Code, Cricket, and the Will to Win: Lessons in Intent and Perseverance for Young Developers

I often find myself looking back at my early days in IT, sitting in front of clunky desktops with half-baked software, debugging code that seemed like it had a personal vendetta against me. Those were the days when I would dream big but stumble on every small obstacle. Over the years, one thing became crystal clear: intent is the magic ingredient that separates those who ‘try’ from those who ‘make it happen.’

Now, as a CEO of Cubastion Consulting, I see the same patterns in young developers joining the industry. The pace of technology is dizzying—Generative AI, automation, cloud computing, blockchain—it’s a buffet of complexity. The truth is, the tools will keep changing. What matters is the mindset you bring to the table.

The Power of Intent

Intent isn’t just about saying, “I want to build a great solution.” It’s about asking yourself: Am I digging deep to understand the problem?

Let me share a story of one of my team members, Anubhav Mangal. Fresh out of college, he joined us as an entry-level developer. His first project was to build an automation tool for a legacy CRM system—a nightmare, even for seasoned developers. The CRM had zero documentation, inconsistent APIs, and a pile of messy user requirements.

While others in the team dreaded touching the project, Anubhav took it as a challenge. He called me one day to just talk about what he was doing. He told me he stayed late, combed through forums, watched tutorials, and even connected with developers who had worked on similar systems on LinkedIn. I said “… okay, that’s great you’re putting in hardwork but what are you trying to tell me”

His reply surprised me  – “Sir I know that, I’m using you as my sounding board to motivate myself”  Two months later, he delivered a working prototype that not only solved the issue but also added new features no one had even asked for.

What set Anubhav apart wasn’t his skill set (he didn’t have any specialized training for this). It was his intent to solve the problem—his mental resolve that failure wasn’t an option.

Learning and Unlearning

Another key aspect of intent is the ability to learn and unlearn. The IT industry is notorious for making yesterday’s expertise irrelevant today. When I started, mastering JavaScript was considered an achievement. Now, you’re expected to juggle frameworks like React, Vue, and Angular—all while staying up to date on backend systems, DevOps, and AI integrations.

Unlearning is even harder. It requires you to let go of practices, habits, or solutions that no longer work. Just last year, Cubastion Consulting revamped its entire approach to developing client-facing applications by adopting a modular, microservices architecture. Look up our website when you have the time. This required senior developers to unlearn years of monolithic programming habits—a process that wasn’t just technical but deeply emotional.

Perseverance: The Real Superpower

If there’s one story that perfectly encapsulates perseverance, it’s the one of the legendary Indian cricketer MS Dhoni. You’ve probably seen M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, but let me highlight what makes his journey so relevant for IT developers.

We saw Dhoni dreaming of playing cricket at the national level. He spent years playing for small clubs and facing countless rejections. The odds were stacked against him—he came from a small town with no access to high-end training facilities, no big-name coaches, and limited exposure. What he had was intent. The mental resolve to work harder than anyone else, to sharpen his skills every single day, and to keep pushing forward despite setbacks. We know what he achieved. And that goes for every other national level sportsperson who represents his/her nation.

What’s inspiring about Dhoni’s story isn’t just the victories. It’s the journey—the years of grinding, of not giving up when nothing seemed to work. His story reminds us that perseverance, when combined with intent, leads to extraordinary results. There are Haajlands, Mbappes and Rodris of the world, but they have to repeat their super success year after year for some 20-22 years to reach where Messi and Ronaldo, or Sachin are.

For young IT developers, Dhoni’s journey is a lesson in sticking it out when the code crashes, when the deadlines feel impossible, and when nothing seems to go right, not once but again and again.

You don’t have to know all the answers. You just need the will to keep going until you figure it out.

The CEO’s Takeaway

If there’s one piece of advice I’d give to young IT developers, it’s this: Your tools, skills, and tech stacks will change a hundred times over during your career. But your intent, perseverance, and willingness to learn will always be your greatest assets.

The IT world isn’t for the faint-hearted, but it’s incredibly rewarding for those who dare to stick it out. Next time you’re stuck on a problem that feels impossible, remember: Where there’s a will, there’s a way. And often, that way begins with you simply refusing to give up.

So, roll up your sleeves, dive headfirst into the messy, beautiful chaos of IT, and make things happen. Because in this industry, it’s not the smartest or the fastest who win—it’s the ones who don’t quit.

Let’s keep building.


Ravi Kumar,
CEO | Cubastion Consulting

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