A Developer's Guide to Life: Passion, Legacy & The "Foggy Staircase" of a Tech Career | Will Earp

The Defender's Log Podcast

"Am I going to spend my life trying to get the thing that I need, or am I going to spend my life

doing the thing that I want?"

In this deeply insightful episode of The Defender's Log, host David Redekop sits down with Will

Earp, a veteran developer whose career journey began with an Amiga 600 in 1998. They

explore the profound philosophy that has guided Will's path from a freelance web developer to a

lead engineer at a charity dedicated to online child safety.

Will shares his belief that a career isn't a clear path but a "foggy staircase," where you can only

see one or two steps ahead. He explains how choosing to follow passion over a

paycheck—whether running his own business for a decade or contributing to open-source

projects—led to unexpected doors opening, including his involvement with the prestigious

Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

This conversation goes beyond code and cyber defense, touching on the importance of legacy,

the unique challenges of protecting children in the digital age, and the simple but powerful

advice to find what you love and go do it.

In this discussion, you will learn about:

● The "Foggy Staircase" approach to navigating your career path.

● Pivoting from general web development to a mission-driven role in cybersecurity.

● The profound choice between pursuing passion versus financial security.

● How open-source work and personal projects can become your greatest career assets.

● The unique challenges and responsibilities of protecting children vs. adults online.

● Key insights on modern defense, including Zero Trust in DNS.

● Invaluable advice for the next generation of cybersecurity defenders.

● Why the ultimate goal is building a life and a legacy you can be proud of.

Join us for a conversation that will inspire you to think differently about your own career, the

choices you make, and the impact you want to have on the world.

Chapters

00:00 - Intro

01:18 - Welcome & How Will Herp Got Started in Tech

05:09 - The "Foggy Staircase" of a Tech Career

07:25 - Finding a Mission-Driven Career in Child Safety

09:28 - The Difference Between Protecting Kids vs. Adults Online

13:27 - Philosophy, Human Nature, and Long-Term Thinking

18:44 - Choosing Passion Over Money: The Journey to Open Source

21:20 - The British Perspective on Policy and Culture

28:18 - Innovations in Cyber Defense: Zero Trust in DNS

31:48 - Advice for the Next Generation of Defenders

36:07 - Finding Balance in Markets, Technology, and Bitcoin

41:34 - Final Message: Find What You Love and Go Do It

44:20 - Outro

#CareerAdvice #Cybersecurity #SoftwareDevelopment #OpenSource #TechPhilosophy

#PassionVsMoney #DeveloperLife #TechCareer #IETF #ZeroTrust #WillEarp #DavidRedekop

#adamone #adamnetworks