Small Steps to Big Wins in Data Engineering (My 2025 Plan)

When we think of what’s worth doing, we think of the BIG things.

• Build a successful business, become a millionaire.

• Buy that dream home, travel the world.

• Land a job at FAANG, or make it to head of data at some fancy tech company.

Success in data engineering isn’t about big moves — it’s about the small ones you make daily.

These are all big goals and worth doing — if that’s what you want. But big things are scary.

Big takes time. A lot of it.

Small things, though? They’re easy.

I’m a believer in small steps. Any successful person will tell you that success — whether in life or in data engineering — usually starts with the small things — the fundamentals. A bunch of small steps (over time) leads to big steps, and before you know it, you’re snowballing.

It sounds easy, and it is (in theory). But there’s a catch.