So, how do you grow from engineer → architect → and beyond?
I’ve been through that journey and here’s the truth:
👉 Most people focus on the WRONG thing.
The transition isn’t about how much code you write, how many design patterns you know, or how many programming books you’ve read.
It’s about how you think. It's about systems and people.
Here are the 3 biggest mindset shifts that will help you get there 👇
🧠 1️⃣ From solving tickets → to defining problems.
As a developer, you execute.
As an architect, you shape what should exist.
As a CTO, you define why it should exist in the first place.
Your leverage comes from clarity, not lines of code. Whatever you’re building, try to see it through these lenses:
execution → design → strategy.
If “engineering” = “writing code” in your mind, you’ll never reach the next level.
⚙️ 2️⃣ From building systems → to building systems that build systems.
Architecture isn’t about elegance, it’s about repeatability!
The best architects don’t design software once; they design environments where great software emerges consistently.
And that’s where leadership comes in, because people are part of that “system that builds systems.” Your mission is to drive synergy, not confrontation.
🚀 3️⃣ From being right → to getting buy-in.
You can have the perfect design, but if no one follows it, it collapses.
Real influence is when others carry your principles even when you’re not in the room. That’s what true thought leadership looks like.
These are the shifts that actually matter. Learn them early and you’ll move faster in one year than most people do in a decade.
Codewrinkles
So, how do you grow from engineer → architect → and beyond?
I’ve been through that journey and here’s the truth:
👉 Most people focus on the WRONG thing.
The transition isn’t about how much code you write, how many design patterns you know, or how many programming books you’ve read.
It’s about how you think. It's about systems and people.
Here are the 3 biggest mindset shifts that will help you get there 👇
🧠 1️⃣ From solving tickets → to defining problems.
As a developer, you execute.
As an architect, you shape what should exist.
As a CTO, you define why it should exist in the first place.
Your leverage comes from clarity, not lines of code. Whatever you’re building, try to see it through these lenses:
execution → design → strategy.
If “engineering” = “writing code” in your mind, you’ll never reach the next level.
⚙️ 2️⃣ From building systems → to building systems that build systems.
Architecture isn’t about elegance, it’s about repeatability!
The best architects don’t design software once; they design environments where great software emerges consistently.
And that’s where leadership comes in, because people are part of that “system that builds systems.” Your mission is to drive synergy, not confrontation.
🚀 3️⃣ From being right → to getting buy-in.
You can have the perfect design, but if no one follows it, it collapses.
Real influence is when others carry your principles even when you’re not in the room. That’s what true thought leadership looks like.
These are the shifts that actually matter. Learn them early and you’ll move faster in one year than most people do in a decade.
The technical skills get you started. The strategic mindset keeps you growing.
#Leadership #CTO #Engineering #Architecture #CareerGrowth #BuildInPublic
1 day ago | [YT] | 1