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JC Smiley
JC Smiley

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Transforming Goals into Problems into Accomplishments

I want to relate a conversation I had with my daughter about the intercession of goals, problems, and accomplishments to apply it to learning how to code. The basics are goals will inevitably run into problems and problems solved leads to accomplishments.

My first tip is don’t have one goal. The more goals you have the more opportunities you have to achieve something. The problem with being singular focused on one goal is if you fail then you are starting over from scratch. We are human. We will fail. Failure teaches us how to succeed on the next attempt. But if you have multiple goals then failure is just a setback in one area of life and a teacher for another. Imagine learning JavaScript, React, and React Native to become a web developer, mobile app developer, or a software developer. Each goal is a step toward a dream job in tech.

journey in the mountains
Problems are like mountains. It’s going to be hard, takes dedication, and commitment. A lot of people fail to start their first mountain because they are intimidated by the huge one behind it. Some people failed because they are focused on someone else on the other side of the mountain. My point is there are several ways to fail but the guarantee method to possible success is to start. The mountain call learning how to code has a sharp learning curve and many valleys of errors/bugs. The best way through is to start walking (code daily), find a guide (mentor), don’t get distracted (shiny new thing), and walk in a group (meetups).

Overcoming obstacles and achieving the impossible is the spice that makes life worth living. Regrets are accomplishments that you didn’t at least try. My final piece of advice is to turn your dreams into goals and do at least one thing a day toward that goal. The worst you can do is nothing. The best that can happen is a dream come true. In the middle is a magical journey worth living.

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