Who has not seen one of the famous roadmaps by Kamran Ahmed at roadmap.sh? If you haven't - check it out! Quite interesting. I have one sticking to my wall as well. A roadmap such as this gives you a clear idea where to turn next, what to learn and what to skip. Great, isn't it?
I'd like to compare the use of a roadmap with my current mental state and behaviour. Sure, I have started with a roadmap, or at least at a signboard saying "go there." What followed was a meandering journey along well-worn paths, namely: an introduction at FCC.
Unknown territory
Since then, my impatience has let me step off the beaten tracks and into unknown territory where I have to take care of everything myself. I've avoided the dragons so far, because I am quick to duck. Yet, here, in the wilderness, I find myself actively pursuing not just a single path, but many - the server is not set up properly! - fix it. The database design is flawed. Fix it. The code becomes unmanageable. Fix it. Can't connect to the database? Fix it! Add some security features? Won't happen by itself...
Slower? Faster? More intense? Definitely less boring!
I can't tell you whether my progress will lead to the right target. Right now, I am in a sea of excitement with lots of disturbing creatures around me and can't see the mountains. But I have the feeling that I grasp bits and pieces of the whole and hone problem-solving skills as I must find solutions to progress - there's no backup, no hint, no sample solution available.
The world is connected
Learning HTML. Then CSS. Then SCSS. Then JS. Then ... good, solid brickwork. The strongest buildings stand on strong foundations. I am missing out on that - at least partially. Yet if all you see is bricks you won't admire the whole building. The interconnectedness makes a difference! It's not an isolated world, but a real one.
So I recommend to you: Go out there and learn-as-you-go. Invent problems and then solve them. Write little apps, little functions, little things that are meaningful to you. Keeps you motivated and busy late at night! If you need ideas, let me know - I have more than I can realise.
Stats update
- Friday: following a line of functions because I forgot an important parameter at design stage... (6:40)
- Saturday: minute UML design as my client requested tons of additional features (1:10)
- Sunday: Mothers Day - no coding
- Monday: additional UML design for the app I am working on: putting my own advice to good use (2:30)
- Tuesday: yet another excuse (yae)
- Wednesday: upgraded the db design and learned about passwords! exciting! (2:40)
- Thursday: started reimplementing and got pretty far. product needs to be done Saturday evening... (4:20)
- Friday: deadline looming... lot's of adjustments and more. Learned about CORS! (10:20)
life total: 288:00 hours
this week: 27:40 hours
new total: 315:40 hours
What about you?
What is your opinion? Is your journey more like one that follows a certain path, or are you stretched across many dimensions gradually progressing along the multiverse? :)
Photo by Ngô Thanh Tùng on Unsplash
Top comments (0)