Top 4 Mistakes I Made on My Learn to Code Journey

Learning a new skill can be challenging. It takes a mix of patience, persistence, and confidence to tackle lesson after lesson. Any progress you do make is hard-won. The days move fast, but progress is slow. You wish you were further along in your journey.

I made considerable mistakes in my journey as a self-taught programmer. I struggled with false starts, self-doubt, and procrastination. I have many unfinished projects collecting dust in my folder waiting to see the light of day.

Owning up to mistakes can be difficult for the ego, but it isn’t the end of the world. 

Well, usually. 🤨

Still, taking a moment to acknowledge setbacks can inspire a sense of gratitude for how far you’ve come in your journey. 

Furthermore, when you embrace your mistakes you can:  

• Learn from the challenge: Mistakes force you to reflect more deeply on what didn’t work. You can iterate and do better in the future.
• Compare notes with other people: No one is an island. Connecting with like-minded people facing similar challenges can spark ideas that point to a solution.   
• Develop resilience: Motivation, happy thoughts, and strawberry shortcake cupcakes will only get you so far. Eventually, you’ll learn to buckle down for the long road ahead. 

Without further ado, here are my top 4 mistakes I made during my learn-to-code journey with some tips on how to avoid them.

Mistake #1: Overloading on Resources

My first mistake was following many tutorials at once. I jumped from coding tutorials to reading books when frustrated with a block of code that wouldn’t function properly.

One tutorial suggested using the Sublime Text editor while another tutorial recommended Gedit. I had about four text editors: Sublime Text, Gedit, and Notepad. And the funny thing is, I no longer use any of these editors as I currently use Visual Studio Code. 

Clearly, my learning lacked focus.

Tip #1: Focus on one or two learning resources at a time.

The internet has a plethora of resources for learning web development. Choose one primary source for learning a new skill or tech stack. I like to feel immersed in the subject I’m learning. As such, I use Treehouse as my go-to learning resource for accessing quality tech education. 

I’ve been a student at Treehouse since 2013. It features learning tracks to help students focus and immerse themselves in topics – building real-world, projects along the way.

If you sign up for Treehouse, use my referral link for a 7-day free trial and $25 a month.

Mistake #2: Not Building Projects Early On

Secondly, I didn’t apply what I was learning to building projects straight away. I’d draw a blank on how to put the wheels to the road, so to speak.

How do I bring my ideas to life? What is the first and the next step? I worried about the gaps in my knowledge. And so I lacked the confidence to contribute to open-source projects. Busy open-source maintainers don’t have the time to show a newbie around their code base.

It felt like I needed to know all the things. But in reality, I over-prepared.

Tip #2: Start building small projects. 

Anyhow, books and courses only get you part of the way. Ultimately, you will need to learn by doing. Learn by doing is a teaching technique where students apply the skills or lessons in a hands-on, real-world project that reinforces learning.

Don’t wait until you feel ready. Perhaps building a full web app is outside your scope at the moment. Let’s take this inquiry: “How to build or contribute to interesting projects” and break it down into smaller, actionable steps.

Start simple and build a small project. Then, as you gain experience, consider participating in longer challenges such as 100 Days of Code.

Lastly, choose an open-source project and scope that interests you and fits your learning goals.

Mistake #3: Fear of Asking for Help

As a newbie, I lacked the community when I started my learning-to-code journey. Some places are unwelcoming or downright toxic towards people with marginalized identities.

But hey, that’s my reality. So I spent too much time troubleshooting issues on my own.

The first tutorial I picked up was the Ruby on Rails tutorial by Michael Hartl. The Hartl tutorial was both illuminating and intimidating. It involved working with the command line to navigate files on a computer.

I didn’t know all the terminal commands or even how to get out of IRB in Ruby (side note: type ‘exit’ from the command line). 

At the time, I had a 10-year-old development machine running Windows OS (it has since bit the dust. Pour one out for the homie.) All sorts of errors popped up on that machine as it was missing important features for Ruby on Rails app development.

After a bit (read: a lot) of troubleshooting, I finally asked a friend for feedback. He suggested I install Ubuntu Linux on my machine.

Me: What the what, now?

But his suggestion paid off. Installing the open-source OS solved the issues I had running Ruby on Rails on my loud, old development machine.

Now, would I have figured it all out myself? The optimist in me says: maybe.

Tip #3: Cooperation and mentorship can accelerate learning.

Over time, I began to connect with other learners. I still hesitate to ask questions and seek help when I need it. I understand that if I can’t figure out the issue within 24 hours, I will reach out for help.

Most of the time, people will ask what steps you followed to solve the problem. Give yourself a time limit to work on the issue before you ask for feedback.

Additional tips on how to accelerate your learning

Also, many learning platforms such as Treehouse (referral) have forums dedicated to helping students get feedback on personal learning code projects.

Helping other people debug and troubleshoot their issues helped me better understand Javascript concepts and a way to pay it forward in the community.

Post your question in a forum. Sites like Reddit and Stack Overflow act as a living knowledge base where people can pose questions and reply on different issues.

Find or start a study group. This can be a great way to find an accountability partner to help you reach your learning or project goals. 

Attend a local meetup. Consider attending free or low-cost local meetups, if you are able. Meetups, local or online, are great opportunities to collaborate on projects for a good cause.

Hire a mentor.  Ask someone who is further along than you to act as your mentor.

More tips for learning with a mentor 

• Be respectful of their time. Set a schedule of when and how you both will meet.
• Discuss compensation for their time or if some other payment agreement is necessary.  
• Stay on topic. Come prepared with questions you’d like feedback on.

Having a mentor has helped me immensely. They helped me stay focused and consistent with my learning goals.  

Mistake #4: Lack of Consistency

As mentioned at the top of the post, I had a lot of false starts. My attention was split between juggling a full-time job and other demands of the day. 

Though I maintained a schedule, my study sessions lacked structure. I didn’t take study breaks, and would often skip meals. I sat at my desk distracted, absentmindedly scrolling through social media, checking my email in another tab.

Eventually, I’d get tired – my study sessions were often at night – and promise to do better tomorrow. 

Tip #4: Develop a consistent, productive daily routine.

I slowly began to implement a routine to help add structure to my study sessions using a Pomodoro timer.

First, I set a goal or a task such as completing a book chapter by the end of the timer.

Next, I’d remove all distractions and set the Pomodoro for 45 minutes.

Afterward, I’d review my goal or pick another focus, set a new timer, and continue this cycle until my study session was over.

I only studied for about three hours every night. I knew if I went over that time I’d spend the rest of the night browsing funny, yet creative pet videos on YouTube.

Hey, you gotta know your limits and learn to work within them.

If you struggle with focusing for 45 minutes, start with 25 minutes until you build discipline to stay on task. 

And the goal is to stay on task. Study breaks are an important part of learning so try not to skip them. It’s similar to a workout. Rest is your friend.

Keep at it and eventually, your study routine will become a habit that you look forward to doing.  

In summary, any endeavor worth your time is bound to have its fair share of challenges. Don’t hesitate to share your experiences, seek guidance, and celebrate your milestones. Embracing these lessons can pave the way for progress and growth in your journey.