How I Learned to Start (and Stick With) My Coding Journey

Ikermann — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 22:00:21 +0000

As an adult, I've always enjoyed learning new things and picking up hobbies. But, at some point, I would get frustrated and give up. This happened even with coding.

My current coding journey isn't my first try - I found an email from 2022 about an online computer science class I applied for but never started. I was learning Python back then but stopped.

This time, I wanted to make sure I didn't quit again. I thought about what makes me give up and how I could keep going. I was lucky to find some advice from others who'd been through the same struggles. Here are three big obstacles learners often face and how I handle them:

1. Getting Started

Anything worth doing takes effort and lots of trial and error. Deep down, we know it'll be hard, so we put it off. We wait for the "perfect" time or the "best" course to start. But here's the truth: there's no perfect time.
The only solution? Start before you're ready. You'll always feel unprepared, too busy, or too tired. The key is to begin now, even if it's just watching a quick video or spending five minutes on a course. Starting is usually the hardest part.

2. Finding the Right Resources

Today, there's so much info online that it's easy to get overwhelmed. My approach? Spend a little time looking on Google, YouTube, or asking for tips on places like Reddit or Twitter.
_Once you pick a resource, stick with it until you finish. _

For programming, it's best to choose one language, one main course, and go through it. Of course, if it's really not working, find something better. But don't expect to be an expert when you're done; aim to build a solid base. After that, you'll know what to focus on next.

3. Knowing When to Move On

This one's like the first point but a bit different. In something like web development, there's so much to learn - HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and more. It's easy to get stuck trying to perfect each part. You might keep learning HTML for months (like I did), memorizing everything, waiting to feel "ready." But here's the truth: you'll never feel fully ready.

This is where I found the "70/30 rule." Once you feel about 70% confident, move on. For example, if you can score 70% on a topic's test, go to the next one. In programming, you learn best by doing, so as you move forward, you'll keep building on those earlier skills.

Here's something I heard from one of my teachers that stuck with me:_ Get comfortable with feeling like you're not good enough. This feeling means you're still open to learning and growing._

Happy coding!

My Coding Journey: Building Confidence One Day at a Time

Ikermann — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 21:37:07 +0000

Hey there! I want to share a bit about my journey in learning to code. It all started when I decided to take the leap into web development. I was excited but also nervous. Everyone around me seemed to know so much more. It was easy to feel overwhelmed.

One thing I quickly realized is how important confidence is in this process. When you start learning something new, it’s common to feel like you don’t know anything. But trust me, building confidence takes time. It’s like a muscle—you have to work it out every day to make it stronger.

Now, let’s talk about consistency. This is key. I’ve been coding every day for 120 days! At first, it felt hard to keep going. But I kept reminding myself that nothing builds confidence like doing something consistently. Each day, I learned a little more. I made mistakes and learned from them. I started to feel more capable.

When you do something every day, you start to believe in yourself. I realized that if I could code daily for four months, I could do it for a year or even ten years! There’s a wise saying: “It’s impossible to fail if you never stop.” Staying consistent is the secret sauce to success.

In this blog, I’ll dive into my thoughts on motivation, different beliefs, and the mental side of learning to code. I hope to inspire you and show you that you can do it too! Remember, every expert was once a beginner. Keep going, stay consistent, and you’ll build your confidence along the way.

Thanks for reading! I can’t wait to share more about my journey with you.

Forem: Ikermann

How I Learned to Start (and Stick With) My Coding Journey

My Coding Journey: Building Confidence One Day at a Time