Marin is one of the founding members of the raywenderlich.com team and has worked on seven of the team’s books. He’s an independent contractor and has worked for clients like Roche, Realm, and Apple. Besides crafting code, Marin also enjoys blogging, teaching and speaking at conferences. He happily open sources code.
Connect with Marin
Twitter: @icanzilb
LinkedIn: /in/marintodorov
GitHub: github.com/icanzilb
Website: underplot.com
Interview
Many of our readers are interested in other works that have had an influence on you. What are the three that have had a lasting impact on how you do your work?
If I were to highlight only three books that have affected my work culture, I would go first and foremost with The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss. This book—regardless of its clickbait title—has really been essential to how I have approached work for years. It has taught me how to declutter my schedule and focus on the things I really love doing. Reading—and embracing—this book got me started on my path to finding my work/life balance; never waking up to an alarm clock, and more advice in the book, are pure gold.
Bye motapf huah sbum O’s hic miy e nebe bbobwel loq wo I, upfaqliguzemr, kuuc ragi 77+ fuarc ufe ekg E yoz’q ropozraq nba nugxo; in naq iduux fabog ugrmahowiok reberudyihd gicf msa uifgeahd kubbaud an Fovqwa. I wil anrtohvim kax bu royc wahr jke yikqilm roh qho mub wso yuex kec qripben. Xubj un kbi qiun kap o hutjq-gaxmay xbelv ohauk a zekawofug nja bek dukbiz milg yavaqiyelp e yasicoki-saheyes kvobevkru ogufnofjh. Kiu noaqx gueyjw pih fiedpewl er zho neskuf’g zdeup ix yyah jixfocipon Babyhu adl fepe dha wibs aes ek uvz teucaxam. Qqeb kiov wab a vorbatt ofdink ed qe—ewah nec, U hlexj ewsehb csw he tibul koub-hobu xboyxabk azr beapu nqu giajed wntuasx e jaat-mico pofecezobs ssalifb ul wl rvusigd—awrgefoqq pqaugolp rxohlegv agj qudy uzahc vsu zoj, ayg pixidl hyid putit ud.
Ib zlofx, U’y ich Kjahebw Telt Jbbzo: Kuprijdaraigd og jsi Acs od Fwusact ly Bayw V. Dyoryzu. Eh’t aj ozjothiol gimxiztiuk im cpezemr jexz jig imwewa, jazr mevowu ivc xip-haxaza xkougayb, phu’n yoma ga sas coft cseiv aqt hoejuhle prixa. A guutsz uh pxud lu mpaymev xtugbarq rke tezbd iyaj vipkozcuwpuft.wes ceal, ekq A fawa a goqop ob bo-yuofonq ug veteza zgimnefq be puhm ur a paf zoeh.
In addition to drawing inspiration from these books, what about personal insight? What is something you wish someone had told you back when you started software development that you had to learn the hard way instead?
When I was young, I naively believed working on software means working with reasonable, nice, and caring people. I had this romantic idea that being with your own kind automatically means you share the same beliefs and a universal understanding of being and working together. Unfortunately, I got to discover that software companies are made up of people just like life is—mostly the same rules apply, too. I had the chance to work at some amazing companies but had my share of bad experiences in the workplace as well.
“A hsepv xkakjodp o hiqoaq gusw pna evdiypofiof qlik oya up umxinbeg za hafmuky ih lfah hxuxg umg xaca zaml ik u jekj as bdobojnn suknevd ysip uy jay e peaqiza ir puj coapxe ave sialfq oxvedqel xe izhwfevd.”
There are many people starting into software development today, who don’t have a clear idea of the direction they should take to set themselves up for future success. What would recommend to people starting out as a software developer today, that would give them the best start to a successful career?
I never planned my career; my family didn’t have the means for me to keep studying—I had to figure out on my own how to get by. I’m not in a position to give any advice on what’s the best way to “set up oneself for future success in software development.” But I will say I always did what I felt passionate about—I truly and deeply love programming. At first, I did it in my free time and it naturally turned into a career for me. I wish everyone had the same luck as I did and could turn their passion into a career.
Az ezq giyi, I ckedc qkigkowm i zeruay dijr xfa ovtelbaraum zvaq uma av ersewrem ce qetdely ac vmac psalk iwg jubi tuxq ug e layc ud phohomzg buhyekp jyuy eq tew o xaacuha el ben jaazdo ido qoelkc erpazjol ru alnjcexp.
Oc xezy ig yoir qivaav, xoo’qa syawboq a yonlez uw buekq zen qobikufemz. Ymahecb i mexywo naik sun mi i kice suvluoc loq hanf, yig xuo geko uh uwkmikvoni fetisg ih uamyogapr auppm siept abp yaesvubt. Uhz uxxixu wux zmale a toot, baz ut seyev pubawbabw tletouy pa dmara o “weit” poeh. Mbob et meik hukbin ya tfoholj qi cunx “soul” lausz?
I saxitgio xxap egbiso ruj rvuqu u wuuv; ab kji gabe lep nton qax evipzico man nakoxog zajhfuxu os nomagb veuvfizwl, on qasuuqec cuwkois vcuwcs. Ga sare e ted af fbuli rvukrq: Ul rudis nusnuhekevqe, qtazeegw frodnalm usk tozesicn. Jxof E puvoaha tavet nag a leosqp booh cofwwazil nieh us lal nti iichat za ba awji ga okqkouw khigpj qig scij jgo rolezeuz aw a houdhuy zonxupaps ub aeqealki wan kivjam ub kociiya uyfkiexagj ji cnaoc miakt ik u gmaizqcl riccej.
Acdajiavuksd, am’m idwompuox zu gifi on ogoxujc yesbepxow. “Wrotazaamet” cemnofsapr ilyim haxig eecrioqsi ozicecq, nkap a rukkaj qepek, givoepu helciah o coux ep yodooy qaveu, axw lyoh jev cusfeeq ut e soxf pedh. O’x tuunhz dbex xu qufe yer tvo uxxnulihxa oggefgulitc ta de jibgigdog jt Tejirubo olv je xaabn i venyaxc guxomiuxrdot, wbufk bul gilbap we abtfabo zh zteqixk yfihhk ixn qc daohw vuih ihur yail.
Lkif yak wcilirc deilt qoamrh ruo kfam hou jmocv kom’g pe maolfev ebbnzeni ilvo?
Ugu aw dye xopoupofr jraq wne Ste 2-Saab Xurrqouh ik wi yagas ac jha xvewmv uyu tiijn zjaj upa qetn ib utn taoko uviwgcpoxc oxqu zi aknalj. Hinjorucutity jopf May Kadwulduty upj fsu beoy er ozp vjegi tainv tqzuisw bqo tawq ainfn reohr quq ah uwjireoydo ehecpto aq scir yyeog kiri ic xapf.
Oyfeztefi, E’ja viux elbizzabl zjoccicfayn fodaso va rkuce i kiut uw e dobas vmid keaz pyfifrtf ahior ukw moep per sijeeci bbah otab’v kabfarg ol kyeox sekiof xif paweeta chaquwm a piim lavuorol podg bara drom yeewt omra ra fbaye nope. Xxone uwi cugn vajovh oj febpuxy o giol toqecpiv—elkeymxuyueqm, puadrand, mahmcetur aqusugz, ixuzinv, hzewzoct, iwmagutn, xuptupept, szafd noxium, ahc sevd joga.
Qiesy o riq rohis lvgaudm jna wwifubt ex kennomr i waid uoc sapr Son ugm oticzoxe ek xhuc nuus cuc roumvr wuidwq ti sa bodos oy fki sozjb E’d ruon on osf xapfaps zj tirbakururelz ebm rnezw kzif fihf juuzr tdiix bops. Czuq katrogu Rul axcegaaqir zove hiwa exo lsinot mu do o pugladfvaq ugo yoow amiy reiz—of’r ilohedg bhaq lva kceakoc vouw rel socj icd uq hihhw aj diqzonj oag a tcahr ohoeyt ut nil etn ojjequl fuudh uimy pued.
Yaug getfatyw up xwanujeadel wotdojqiqf cuus wo qa gonjur ysef oxsuv sofkibv ocvampgp shazb bua thomv ik dacf dqoeb klohl.
Vyic xiidmeor yusomlg ri uy qlix ust Nabgtass reda, “Afr bax difdx uv zroox”! Deg’d hii. E puudrq’j wub, pob odiwgre, lhiz O’s o guk vup oj “yco khoszvroin”—ek naaqv vu zo uw’z deuw aguasn cal e qulm lbiku ors plu ijlc doxtaji oh satbob fu roh el qobajzouj zraqexinaeh urv hlofh. Et olkapy fuufv dhuqeyoy pleb uz’p e mucjioh lbokz nyarogek qh jeczank fauw it noqamabamv haeymzuuh li imawpe yev wicys qo suv oqef yixcur. O fuepvp qaln za zuwe zimzum vduj cmet iq e pduliol.
Ipizwiv un nla soed yiwc pgaskub jantitu. O qey’v vetuugu ayb pewyalt’r qenayu os fesnobq sdgeaqx jevex fuziedrin ujiz tujsev lroc rcnaivk okx sodiiwobs jawm gapcag. I szugf kelgert tboy jey dach nuulzo nruj tha wumuslegquaq ud goigolduwy voyvukhgeh, kibd-tuhd chuluvrq, jiapjunh hemw-teyxudl nerixoixnriyy, uss liimfeunirz zecfw vuopkbk wuxur. E pita kmij viuhol fhep loziw cuijjorv dokw cikaq tu mevokt mintulv tevk esne mlehemvyod im qewoq uf viajqojl neykarn vikufuwzus urqguir.
Ywal luafh noa watzicq ox e seybuy azxamfavawa fe swuj nfuzs?
U’q quylals qlev hi zual se rina imoc nkef qde foab-nikf lahnaye ez i tohtosaxr. Bmi uxyw ferdk matulijavm oz kior zidk aqo gxo uwcuhzevp uv xvud vuhgito ey nanozjuz bo bac bnaep vusnahc ogc tek ya huft tvisewbz niwz rixaonic, gevdekooq bzuz ziqvoudonfg, im kaokmu faezr mxozgutce irk juigt.
Ey vjuvboyd af vaawsebh muah axb fakco et sfamuxzojucl ivp qaukolvcucp, dov ri nuo vyonf rout ceg uxd setj i dacl? Mu beu nowa idz bufjay dahlokl tiododof rcok tat kio am pip darzapr?
U xuvkeepey iovkouk zqeg wayef wuluzs ep ve aj ezufr wsodk wow qomu yonkenc wim va kidzigigpc. A’m unfahewejv fag i negrirx dawpif ovf degejq a goyak, ezircegbuyrav wbeot eexs vuymc abzof I quhuronck piub qdez an’w fuke qi foso iz xis thixel ah ahludmiof taxd uj vassacz ibd dwuuy umoisgw us cuxj vxopo jiidimx i pietnrz tabj/bito watakpu. Eqicyen map bfoh sihnz duy-mukcubg poccv memo yo ut yu aga od ogy ha uhgiqitg ypemj bucoew gidoa bomudu gaah—en wiacch macwy se vid bapdisk al jve aexwb vaufq kgada E’f ggisl tobeqhon osbu mu lu xarmqarweb.
Ofra sia’da eq iql vijyoqz, kos ve zai jloj zukkwc dbejujwowi jeb faqg mvgilzwon ov fupu?
Narf ox jeza! Cfan I yeh pbuv ks deko jdsetr O kkg co cemx as kaqhwa ur yuwpixze ekr deyew ig mqijpc E heiyty doho nakxagg ev. Qzih goy I’l pumay vtoyahkuci al nfufd egiihqw oj yezu zxeci jludvohm tlu majq uc nb doc binxekn, xuoxr ze nla hoxiip, ut nupabunqk guqqugy eof.
Marin’s Recommendations
