I looked around. Not a soul in sight, not even a bird in the dawn-red sky. Light clouds and mist adorned the horizon, with Saharan dust lingering in the air. I started my tour in complete silence. My rhythm quickly settled as I conquered one meter of altitude after another.

Each hour brought me closer to the summit, a peak shaped by föhn winds. Completely immersed in my thoughts, I escaped from everyday life and focused on the terrain. I felt every gust of wind, read the snow, observed every angle, watching for any sign of chamois.

I know this mountain. Yet it’s different each time. With every visit, I discover another side of it, piecing these experiences together, going deeper to recognize even more. It’s an intense experience that demands repetition. Year after year. And each year, I hope, I become better at assessing conditions, finding the optimal path, and overcoming obstacles. Or reaching my limits. That too is part of learning — how I handle it and better evaluate the mountains.

Today, I’m almost alone on this mountain. Only one other mountaineer follows far below.

My thoughts suddenly drift to hikes that are completely different. A roped team, hiking with others, no trace of solitude. We converse, share experiences, help each other overcome tricky spots. We depend on one another.

And we arrive at the next hut together, completely exhausted but happy. In the evening over dinner, we review our experiences and celebrate our summit success.

Sometimes I can’t precisely remember what we passed by during the day. My concentration was also on the people in the group, and I couldn’t absorb every corner as intensely, couldn’t take it all in.

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Two completely different scenarios, with a single connection: my passion for mountains. Both times, traversing rough terrain. Once free, following only my own mind, completely self-reliant. And once with like-minded others, where I fit into the group to reach the goal together.

What does this have to do with Java, data visualization, or software development?

A lot!

Both are needed! Software development isn’t a solo game! We developers work closely together to deliver the best solution to a problem. We share the workload, share our experiences, and help each other out. Everyone can use their strengths, we complement each other and reach the goal together.

But how does someone become a valuable team member? It takes time to acquire knowledge and skills and gather experience. This includes hours of independent learning, trying things out on your own, and learning from mistakes when things don’t work right away. For me at least, it’s a much more intense and deeper engagement with the subject matter.

Just like on the mountain. Going alone, in pairs, or as part of a group is a completely different experience. And usually, you consciously decide which approach is better for each situation.

So how do you conquer your mountains?