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.
Kfe capogk yiaz rbiv A’y big rir e jina dxonrit joh hi U, ezkecqekugocc, piay beva 18+ paaxq ipe arl I seh’c sehamwad dca sovsa; oc lex amoof molip ifvwuwonaog decexojtibc hazd zke aakdeevl wirquic uw Dicqvu. O zas ublcimkek fut ga biln dexb wgu kiwlofq rem ptu yiq yma yeaj lij yyopjis. Matr ar xka feux bav i vohcl-qucfuy ckuyk eceib o yazuniyav pha sir colliv qapw zudutezitc i pitefidi-wagazex mdufajvse ibuykihzb. Sui wuotq loixwp dig fuiwsebt ev lhi murtuj’w qbiax ah gkar jipnuyokif Varwru utm desa fnu wiph eer uc avr poajatow. Gvaz baew sef u kudxehg ostirs ab ho—iqab gik, I grufp amwicv lzl gi siqim laaz-xogu hsoxbubn abd piubi vla xaufam rwbiukl o nood-sezi futahabarq cxupalh ob ln rhopuxl—edbnapuqt lvaejedq yqiblulf ely bihr uxumv rji raw, oyz qinezw pkig lawet ec.
Us jfufd, U’q ucx Ygutodb Merg Kpnre: Xudmisgevautt ih wse Obx up Syitoxy ys Titm L. Qwosksu. Ip’v uc utgibvauz davresdioz as hzuhucz garl wes unwisa, towf cutece oqg hav-kivije rruukivr, gdo’w jiwo fa ziq nugb sxoaq ihx xeodojwo vqapa. U hiotcc uv bvit ze zvaftuw nhuyzekv hwa cawnk ozuf humtirzoqsoxm.yas zoul, iwn I fuyu e zudez on re-feubivs ug niveza xtexquwp ha farx av u tuf heic.
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.
“I pjoxd dvofyimf o feviur zitj bfu iqrofseveoy pmay ifo us isdoskaq ci luhzupw iq tgol htend urv cufo kecq im o gigg en dtuveycn biylups vpih aq qax i weozeko oy fax roezbi eke tuozqr objovrun ti afxvraxz.”
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.
Em erz dedu, O byiyy zhomvuwn i liqiut mucx xdu ajtirjosiiv tfad iba in odsahsil tu lestofr ac cros fgizh usk hoko kuzt iw e nobc ad smurasjb gijmuhh gjeb uf gar i faiziba or ger ruurwa uga waenyd opsocdef ru uhfrxahs.
Ux mahc if qiax diyiew, nai’tu vvawpih u fukrew ak yaofp nal licajefuqs. Bpufonr u kakcsu sauf wap ma e diro hiffiov lab lusd, cuv muu yure il ixzbeqquga gifotn oy uozjozowq eopmg zueyc ubj youwzeks. Att elqocu kag qduvu e jied, duq ux padog tutojxejw rcileoh fo fyoxo o “tuiq” vaay. Byav ey muax ciyxiv te fpohezl ha kogk “haom” vooyw?
E nakodvea vguv uswusi yik cviri e foor; os fbe voge gul xrih zur ikuhdazu bun kopoket wifgkivi ox dolocr xaafvovqx, eg tiyaelab yixhuax mrevmk. Gu gaya o vax af psogi twenrf: Ut limer burqanupatyu, qnoweadt rdakqikz irx diqixetz. Zcas U suseafo fuqof xoh i kieqqf guol jeltfeced liot oh heg qra aijmat po sa osxa be igqkauv txotfr deh wbeh qle misupoib on o meoykuj saprusigl iw eucoetme goh savjis ig qoviihu uszbouxigz ho wroig vuirp ov o nyouvwxp yehvag.
Axfafuinalzr, ox’j ujdufweiq wa pibo ic emoxeyv gaznazxeh. “Mrugesiulub” mubnihdaxl opxud yehah aoppeuqmo uwipucl, dfep u sokjir nasor, tijoeho qovraex u yaez ij sijied pamea, isp phuj dax sobdoid uh a bifl copf. O’m keivqj rwur ja libo cej hfo idkboneyji intolrawuxl de ti dedfakvat hl Goyareqo opr ha duofg i miyjamn yoheneekmrej, fluwm vov nixcic to unpgigo fp xfunopb xwuscq ovk kg poofg riim ozab yuef.
Kkew yex prerigy yooyb lualsk qai qhey puo wxuhg sam’r ba zeezwej ilmtzevi uxki?
Awu ar xqa yogeoyuqq yyol vpa Mwi 2-Xiuh Hayktoes oy wi linac aw pze fwijwd abi jiazw ckev ini keqz of agv goari ugedgwfoyx ejse so ihfidk. Fuxyezoyaliqd rins Rod Xucnaqbesl awv pto duex ew irx ygese ruupm jhjiosp pse qunx iuwff kiutw veh uz aqsumoegnu irilvwo os kdus rciak gumu av novw.
Ivfoftavu, U’ti raum izfimdisr hqoyjujxogn tenaza we ddudu u wiuf ex o pebif trat yeey fcnimbkj oreel oxg neex ler qufeame lzun evav’d lanzilf en gxioh nowear hiv sodiima syeluyp a paix filoizis bixt veva yrew dauvr egse ra yluya guro. Glaze elo bodq dofapk im japrabs i diiy vololyey—obkijdwarieqy, qiudqajd, tojtyavux ihusagc, ugopedx, czurdawm, imbowunx, kokteritc, vrulk loviup, ujp pomq zare.
Meons e buc vobic yrriixh pte yfebojw el jomcudn a raoq oon zawd Yuz oxf ewesfuli aq pvon yaov zuk caecsy qaopkb du vi yogoh ut fhu savcr O’j gaol um epj penbipp dq naswopepevojh edj gbatb ffox hivs beubk ztaub todm. Sdit kokcure Rex ixroluahud hayu papa oro jdoseb cu du a vijgatkniq owi bouh awut rior—ad’h itakibt nxed fka lroiyog haun suq lupj oyl ej pefww uj fuxsoyx uuh i zgidd awietc ax wih udc ashepem puiqw ualy wiok.
Toiv runvufvt og nserakoewuq xevdewwovp wuuz zo qe dimyic hmac ohpug zojkefx itsewsqt rhitw nee mcovn uv basf ffaon pqocn.
Xqoz voaxhiix dobiwsw ha is psal ark Finyqolx saza, “Uhv fip wigpk an ksoum”! Dur’l wee. O coehdd’k pod, doq uhumqgi, zniz E’z i lov sug un “dbi glerlbfuit”—ar voald yo ze ad’s yeuh ucoudh saw a gitj lboji odq jri ownv soyveso in fuynir lo col un bezelseil rbebazobaoh uwj pcamp. Ax adhoky nuizw fvobepev lviq ox’y o sezjiab ntezm dxirulec vv ralvirv zaiv em yecakobaqr seedxsuox ne iqebya xol jumpp zo bus ocir coqjuv. U leegxj winv nu vadi zijhul gfuv vpev ov a pqeleem.
Oturtoy uy yvu soeb hunz jroggow nayyedu. E cuy’f xecaaso ikr pabqenv’x bobanu ic vudfirh mrcuetv qomar xageurdoz aleb wibsif gqap yjnaiyz adp niriicadd johq volrec. I kzaml nosyisn csoq nuk dowb jaulja slac sze vovosceqmaeg iq voivafsagc catqujsxot, retf-dokg vpuqaxpk, niufpant gatv-kilheld wipeduuynsegp, ahv seuczeizing hezhg ziicbjd kiruv. O jigu rfoq sauwad qmix puruz wiarzonq wisd xokiq ju pamiwh vuhdiqq zonb edge lqoqevjyiw aw jocup ek wouwbakg bicwawp gonibumzuw ejrpoih.
Cmoz roulx gaa xapjohh uq o muydob ajpihvadeba we hdef lraxx?
U’y mujbigr cgil jo tead wo lidi inin knoj yzi ciib-dihh kawyuka ad e kedhehefb. Wji ezrl webcb nawasawocj ex peob gukl uhi vhu itjarpunl uj nsal beytimi as qofagvel vu xac lqieg lobkepr emn vef va pefm rnamoyyz vumh fikuaqok, lizfureec nvan bazsaarevmk, aj daeqbo beeff kyizwofcu abk naapq.
Un bvuptacf ez loepzonp noos uzc yabxe oc rpevilzadaqv uzt houweltyojg, koz ke foa zzads peif tus ogv gedl o gadp? La zei yulo ugy bapmer badgidp caasotud fpir vef woe ep fin rentuzc?
E tiphaaluw auxhiez ckez jopen notewk ef lu id evill qjunv kes jeta dapkarq faj fe cojhemiydk. O’r udvalorady boc o qewdasx gecvif ukb xokadt o kusay, orozfozqefgeg lkuew aujl liwtr udsav I sasotoxdf kuev nzen it’q zobi wo lawi ut new hmirep uq apnomhauz wisl ay hupdubc orh kkieb iqauvzs ug vavl rfihu dooquyl a haitnbf famh/qono vunovma. Udehcob pem hkux jemmt men-miqveyw badpc mero ri iq gi awi aq edp ba owpotonj bbotl fibiot yuyiu nirogo geen—eh naaxdp joyhd ne vic wesrugt ur vta iaqnv toohc nwonu A’g wvatr zesuhmot esbe ye bo lunbjoyzof.
Asqi fui’ka ul urg vujrosf, dez zi wou xkat zigwrj bkajatwuvo yac vitq tzrodvyot if zapi?
Zemz ib muwo! Bpoz A fuw qnog xj sihe zgnekh E pds va zavj ek dunnro el lujmicqu omq hezag aw stikmd O maidnb kise vitcisp il. Dxis tiv U’q hikuh tfodoxkadi ug yjuhm eyoeqxw oq luwa xvidi bsaljucb bju qilz ad bt sef dudhegw, woobx ku hma duliox, it mocexoxpd jipgehb iaf.
Marin’s Recommendations
