Let’s face it. You can’t resist getting into coding when people are using it to make a fortune. It’s literally irresistible. But before you jump on this bandwagon, it’s important to keep certain things in mind. Let’s see them one by one:
Doing Programming is Easy, But Mastering It is Difficult
If you think you can code, you are absolutely right! Everyone can code. But if you think mastering it is a piece of cake, you are wrong. It takes grit and perseverance to be good at it. You need to constantly improve your coding skills. You can never stop learning if you want to become a master at coding. Technology isn’t developing every day, but there is a sea of information that you need to consume to get better at it.
Have a Solid Why
As mentioned before, coding is easy, but mastering it is another story. You need to have a solid “why”! Why do you want to code? Why can’t you survive (yes, you read that right) without coding? This is important because coding can be boring at times. But if you know why you are coding, your passion will push you to your limits and help you improve your skills. Without a strong “why,” you will tire soon!
Don’t Learn Every Language
Avoid becoming a jack of all trades, master of none. Pick one language and stick to it. Don’t veer away in different directions, as it can make you lose focus. Your concentration will be all over the place. You won’t excel at any language. Instead, you’ll remain at a beginner or intermediate level in all languages. This is not a good approach.
Be Hungry for Information
This doesn’t mean you should learn every single programming language. You need to become an expert in a few languages. But don’t be oblivious to the technological world. Seek information and always crave it. It will significantly help you.
Learn. Experiment. Repeat.
Don’t just learn. Use and experiment with what you’ve learned. This will help you succeed significantly. When you build something, sometimes it doesn’t go well. You need to continuously learn and do trial and error to see what works and what doesn’t. Seek feedback from others.
Don’t Think That You Can Never Be Good at Coding
Your mind is powerful. Don’t feed it negative thoughts. If everyone else around you is succeeding, then you can succeed as well. No one is born a genius (there are exceptions, though). Success will also be in your bag if you put 110% into coding.
Top comments (3)
Sorry, but you really don't need a solid 'why', or a solid 'roadmap'. I got into programming aged 7 because it was fun - much like playing with Lego... building things just for the enjoyment of it. Learning came through play. Did you have a solid 'why' for starting to play with toys?
As for a learning journey - just go where your interest and curiosity take you... you'll enjoy it more that way. You'll work out where your strengths are, and what you like and don't like. Study it formally if you want (I never have - or when I did, my skills were streets ahead of the teacher), or don't... there's no right or wrong way. Most of the best developers I've known have been self taught!
If it leads to a career, great! If it doesn't, you may have a fun new hobby. I never had a plan to become a professional developer, I just naturally fell into it as I find it rewarding and fun - getting paid for it is an added bonus.
I'd say really just relax and enjoy it. It might be for you, it might not be - don't force it.
If you hate coding, maybe you need this; but otherwise, just wanting to learn how to code or finding it interesting is plenty. All hobbies can have boring times, people just push through those because they know it will sooner or later be enjoyable again.
Not "Learn" as in master, no; but definitely have a look at different languages and maybe build something simple with them. The broader your horizon, the better you'll be able to use the tools you do master to their full potential. Jack of all trades, master of one.
And also that you don't have to. If you enjoy coding, go for it. If you're good enough to make it your job, nice. If you can make it your job without actually being all that good at it, neat. The point is doing what you enjoy, whether programming is that thing or just how you fund it.
Very good!