本文共 29140 字，大约阅读时间需要 97 分钟。
为爱追寻
by David Bruno
大卫·布鲁诺(David Bruno)
I still remember the dirt underneath my nails, the sounds of the bays, the clinking of the hammer, the revs of the engines. The long hours, the sore back, the showers that seemed to last 30–40 minutes.
我仍然记得指甲下的污垢，海湾的声音，锤子的叮当声，发动机的转速。 长时间的工作，背部酸痛，阵雨似乎持续了30至40分钟。
Today, I write this from inside my home, preparing for my latest assignment as a coder. It’s a far cry from what was — and shows the purpose of following your dreams and making real life changes. Don’t worry: It’s not sappy. Here goes.
今天，我在家中写这篇文章，为我作为编码员的最新工作做准备。 这与当时的情况相去甚远，它表明了实现梦想并改变现实生活的目的。 不用担心：它并不傻。 开始。
Growing up, I was nobody special. I had no special trait that set me apart — either from the kids at school or within my own family. The only thing that set me apart was ADHD. If there was anything I wanted to learn and lock into my memory, I had to reread or practice it many times. I never did well in school — I was a C and D student — and I only did what was needed to just get by. I didn’t necessarily disagree with studying; I just didn’t like being told what to do or what to learn.
长大后，我没什么特别的。 无论是在学校的孩子还是在我自己的家庭中，我都没有让我与众不同的特质。 唯一让我与众不同的是多动症。 如果有什么我想学习并锁定在我的记忆中，我必须多次重读或练习。 我在学校从来没有做得很好-我是一名C和D学生-而且我只做了度过愉快的时光。 我不一定不同意学习。 我只是不喜欢被告知该做什么或该学习什么。
I also had trouble identifying interests or what I might be passionate about. The only thing I really enjoyed was playing video games. Then the first Fast & Furious movie came out. I remember watching that movie and becoming excited about the cars, all the engines, turbos, the colors, the sounds when the wheels peeled off the pavement. I was 15 years old at the time. I remember specifically being entranced by the import tuner culture.
我也很难确定兴趣或我可能感兴趣的东西。 我唯一喜欢的就是玩电子游戏。 然后，第一部《速度与激情》电影问世。 我记得看那部电影时对车轮，所有发动机，涡轮增压器，颜色，车轮从人行道上脱落时发出的声音感到兴奋。 当时我15岁。 我记得我特别被进口调谐器文化所吸引。
That was the day my hobby for the race car life began. I eventually pursued this interest in import tuners by buying my first — a 2000 Honda Civic Si. It was a beat-up car, and neglected too. But it had a five speed manual transmission that ran and drove.
那是我对赛车生活的爱好开始的那一天。 我最终通过购买第一台2000本田思域Si追求了对进口调谐器的兴趣。 那是一辆破旧的汽车，也被忽略了。 但它有五速手动变速箱，可以行驶。
When I was 18 years old (the year was 2012), I enrolled in Vatterott College. I had the goal of becoming a professional automotive technician and soon found myself on the school’s honor roll. But around that time, I dropped out. It was because I realized I had a special ability: The ability to teach myself anything.
当我18岁(2012年)时，我就读于Vatterott College。 我的目标是成为一名专业的汽车技术员，并很快成为学校的荣誉榜。 但是在那个时候，我退学了。 这是因为我意识到自己具有特殊的能力：能够自学任何东西的能力。
For instance: The ’97 Honda Prelude. Instead of asking the instructors or a student above my level to help with repairs, I downloaded a service manual and would take the car into the school’s parking lot, tearing the car apart and fixing things that were broken. The learning was through trial and error but I realized — I’m fully capable of teaching myself.
例如：'97本田前奏曲。 我没有要求老师或水平以上的学生进行维修，而是下载了服务手册，将汽车驶入学校的停车场，将汽车拆开并修理损坏的东西。 学习是通过反复试验而完成的，但我意识到-我完全有能力自学。
Even the shop’s teacher was impressed: They would tell the other students to watch me as a I worked.
甚至商店的老师也印象深刻：他们会告诉其他学生在我工作时看着我。
Then there was the debt. The three months enrolled in the college had landed me a little over $8,000 in student loan debt, and if I had stayed there for the full two year program, I would have been over $40,000 in debt, with an outstandingly high interest rate.
然后是债务。 在大学学习的三个月使我的学生贷款债务增加了8,000多美元，如果我在那呆了整整两年的课程，我的债务将超过40,000美元，而且利率很高。
This confirmed my realization: I am fully capable of teaching myself and I can find a job out there that will pay me to learn as I go.
这证实了我的认识：我完全有能力自学，而且我可以在那里找到一份工作，这将使我受益匪浅。
And I did just that. Soon after leaving college, I approached a local automotive performance shop that worked on anything that had an engine. They also modified cars and installed performance parts. Working for them, I was able to pay off my $8,000 debt in ten months.
我就是这样做的。 大学毕业后不久，我去了一家当地的汽车性能商店，该商店从事任何有发动机的工作。 他们还改装了汽车并安装了性能部件。 为他们工作，我能够在10个月内还清8,000美元的债务。
I worked as an automotive technician from August 2013 until October 2017. I got really good at what I could and had a really great boss; however, it was hard labor, as we had a small five bay shop that would be booked 2–3 weeks in advance just for people to get their cars in for repairs.
从2013年8月至2017年10月，我担任汽车技术员。我尽我所能，并且拥有一个非常出色的老板。 但是，这是艰苦的工作，因为我们有一个小的五湾商店，需要提前2-3周预订，以便让人们将汽车送去维修。
Each day, I’d move between 15 and 30 cars to open the shop up, then move them all back into place to close down. About 90 percent of the time, I was outside in the weather — hot or cold, rain or snow, pulling engines, dropping transmissions and many other labor-intensive jobs.
每天，我会在15至30辆汽车之间移动以打开商店，然后将它们全部移回原位以关闭。 大约90％的时间，我在外面–天气炎热，寒冷，下雨或下雪，拉引擎，降低变速箱以及许多其他劳动密集型工作。
It was around that time that I got tired — both my body and my mind. I was weary of working in such conditions, and the pay wasn’t really that great. I wanted more out of life and because I was a homeowner with an expensive car hobby, the income of being a mechanic wasn’t enough.
大约在那个时候，我累了–我的身体和思想都疲倦了。 我在这样的条件下工作很疲倦，薪水并不是那么高。 我想要更多的生活，因为我是一个拥有昂贵汽车爱好的房主，所以做机械师的收入还不够。
I knew there was more: A job where I could live comfortably and not have to work nearly as hard to keep the bills paid. It was around the beginning of 2017 when I finally began to get serious. I knew that for my life to change I needed to take action.
我知道还有很多：可以让我过上舒适的工作，而不必付出几乎相同的努力来保持账单支付的工作。 大约在2017年初，我终于开始变得认真起来。 我知道为了改变生活，我需要采取行动。
Although every day I worked, I would get destroyed, be tired, exhausted, and nine out of 10 times filthy from the dirty work, I’d go home and start learning about what I could do. I looked at many things: buying and selling products online, retail arbitrage, starting a drop-shipping company, building passive income. I also looked into careers, ones that could lead me to a high-paying comfortable lifestyle.
尽管我每天工作，但都会被破坏，疲倦，疲惫，并且在肮脏的工作中十分肮脏，十分肮脏，但我还是要回家并开始学习如何做。 我看了很多东西：在线买卖产品，零售套利，开办一家速递公司，建立被动收入。 我还研究了职业，这些职业可能使我过上高薪舒适的生活。
The goal was to work remotely and make great money. I tried many things, but nothing seemed to work for me. I never gave up. I knew something would click with me as something that would interest me and lead to the life of my dreams.
目标是远程工作并赚大钱。 我尝试了很多事情，但似乎没有任何效果。 我从未放弃。 我知道某些事情会引起我的兴趣，并引起我的梦想。
Then a friend of mine, who I worked alongside at the automotive shop, got a night job configuring, diagnosing, and repairing routers. He was doing Cisco CCNA work and had no college education or prior work experience that would’ve led to getting this job. He was paid well (if he did this full time for the company he would have made six figures) and had gotten the job just from a reference. I couldn’t believe it.
然后，我的一个朋友和我在汽车修理店一起工作，他做了一个夜间工作，负责配置，诊断和维修路由器。 他从事Cisco CCNA的工作，没有大学学历或以前的工作经验，无法找到这份工作。 他的薪水很丰厚(如果他全职为公司工作，他将赚六位数)，仅凭参考即可获得这份工作。 我简直不敢相信。
At that time, the bills from my first home were putting pressure on me. And here he was, working remotely, not doing any physical labor, and getting paid very well. He basically faked it till he made it — and made it, you can bet, he certainly did.
那时，我第一套房子的帐单给我施加了压力。 在这里，他在远处工作，不做任何体力劳动，薪水也很高。 他基本上是伪造的，直到制造出来为止-可以肯定，他确实做到了。
He told me, “Start learning Cisco CCNA work. If a position opens up, I’ll try to get you in.”
他告诉我：“开始学习Cisco CCNA的工作。 如果职位空缺，我会尽力让您加入。”
So I started researching online courses and schools that offered CCNA Certification classes. It was around July 2017 that I stumbled onto a local school that offered the course. It was called New Horizons Computer Technology. I submitted my information and got a call from a recruiter.
因此，我开始研究提供CCNA认证课程的在线课程和学校。 大约在2017年7月，我偶然发现了一所提供该课程的当地学校。 它被称为新视野计算机技术。 我提交了我的信息，并接到了招聘人员的电话。
We chatted for a good 30 minutes and he explained that the courses I wanted were pricey: $6,000 total cost for the two weeks of classes. I was disappointed. I was living close to paycheck to paycheck and generally only had enough money to covers bills and save up a little.
我们聊了30分钟，他解释说我要的课程很贵：两周的课程总费用为6,000美元。 我很失望。 我当时的生活很接近薪水，通常只有足够的钱来支付账单并节省一些钱。
The recruiter understood. He told me about a special Tennessee grant program for adults below 25 years old who made less than $30K yearly that would pay for the courses, making them free. I was only 24 years old and it gave me hope.
招聘人员了解。 他告诉我一个针对田纳西州的特殊赠款计划，该计划针对25岁以下的成年人，他们的年收入不足3万美元，可以为课程付费，使他们免费。 我只有24岁，这给了我希望。
He sent me to an orientation where I brought specific documentation such as a high school degree, birth certificate, and pay-stub, to prove I was qualified. They collected the information and sent it off. Nearly three weeks went by before I finally got the phone call.
他派我参加了一个介绍会，向我带来了一些特定的文件，例如高中学位，出生证明和工资单，以证明我是合格的。 他们收集了信息并将其发送出去。 在我终于接到电话之前，已经过去了将近三个星期。
They’d pay for the courses.
他们会为课程付费。
Overwhelmed with excitement from this new possibility, I began fulfilling all of the requirements for enrollment at the school. A couple of weeks passed, the school and I came to an agreement that because I had no prior experience with Cisco computer work, I would take Comptia A+ for the first two weeks, with merging into Cisco in the second set of two weeks.
我对这种新的可能性感到不知所措，我开始满足学校所有的入学要求。 几周过去了，我和学校达成协议，由于我以前没有从事过思科计算机工作的经验，所以我将在头两周参加Comptia A +，然后在两周的第二套工作中合并到思科。
Even though I had little experience, I would do whatever it took to learn so that when a position opened up, I would be ready to get it.
即使我经验很少，我也会竭尽所能去学习，这样当一个职位空缺时，我就准备好了。
The classes ran like a typical work week: Monday through Friday, 8am until 5pm, for four total weeks. The good part, which made this financially viable, was that I could choose on which weeks to take the courses. This brought me hope: ‘I have a way,’ I thought, ‘to get out this daily cycle of hard labor work and living paycheck to paycheck.’
这些课程的运行就像一个典型的工作周：周一至周五，上午8点至下午5点，共四个星期。 好的方面使这在财务上可行，这是我可以选择在几周内学习这些课程。 这给我带来了希望：“我有一种方法，”我想，“摆脱每天的辛苦工作和以薪水为生的薪水。”
The date was set for October 2017.
该日期定为2017年10月。
But I also knew that my work wouldn’t approve of me taking off for such an extended period of time. It was a step, and a big one. I chose to put my two weeks’ notice in on the first Monday of October.
但是我也知道，我的工作不会得到我这么长时间的支持。 这是一步，也是很大的一步。 我选择在十月的第一个星期一放两个星期的通知。
I was placing all my money down on this set of cards — this new possibility of a new career choice. Don’t get me wrong: I’ve never left a job without having another job lined up. I had several part time jobs available, supervisors who were willing to hire me on the spot if things got too hard.
我把所有的钱都花在了这套卡片上，这是一种新的职业选择的可能性。 不要误会我的意思：我从来没有离开过一份工作，而没有安排另一份工作。 我有几个兼职工作，如果事情太难了，主管们愿意当场雇用我。
A couple months prior to leaving work, I had made a plan. I saved as much of my paychecks as I could. I cut costs and bills, things I didn’t need, such as the Netflix bill. I realized I had to put all my momentary needs on hold if I wanted to change my life.
离职前几个月，我已经计划好了。 我尽可能地节省了我的工资。 我削减了成本和账单，这些我不需要的东西，例如Netflix账单。 我意识到，如果我想改变自己的生活，我必须暂时搁置所有暂时的需求。
I also timed things well. I spread out my classes so that I could take side jobs as an electrician, carpenter, computer repair person, and auto technician, for instance. As an “if all else fails” back-up plan, I had a stockpile of named brand performance parts that I had accumulated from years for a project car. I could sell these if nothing else.
我也安排好时间。 我分散了课程，以便可以从事电工，木匠，计算机维修人员和汽车技术员等兼职工作。 作为“如果其他所有方法都失败了”的后备计划，我将储备多年来为项目车积累的命名品牌性能零件。 如果没有别的，我可以卖掉。
I had a plan and was moving forward but it was difficult. I could no longer buy things for loved ones and still had a mortgage over my head. It was extremely daunting and I was fearful, but I couldn’t let my fear take over me. I worked to strengthen myself.
我有一个计划，并且正在前进，但是很难。 我再也无法为亲人买东西了，但仍然有抵押贷款。 这非常令人生畏，我感到恐惧，但我不能让我的恐惧接管我。 我努力增强自己。
I started to research successful people, and not just the wealthy. Some inspirations came from those who built successful companies. Apple, Dell, Tesla, Space X. Elon Musk was a huge inspiration.
我开始研究成功人士，而不仅仅是富人。 一些启发来自那些建立了成功公司的人。 苹果，戴尔，特斯拉，SpaceX。埃隆·马斯克(Elon Musk)受到了巨大的启发。
Motivational videos and self-improvements videos were constantly running on my phone and computer. When successful people spoke, I took note of their habits, as I had learned that success starts with a daily routine of small habits, an insight I applied instantly.
励志视频和自我完善视频一直在我的手机和计算机上运行。 当成功的人讲话时，我会注意到他们的习惯，因为我了解到成功始于日常的小习惯，这是我立即运用的见解。
December of 2017 approached. I was in the final week of my CISCO class and I realized it was nearly impossible for someone to learn everything about the two certification tests — ICND-1 and ICND-2 — in just a matter of two weeks.
2017年12月临近。 我当时正处于CISCO课程的最后一周，我意识到几乎没有人可以在短短两周的时间里了解有关这两种认证测试的所有知识-ICND-1和ICND-2。
At the same time, the school’s advisor was notifying me of any entry level IT job openings. But I was discouraged. I attended interviews and hiring events only to be told my starting hourly rate would be $14, because I didn’t have a magical IT background or a college degree.
同时，学校的顾问将所有入门级IT职位空缺通知我。 但是我很灰心。 我参加了面试和招聘活动，但被告知我的起薪为每小时14美元，因为我没有神奇的IT背景或大学学位。
I’m sure you can feel my frustration here. I had worked hard to get this far and taken a huge risk. The last day of classes came and went. I crammed down all the knowledge and soon learned that I hated the stuff in the CISCO classes. It was dry, boring, and mixed with my ADHD very difficult to stay focused on.
我敢肯定，您会在这里感到沮丧。 我为达到这一目标付出了巨大的努力，并承担了巨大的风险。 上课的最后一天来了又去了。 我把所有的知识都塞满了，很快得知我讨厌CISCO班上的那些东西。 它干燥，无聊，与我的注意力缺陷多动症混合在一起，很难集中精力。
The situation was like this: The first round of tests were paid for thanks to the grant; however, if I failed, I had to pay the cost of the tests. These were around $300 a test and even if I passed, I would still start out making less money than a full-time mechanic. And I knew, with my bills, that wouldn’t work.
情况是这样的：由于赠款，第一轮测试就付了钱； 但是，如果我不及格，则必须支付测试费用。 每次测试大约300美元，即使我通过了考试，我仍然比全职技工挣的钱少。 而且我知道凭我的帐单是行不通的。
It would take three to six months to study for them. I decided not to take them, which was a bitter pill to swallow. I had invested so much time in the course already, and that I thought this was my “golden ticket.”
为他们学习需要三到六个月的时间。 我决定不服用它们，这是吞咽的苦药。 我已经在这门课程上投入了很多时间，所以我认为这是我的“金票”。
The disappointment stung.
令人失望。
The end of December approached and I still didn’t have a plan of action going into the new year. I wanted a job in the IT field but couldn’t work for years at the lower levels, earning little income. But I trusted my motivation. I needed to keep trying different things, investing in myself, working side jobs until I found what I wanted.
12月底临近，但我仍然没有新的一年的行动计划。 我想在IT领域找到一份工作，但无法在低层次工作多年，收入很少。 但是我相信自己的动力。 我需要继续尝试不同的事情，投资自己，做一些副业，直到找到想要的东西为止。
January 2018 came. I was listening to a motivational video of a very successful person. He said, “If you want to be successful, then you need to surround yourself with successful people.” Then he mentioned something specific: An app called MeetUp.
2018年1月到来。 我正在听一个非常成功的人的励志视频。 他说：“如果想要成功，那么就需要与成功的人在一起。” 然后他提到了一些特定的东西：一个名为MeetUp的应用程序。
I downloaded it soon after, and it became the best decision of my life.
不久之后我下载了它，这成为我一生中最好的决定。
In the app, I soon searched for technology and found a subcategory called Blockchain. I knew very little about it, just having a coinbase wallet with a small amount of money invested in bitcoin, ethereum, and litecoin. But it sparked my curiosity. It caught my attention.
在应用程序中，我很快搜索了技术，并找到了一个名为Blockchain的子类别。 我对此一无所知，只拥有一个硬币基础的钱包，并在比特币，以太坊和莱特币中投入了少量资金。 但这激发了我的好奇心。 它引起了我的注意。
A list of local meetups popped up. The one with the most members was called Blockchain901 (901 being the area code of Memphis) and they had a meeting scheduled for end of January, just three days after I had downloaded the app.
弹出本地聚会的列表。 成员最多的一个人叫做Blockchain901(901是孟菲斯的区号)，他们计划在1月底召开一次会议，距离我下载该应用程序仅三天。
Do you believe in destiny?
你相信命运吗？
Here is where I think it came into play.
这是我认为它起作用的地方。
Because, at the same time I was looking into blockchain, I was exploring the option of real estate. People made a lot of money in real estate and it was a way to build up a great deal of passive income. And, you could’ve guessed it, the soonest meetup was scheduled for the exact same date as the blockchain meetup, and at the exact same time.
因为在我同时研究区块链的同时，我也在探索房地产的选择。 人们在房地产中赚了很多钱，这是积累大量被动收入的一种方式。 而且，您可能已经猜到了，最早的聚会计划在与区块链聚会的日期完全相同的日期，也恰好在同一时间。
I pondered. Both events were in different parts of the city. The one I picked would be the one I stuck with.
我在想 两次活动都在城市的不同地方。 我选择的那个就是我坚持的那个。
When the day came, it was pouring rain. This was either a sign: Not to go or overcome an obstacle. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and I knew that either choice would remove me from my comfort zone. But this was necessary: To make my dreams come true, I had to buckle down and step outside of it.
那天到了，正在倾盆大雨。 这既是一个信号：不要走或克服障碍。 我不知道自己要进入什么领域，而且我知道任何一种选择都会使我脱离舒适区。 但这是必要的：为了实现我的梦想，我必须屈服并走出它。
I wrote down pros and cons, for both the real estate meetup and the blockchain meetup. With real estate, I knew I would struggle. I had little money saved up for investing. But the blockchain meetup posed opportunity. I could invest myself in knowledge of blockchain, which might lead to a better paying job. I felt my odds were greater with blockchain, and I followed through.
我写下了房地产聚会和区块链聚会的利弊。 有了房地产，我知道自己会挣扎。 我积little了很少的钱用于投资。 但是区块链聚会带来了机会。 我可以将自己的知识投入到区块链的知识上，这可能会带来更高的薪水。 我觉得使用区块链的可能性更大，于是我坚持到底。
I drove through the storm to the FedEx Institute of Technology, which was on the University of Memphis campus. When I arrived, I was nervous. I didn’t know what to expect. I was several minutes early, walking across campus, and the room was already full. I was blown away.
我开车穿越了风暴，来到了孟菲斯大学校园内的FedEx技术学院。 当我到达时，我很紧张。 我不知道会发生什么。 我早了几分钟，在校园里走来走去，房间已经满了。 我被吹走了。
Luckily, there was a seat open at the very front of the room. I quickly walked to it and sat down with my notebook. The large crowd might have been due to a specific reason: There was a special guest speaker flown all the way in from Taiwan (he was a big player in the blockchain industry called Everex). Alongside the guest speaker was a local Memphian called Brian.
幸运的是，在房间的最前面有一个开放的座位。 我Swift走到它旁边，坐下我的笔记本。 大量的人群可能是由于特定的原因：台湾有一个特别的嘉宾演说(他是区块链行业的大参与者Everex)。 演讲嘉宾旁边是当地的孟菲斯人，名叫布莱恩。
As the door closed for the meetup to start, I took a look around. It was a massive classroom where every seat was filled and people lined the walls standing up, preparing to hear the speakers. There had to be 100 people in a classroom meant for around 60.
当门关闭以便聚会开始时，我环顾了四周。 那是一个巨大的教室，每个座位都坐满了人，人们排成一排排的墙壁，准备聆听演讲者的声音。 一间教室必须有100人，可容纳60人左右。
There were introductions. Brian introduced himself as a local Memphis software developer who specialized in blockchain and was also starting up a blockchain company in Memphis.
有介绍。 Brian介绍自己是当地的孟菲斯软件开发人员，他专门研究区块链，并且还在孟菲斯开办了一家区块链公司。
As the two hours of the meetup flew by, I took many notes and asked several questions. When it ended, people began to disperse, and I summoned the courage to approach Brian.
聚会的两个小时过去了，我记了很多笔记，问了几个问题。 当它结束时，人们开始分散，我鼓起勇气接近布莱恩。
Ignoring my nervousness, shyness, and anxiety, I walked right up and said, “Hey, man, loved the speech and lessons from the class. I wanted to ask you if you guys had any positions opening up or if I could come hang out and learn from you.”
我无视我的紧张，羞怯和焦虑，直走说：“嘿，伙计，喜欢上全班的演讲和教训。 我想问你你们是否有空缺职位，或者我可以出去玩并向你学习。”
Brian was baffled and caught off guard.
布莱恩感到困惑，措手不及。
As he hesitated, another man quickly approached and introduced himself as Aaron. He said, “You really wanna learn this stuff?”
犹豫了一下，另一个男人Swift走近，并介绍了自己为亚伦。 他说：“您真的想学习这些东西吗？”
“Absolutely,” I said.
“绝对。”我说。
“Good, then here’s my contact info. You are going to meet me downtown at this address.”
“很好，这是我的联系信息。 您将在这个地址与我在市区见面。”
I had a huge mix of emotions. On the one hand, I was exploding with excitement for what could go right, but on the other hand there was a good amount of doubt and fear of the unknown.
我情绪激动。 一方面，我为可能发生的事情而兴奋不已，但另一方面，人们对未知事物充满了怀疑和恐惧。
Brian chatted with Aaron for a moment, then said to me, “Totally go with Aaron. He’s a good guy and will show you what you need to start doing.”
Brian和Aaron聊天了一下，然后对我说：“完全和Aaron一起去。 他是一个好人，将向您展示您需要开始做的事情。”
Between the meetup and my scheduled meeting with Aaron, I did what I was supposed to do. On February 2nd, 2018, I wrote my first line of code and made my first Git push to github. I followed up with Aaron, confirmed the time and place.
在聚会和我与亚伦的预定会议之间，我做了我应该做的事情。 在2018年2月2日，我编写了第一行代码并将我的第一个Git推送到github。 我跟了亚伦，确认了时间和地点。
Heading towards downtown Memphis, I approached the address given to me. It had led me to a massive 19-story skyscraper. He had told me to meet up on the 19th floor. I remember thinking how crazy — me meeting this man at the top floor of a massive skyscraper.
前往孟菲斯市中心，我到达了给我的地址。 它把我带到了一座19层的摩天大楼。 他已经告诉我在19楼见面。 我记得当时曾想到有多疯狂-我在一个大型摩天大楼的顶层遇见了这个人。
I approached the room and knocked on the door. Aaron opened it and quickly I noticed all the windows overlooking nearly all of downtown Memphis. In the room was a table with just his MacBook on it.
我走近房间，敲了敲门。 亚伦打开它，很快我注意到所有俯瞰着孟菲斯市区几乎所有地方的窗户。 房间里有一张桌子，上面只有他的MacBook。
He sat me down and showed the project he was working on. There was the front end and the code that changed was basic HTML and CSS, and I had no experience with either. He instructed me to figure out how to change the front end and add some styles to it.
他让我坐下来，展示了他正在从事的项目。 有前端，更改的代码是基本HTML和CSS，而我都没有经验。 他指示我弄清楚如何更改前端并为其添加一些样式。
Not knowing what to do, I googled my heart out. I looked for the knowledge needed to accomplish this task a mix of emotions were running through me — desperation, fear of failure, excitement. Surprisingly enough, I caught on quickly. That old ability — to teach myself anything — took hold.
不知道该怎么办，我用心搜寻。 我寻找完成这项任务所需的知识，充满了种种情绪—绝望，对失败的恐惧和兴奋。 令人惊讶的是，我很快就流行起来。 那种古老的能力-可以教自己任何东西-占据了上风。
Aaron saw my potential. He gave me some advice: To use my free time studying on a site called freeCodeCamp. Then, after a few days of working with him, he made me an offer of paying me hourly out of his pocket to continue helping him with his project. It wasn’t much, but it was something, and it was much better getting paid to learn rather than the other way around.
亚伦看到了我的潜力。 他给了我一些建议：利用业余时间在一个名为freeCodeCamp的网站上学习。 然后，在与他一起工作了几天之后，他给了我一个提议，要求他每小时从口袋里掏钱给我，以继续帮助他完成他的项目。 它虽然不多，但是却是一回事，与其他方法相比，获得报酬要好得多。
Weeks went by. I continued meeting with Aaron during the late weekend night and coding nonstop for 8+ hours. During the weekdays, I worked my side jobs and spent my free time studying.
几周过去了。 在周末深夜，我继续与Aaron会面，并连续8个多小时编码。 在工作日中，我从事兼职工作，并有空余时间学习。
This opportunity gave me hope for the future.
这个机会给了我未来的希望。
In time, I met Brian again and the rest of the team. They gave me more tasks to see how I would handle them and I exceeded expectations — because I was determined not to fail.
及时，我再次遇到了Brian和团队的其他成员。 他们给了我更多任务，看看我将如何处理它们，而且我超出了期望-因为我决心不失败。
On August 21, 2018, I received my first salary paycheck as a junior software developer from Web3Devs. Since then, I have been given more responsibilities, taking on clients, handling meetings, scheduling events, and much more — still while coding and studying.
2018年8月21日，我以Web3Devs的初级软件开发人员的身份获得了第一笔薪水。 从那时起，我被赋予了更多的责任，接管客户，处理会议，安排活动等等，甚至在编码和学习时。
Soon, they were taking me on trips to hackathons.
不久，他们带我去了马拉松比赛。
On September 6th, 2018, we flew out to Wyoming for the Blockchain Hackathon. I was excited — collecting a salary while traveling. The Hackathon was a massive success. We won four bounties, including a first place prize. It was a divine moment being on that stage while the event was live-streamed.
2018年9月6日，我们飞往怀俄明州参加了区块链黑客马拉松。 我很兴奋-在旅行时收取薪水。 黑客马拉松取得了巨大的成功。 我们赢得了四个赏金，包括一等奖。 活动现场直播时，那是一个神圣的时刻。
Two weeks later, we went to Atlanta for the ETH-Atlanta Hackathon, where we again won the first place prize.
两周后，我们去了亚特兰大参加ETH-Atlanta Hackathon，在那里我们再次获得了第一名。
As these events were happening, more work opportunities were coming around and more doors were opening for me. Soon, November 9th came and we flew out to San Francisco for the EOS-Hackathon. Competition was huge, as there were travelers from all over the globe and massive cash prizes.
随着这些事件的发生，更多的工作机会来了，更多的门为我打开了。 很快，11月9日到了，我们飞往旧金山参加EOS-Hackathon。 竞争非常激烈，因为有来自世界各地的旅行者和大量的现金奖励。
Although we didn’t get first place, this was my favorite trip. We made tons of connections and I proved myself to the team. It was a massive success for me.
尽管我们没有获得第一名，但这是我最喜欢的旅行。 我们建立了无数的联系，我向团队证明了自己。 对我来说是巨大的成功。
Then, as New Year’s Eve of 2019 rolled around, I looked back at 2018, how it started and how it ended. I started with no guaranteed paycheck or a game plan for how to change my life for the better. Things had gotten hard — the mortgage payments, the loss of income, the challenges of moving forward.
然后，随着2019年除夕的到来，我回顾了2018年，它是如何开始和结束的。 我从没有保证的薪水开始，也没有制定如何使自己的生活变得更好的游戏计划。 事情变得很艰难-抵押贷款，收入损失，前进的挑战。
But things got better. I studied the habits of successful people. I applied what they said. The right opportunity presented itself and I moved forward, sometimes with doubt and sometimes needing courage, but I did just that and I achieved what I wanted to achieve — becoming a remote software developer and living the life that I had wanted and set out to do.
但是情况变好了。 我研究了成功人士的习惯。 我按了他们的说法。 正确的机会出现了，我有时会带着怀疑，有时需要勇气前进，但是我做到了，我实现了我想要实现的目标-成为一名远程软件开发人员，过着我想要并开始做的生活。
What I’m trying to say in this story — and hopefully share and convey — is that no matter how hard things are, no matter how much weight is placed on your shoulders, no matter how many times you fail or struggle, never give up. Never quit fighting for what you truly want out of life. No matter what education you have or what job you work, you too can fulfill your dreams. If that’s coding, that’s coding, but it can be anything else. The lessons in this story can be applied to anything you are passionate about. You are the creator of your destiny.
我在这个故事中要说的是-并希望能分享和传达-无论事情多么艰辛，无论肩上承受了多大压力，无论失败或挣扎多少次，都不要放弃。 永远不要为生活中真正想要的东西而战。 无论您接受什么教育或从事什么工作，您都可以实现自己的梦想。 如果那是编码，那是编码，但是可以是其他任何东西。 这个故事中的课程可以应用于您感兴趣的任何事物。 您是命运的创造者。
Fin. (Extra sections below for those looking to get started into coding)
鳍。 (下面的部分供那些希望开始编码的人使用)
Here are some extra tips if you’re starting out (or looking to start out) as a coder.
如果您刚开始(或希望开始)以编码器的身份，那么这里有一些额外的技巧。
First, for a programming language, I recommend pursuing JavaScript. JavaScript is a scripting language that allows you to implement complex things on web pages. It consists of HTML, CSS, and variety of other frameworks such as nodeJS and React (a popular Facebook language). JavaScript can be applied to many things, including blockchain applications. It’s also easier to get an entry level job with JavaScript than other programming languages.
首先，对于编程语言，我建议使用JavaScript 。 JavaScript是一种脚本语言，可让您在网页上实现复杂的事物。 它由HTML，CSS和其他各种框架组成，例如nodeJS和React(一种流行的Facebook语言)。 JavaScript可以应用于许多事物，包括区块链应用程序。 使用JavaScript获得入门级工作也比其他编程语言容易。
The websites I recommend are as follows:
我推荐的网站如下：
freeCodeCamp.org is a completely free site for learning in detail about JavaScript, NodeJS, React, and many others. You have to teach yourself as there aren’t any videos. It’s just straight code.
freeCodeCamp.org是一个完全免费的网站，可详细了解JavaScript，NodeJS，React等许多其他信息。 您必须要自学，因为没有视频。 这只是简单的代码。
Another site, uDemy.com, has excellent courses if you prefer to learn code alongside an instructor. These courses are in-depth and lengthy, some having 40+ hours of coursework. A double monitor method helps with the videos from the instructors. A good course I took and recommend is “The Modern JavaScript Bootcamp (2019)” by Andrew Mead. uDemy.com also has regular sales so you can snag courses for as low as $10.
如果您想和指导老师一起学习代码，则另一个网站uDemy.com拥有出色的课程。 这些课程是深入而冗长的，有些课程需要40多个小时的课程。 双重监控方法可帮助讲师提供视频。 我参加并推荐的一门不错的课程是安德鲁·米德(Andrew Mead)的“ The Modern JavaScript Bootcamp(2019)”。 uDemy.com也有常规销售，因此您可以低至10美元购买课程。
Lastly, if you’re curious about getting started in blockchain as a programmer, then I recommend, after learning some JavaScript, a site called cryptozombies.io. It is a completely free game that teaches you how to write Ethereum Smart contracts using Solidity as a programming language, all while building a zombie army. The game was created to inspire and teach kids in middle school how to code and the game creators are always adding more chapters. Solidity is a lot like Javascript, making it a good start into blockchain.
最后，如果您想以程序员的身份开始使用区块链，那么我建议在学习了一些JavaScript之后，创建一个名为cryptozombies.io的站点。 这是一个完全免费的游戏，教您如何在建立僵尸军队的同时使用Solidity作为编程语言来编写以太坊智能合约。 这款游戏的创建是为了启发和教导中学的孩子们如何编码，而游戏的创建者们总是在增加更多的章节。 坚固性很像Javascript，使其成为区块链的良好开端。
All three things listed will make you a knowledgeable programmer. Always remember that habits are everything. Practicing every day for thirty minutes will make someone that much more advanced by year’s end. The progress may surprise you.
列出的所有三件事将使您成为一个知识渊博的程序员。 永远记住习惯就是一切。 每天练习三十分钟，到年底将使一个人变得更加先进。 进展可能会让您感到惊讶。
翻译自:
为爱追寻
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