Why My Hero

How Patrick Collison Shaped My Worldview

Heroes are not born from perfection but from the ways they expand our sense of what's possible. Patrick Collison has fundamentally shaped how I think about programming, ambition, and my place in the world. Here's why.

1. Advice to Teenagers: Embracing Every Side of Programming

Patrick's advice to teenagers fundamentally changed my approach to my career as a programmer. He doesn't just talk about coding—he emphasizes embracing every aspect of what it means to be a programmer: the computer, the mathematics, and the soft skills.

The Holistic Programmer

Too often, programmers are encouraged to specialize narrowly—to just focus on churning out code efficiently. Patrick's approach is different. He demonstrates that the best builders understand:

  • The Computer: Deep technical knowledge of how systems actually work, from hardware to networking to databases.
  • The Mathematics: The theoretical foundations that make good software possible—algorithms, data structures, type theory, formal methods.
  • The Soft Skills: Communication, collaboration, understanding user needs, and the ability to work effectively in teams.

This holistic approach resonates deeply with my own interests. I'm passionate about programming language design and implementation—a field that requires deep technical knowledge, mathematical rigor, and an understanding of how programmers actually think and work. Patrick's example gives me permission to pursue all of these interests rather than feeling I need to choose one narrow path.

His winning project at age 16 was Croma, a LISP-type programming language. Years later, Stripe was built with careful attention to API design—treating developer experience as craft. This is the integration of technical depth and human understanding in action.

2. Works in Progress: Expanding My View of the World

Reading Works in Progress—a publication Patrick supports through Stripe Press[12]—has expanded my worldview in ways I didn't anticipate. The publication covers topics far beyond technology: urban planning, economic development, institutional design, scientific progress, and cultural evolution.

Thinking Across Domains

What I've learned from Patrick's approach to knowledge:

  • Technology doesn't exist in isolation—it's shaped by economics, institutions, culture, and politics.
  • Understanding progress requires drawing from history, sociology, economics, and science.
  • The best solutions often come from applying insights from one domain to problems in another.
  • Reading broadly makes you a better specialist—cross-domain knowledge reveals patterns and opportunities others miss.

This multidisciplinary approach has changed how I think about programming. Instead of seeing it as purely technical, I now understand it as embedded in larger systems—economic, social, and cultural. This perspective makes me a better programmer because I can think about not just how to build something, but whether it should be built and what its broader implications might be.

3. Paystack: Breaking Free from Geographic Constraints

Stripe's acquisition of Paystack in 2020 was a pivotal moment for me personally. Paystack is a Nigerian payments company—proof that world-class technology companies can be built anywhere, not just in Silicon Valley.

The Moment Everything Changed

When Stripe acquired Paystack, something clicked for me. I realized:

  • I am not confined to my immediate environment if I am ambitious enough.
  • Geographic location doesn't determine what's possible—talent and ambition are globally distributed.
  • Building something significant doesn't require being in a specific place—it requires solving real problems well.
  • The internet has created a truly global playing field for ambitious builders.

This realization was liberating. It meant that my dreams and ambitions didn't need to be scaled down to match my immediate surroundings. If Paystack could build a payments company in Nigeria that attracted Stripe's attention, then location was no longer a limiting factor—only ambition and execution.

Patrick himself grew up in a small Irish village with poor internet connectivity. His trajectory from Dromineer to global tech leader proves that where you start doesn't determine where you finish.

4. The Sheer Scale and Ambition of the Vision

What truly inspires me about Patrick is the audacious scale of Stripe's mission: increasing the GDP of the internet. This isn't about building a successful company—it's about building economic infrastructure for the entire internet economy.

Thinking in Decades

Patrick and John think in terms of decades, not quarters. They've been working on Stripe since 2010, and John says they're "still quite early in Stripe's journey"[4]. This long-term perspective is rare and inspiring:

  • They're not just solving today's problems—they're building infrastructure for problems that don't yet exist.
  • They invest in craft and beauty even when the business case isn't immediate because they know quality compounds over time.
  • They're willing to tackle genuinely hard problems that might take years to solve properly.
  • They measure success not just in revenue but in whether they're enabling economic activity that wouldn't otherwise exist.

This level of ambition is motivating. It challenges me to think bigger about what I'm building and why. Instead of just solving immediate problems, I'm inspired to ask: What infrastructure could I build that would enable others to create things that don't yet exist?

The Integration

These four elements—holistic skill development, broad intellectual curiosity, global ambition, and long-term thinking—form an integrated worldview that shapes how I approach my own journey:

As a Student

I pursue depth in computer science and mathematics while reading broadly across domains. I study programming language design not just as technical challenge but as a way to understand how tools shape thought.

As a Programmer

I strive to understand the full stack—from hardware to user experience—and to develop both technical skills and the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively.

As an Aspiring Builder

I think about problems worth solving over years, not weeks. I care about craft and quality, knowing that excellence compounds over time.

As a Global Citizen

I refuse to be limited by geography. The internet enables global impact, and ambition combined with execution matters more than location.

Why This Matters

Patrick Collison is my hero not because he's perfect or because I want to replicate his exact path. He's my hero because he embodies a way of thinking about work, ambition, and impact that resonates deeply with who I want to become.

He shows that you can be technical and humanistic, ambitious and thoughtful, focused and broadly curious. He proves that where you come from doesn't determine what you can build. Most importantly, he demonstrates that caring about craft, beauty, and long-term impact isn't naive—it's the foundation for building things that truly matter.

"You can work on something you're not super proud of for two or three years, but you can't work on something that you're not super proud of for 30 years."

— Patrick Collison[20]

This is the perspective that guides me: build things you're proud of, think in decades, embrace all aspects of the craft, and never let your environment limit your ambition.