#PowerOfFocus — Hackathons

Most of my childhood, I’ve lived in places where there was more than ample amount of sunshine. As a kid I remember playing with magnifying glass, on a sunny day, focusing a spot on a paper. Like most other kids, I found it very intriguing. It was fascinating to watch the paper burn, was like Magic!

During the summer holidays after I finished my 4th grade, I attended summer camp Karate course. I still remember watching spell-bound all the karate masters breaking multiple bricks in one blow. I got so excited that I even tried it myself, with obvious results. Finally I asked my teacher, how could those senior karate students do it? He replied — lot of determination and power of focus!

My colleague here @ Krossover — Cyriel, mentioned this concept of — hackathon few weeks back. It didn’t struck me initially but later at some point of time, I came across hackathons again. It’s basically like — grouping with bright-minded programmers, decide to work on a particular project or feature, start working on it and keep working on it, till it’s almost done. Day and night. I remembered my childhood experiences about the “Power Of Focus” and then it all suddenly started making so much sense.

When the whole team (3–4 members), all focus on 1 single goal, sit together, eat together and keep working, it tends to render the same magical effects. I guess, it’s the same underlying principle of focus, that's working here too. I’ve been an amateur musician, who records once on some moon day. But I’ve always had so many ideas, compositions in my head, that have never made it. Luckily, on some occasions, when I stumble across other musicians and we jam, effect again is magical.

So, it’s not just focus (though that is what is moving the threads), it’s also doing it as a group activity. When everyone is interested in doing the same thing. Just like jamming together, hackathons have been very exciting and an enjoyable experience. We’ve started it @ Krossover, it’s bit too early to say, but I am looking forward to see and experience some magic.

Originally published at http://hashbulb.wordpress.com on April 6, 2012.