So here’s the thing: Hard work is undoubtedly important, but we all know luck plays a role, too. And sometimes, luck can be as powerful as effort. I was reminded of this when I watched Aaron Francis’ talk at Laracon US 2023 (I watched it on YouTube). His main point was simple but profound: publishing your work increases your luck. The more you put yourself out there, the more opportunities seem to come your way. And sometimes, that’s all you need – to keep grinding and trust that luck will eventually meet you halfway. It really stuck with me.

So recently, I got an email from Google about some new courses they were offering. Naturally, I clicked through to see what they had, expecting to see something that would change my life. There were some amazing courses, but then I saw the price tag—and well, let’s just say the enthusiasm quickly faded.

As a Full Stack Developer, I should be able to afford these things, right? But honestly, I felt a bit ashamed. I mean, I can pay for it, but at that moment, it just didn’t seem like the smartest decision, given that I already have a ton of courses saved in my watchlist and books I bought with the best intentions to read (and distracting my mind of her and move on but guess what it all made me realize…)

I had this set of 15 books that I thought would be perfect for reading on the metro. And, hey, I finished 5 of them in two weeks—not bad, right? But most days, I end up listening to people, sneaking their chats (don’t judge me, I’m not a spy), or just people-watching. No judgment, I promise—it’s just that sometimes. You know the drill: eavesdropping on conversations you didn’t ask for because they’re happening all around you. I try not to, but sometimes it’s hard to ignore when someone’s chatting loudly on the phone.

Back to the story—since I couldn’t justify spending the money, I decided to dig deeper. That’s when I found out that Coursera offers financial aid for people who genuinely need it. It caught my attention, and I thought, “Why not give it a shot?” So I quickly drafted a message, explaining my need, and ahem, threw in a student story co-written by ChatGPT and Grammarly. (Hey, don’t judge me, I was trying to make the best of the situation!)

But here’s the thing I realized: Back when I was in college, I had this dream of leveling up my skills through online courses. I’d see all these amazing courses and think, “One day, I’ll take those.” But I had no means to afford them. I didn’t even know there were student discounts or that financial aid existed for online courses. Fast forward to now, I realize there’s a whole world of opportunities I didn’t know about. All I thought was, “Once I start earning, I’ll have enough to buy whatever I need.” Now, I’ve come to realize that even Apple products have student discounts, and that’s not all. If you’re in college (or have a valid student ID), you MUST check out GitHub Education!

Even with those options available, though, the prices still felt out of reach. Even now, I can technically afford them, but they still feel a bit costly compared to where I started. It really hit me how far I’ve come from those college days.

So yesterday, I got a reply from Coursera, They approved me for 90% off. That meant instead of paying the full price, I only had to pay 10%! I couldn’t believe it. Finally, I could get access to something I was genuinely excited about without breaking the bank. Plus, I could finally level up my skills and add a shiny new course to my LinkedIn profile.

So, what’s the moral of this story? no moral, just Keep trying. Even when things don’t seem to be working out, you never know what opportunities might be waiting just around the corner. And to be clear, I’m not encouraging anyone to fake stories or cut corners. If you can afford something, go ahead and buy it. But if you’re struggling, take advantage of the options that are out there for you.

I once got an email from JetBrains, and next thing I knew, I was in a focus group on IDE positioning. I learned a lot from it! They sent me an Amazon voucher as a thank-you, but it wasn’t available in India. My Austrian friend helped me redeem it (because who else would you call for a random international favor?). He had hired me for a project, but then had to cancel due to health issues. From that canceled order, we ended up connecting, and I did a small task for free. That simple act led to us becoming good friends and collaborating on multiple projects. Funny how things work out, huh?

Sometimes, the grind and a little luck go a long way. And now, thanks to that financial aid, I’m ready to learn and add another skill to my toolkit—without breaking the bank!

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