a problem with the lists.
The problem is that a computer is not a mind reader. It’s an incredibly fast, precise, and literal-minded robot. To get it to build your software, you have to give it two separate things: a Recipe and a Shopping List.
And the central conflict of all software development is that the robot never reads the Recipe to figure out the Shopping List.
Imagine you have a robot chef. Its job is to bake a cake.
Makefile, BUILD.bazel, package.json, etc.). It's the list of ingredients you claim are needed.make, Bazel, or npm).The robot's process is simple and unforgiving:
This simple process can fail in two major ways.
This is the most common error.
The robot stops, drops the bowl, and reports FATAL ERROR: Ingredient 'eggs' not found. It doesn't matter that "eggs" are obviously needed. They weren't on the list.
This is a Missing Dependency. In technical terms, the Actual Dependency Graph (we'll call it Ga) included an edge from Cake to Eggs, but the Declared Dependency Graph (Gd) did not.
The build fails because your declared list was not a perfect representation of reality. You told the build tool a lie, and the compiler caught it.
[Your diagram/image for Scenario 1 here]
This is a more subtle but equally important problem.
The build succeeded. The cake is delicious. But you now have a head of cabbage rotting on the counter, and the robot's shopping trip took twice as long.
This is Overapproximation. Your build is "correct" because the golden rule (Ga is a subset of Gd) is met. But it's inefficient. You've introduced build bloat. The build tool wasted time and resources compiling, linking, and processing a library (cabbage) that was never used. In a large project, this is the difference between a 2-minute build and a 40-minute build.
This is the most complex problem, and it’s where our metaphor gets really useful.
Let's say you're making two things: a Chocolate Cake and Brownies.
You build the Chocolate Cake first. The robot buys the "Cake Mix" and leaves the "Cocoa Powder" on the counter.
Then you build the Brownies. The robot (which should fail) looks at the empty Brownie Shopping List, but then sees the leftover "Cocoa Powder" on the counter from the last build. It shrugs, uses it, and the build succeeds!
Then, the disaster: Your co-worker, trying to be efficient, switches the Chocolate Cake recipe to "Vanilla Cake Mix."
Suddenly, your Brownie build breaks. You're staring at your screen, shouting "But I didn't even touch the Brownie code!"
You were relying on a "ghost." This is a Transitive Dependency nightmare.
Brownie_App (Recipe) had an actual dependency on Cocoa_Library.Cake_Mix_Library, which transitively depended on Cocoa_Library.The moment Cake_Mix_Library no longer needed Cocoa_Library, your build failed. Modern build systems like Bazel are designed to prevent this. They enforce strict dependency checking, essentially "cleaning the counter" between every single step to ensure you're not using ingredients you didn't explicitly ask for.
Writing software isn't just about the Recipe (code). It's about meticulously maintaining the Shopping List (build file).
A good developer is a good chef. A great developer writes a perfect shopping list every single time.