It was back in 2010, I just got my first personal laptop. I have always been fascinated by what the device could do and how it did it. One of my goals for when I got my personal computer was to become a programmer. The computer was finally here. Nothing was stopping me. I was finally going to be a programmer.<\/p>\n
I started out on my programming journey. Trying out several languages in a bid to find the easiest to learn. I failed woefully in figuring any of them out. While I had the interest, I had no idea where to start from. The eBooks I had where a bit outdated and hard to follow, soon the interest wasn\u2019t enough to drive me. It seemed too difficult.<\/p>\n
I went online, typed \u2018\u2018how long does it take to learn c++\u2019\u2019 into the search bar and the result that came back helped in sealing my already conflicted mind. It stated, \u2018to learn any programming language, you need 10,000 hours of practice\u2019\u2019. I didn\u2019t have 10,000 hours. \u2018\u2019Maybe this isn\u2019t for me I thought\u2019\u2019, as I finally gave up.<\/p>\n
This might have seemed like a major disappointment to me at that time, but little did I know it was a life changing moment too.<\/p>\n
I soon found myself proving the 10,000 hours rule wrong a year later when I found another hobby, I wasn\u2019t ready to give up on. Along the road since then I have developed a process that has been extremely beneficial.<\/p>\n
As I came to figure out later, while the 10,000 hours rule might apply to fully mastering the skill, it doesn\u2019t apply to learning it. Josh Kaufman <\/strong>claims you need 20 hours. I feel it all depends on you. And by saying this, I mean it can be a lot shorter, all you need is a strong drive.<\/p>\n My Practice <\/strong><\/p>\n The list below is my personal practice. It makes the learning process easy for me, as long as it\u2019s a skill I am interested. Using it, I barely find the learning process challenging, I actually look forward to it. It has made me versatile.<\/p>\n I know, the list looks basic and sound like something you\u2019ve heard time and time again. I will explain better in a bit, and then it will all piece together.<\/p>\n Interest: <\/strong><\/p>\n There really isn\u2019t any hack here. This is all you. First step to learning is interest. Once you have this you can be rest assured that you will succeed, you just need effort. A lot of effort.<\/p>\n Research and Passive Learning: <\/strong><\/p>\n Another obvious one. Go online, read about what you want to learn, and find out as much as you can about it. Research about the tools you will be working with. Most times, there\u2019s more than one. So, make a conscious irreversible decision of choosing one. After choosing, stick with your choice no matter what. A big mistake most people make when learning is trying to figure out many tools at once. It will end up leaving you overwhelmed. The right thing to do is to stick with one. Once you have it figured out. Other tools that does the same thing will be a whole lot easier to learn.<\/p>\n Also, start watching as much tutorials as you can. At this point you are in a passive learning mode. Say for instance, I want to learn how to sculpt. From the moment I find it interesting, I go on YouTube and I watch as many videos as I can of someone sculpting. The aim is not to practice it yet, or to start sculpting immediately, it\u2019s just to watch different people work from start to finish. I don\u2019t just sit and say I will be watching tutorials all day. I watch them while doing different things. E.g on my way to work, while at lunch, on my way back home, at dinner, the little time between being awake and drifting off to sleep, etc. basically any free time I have with my phone.<\/p>\n I find this helpful in 2 ways. Practice and Learning <\/strong><\/p>\n First thing you want to do here is to learn the basics, you can get tutorials online. Learn what each tool at your disposal does, how to apply them and when to apply them. This part can be boring. But it\u2019s also very rewarding. You will feel the need to start creating immediately, but since you can\u2019t do this if you don\u2019t understand what you are working with, ignore that urge and figure out your tools.<\/p>\n Next, consciously break down what you want to learn. Decide on a project and get tutorials from YouTube. Do exactly what the tutor does. The temptation to deviate, take a short cut or tell yourself you already know it will be high, ignore it and follow along anyway. Do this for a few projects and once you see them through to the end, you should start feeling confident, this confidence will help you face more difficult projects ahead. There\u2019s also a sense of accomplishment that comes with the confidence.<\/p>\n Note that at a point or two things won\u2019t work out the way you expect. if you get stuck, leave it for a while and try something easier. Chances are while practicing something else, the tutorial you are using will help you figure out this roadblock.<\/p>\n You are going to face a lot of self-resistance at this point. It\u2019s something you\u2019ve never done, and so naturally, you will be afraid of failing. This is normal. The difference between you at this point and the people doing it already is that they put that fear of failure aside and did started working on something. So just start.<\/p>\n Also, another factor you need to come to terms with is that you won\u2019t start creating masterpieces immediately. So set your expectations low, because you are going to suck at first. But then again, the<\/p>\n aim at this point is to learn not create wonders. So be proud of whatever you create, you got something done after all. The masterpiece will come soon.<\/p>\n Projects\/challenges <\/strong><\/p>\n Once you are confident enough with your progress in the step above, start taking jobs. By taking jobs, I don\u2019t mean going out there and overselling yourself, or charging exorbitant rates. Nope. I mean pro bono jobs. Work for free or work (very) cheap.<\/p>\n You\u2019re not trying to get rich (just yet). You will have the chance to do that later (when you are good). But for now, the aim of taking these jobs is to get the chance to work on a project that is;<\/p>\n first, but ultimately help you grow).<\/p>\n Even though it\u2019s free, let the person know that they can ask for whatever changes they want. Don\u2019t get hard feelings when they do. Trust me it for your benefit.<\/p>\n This is your exam\/test, so take it seriously. If you get stuck at any point. Always remember that someone else was stuck there at some point, so log into YouTube and search for what you need. You will find it.<\/p>\n Emulate successful people in your field <\/strong><\/p>\n This is the final step. It\u2019s exactly as it sounds. Look for and follow them on I.G, look for things they do that you are missing and start applying that to yours. You have an advantage here. You can get inspiration from as many people as you want, so make good use of it.<\/p>\n Try to take feedbacks from your mentors in good faith and listen to whatever advice they give. Keep that beautiful pride aside and ask questions when you don\u2019t understand certain things. Trust me everyone was at that stage at some point. So, no one will think you are dummy. If it ever crossed your mind, put that thought aside.<\/p>\n Conclusion <\/strong><\/p>\n Humans excel in a controlled environment. That\u2019s why majority of students read hard in preparation for one exam or the other, not because they really love the course, they do it because they don\u2019t want to fail, it\u2019s also why some people work dedicatedly from 9 to 5 to avoid getting a salary slash at the end of the month or getting fired. This check and balance system don\u2019t apply to self-learning, so we tend to find it easy to give up. <\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It was back in 2010, I just got my first personal laptop. I have always been fascinated by what the device could do and how it did it. 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\n1. I start picking up things I might not realize I am learning yet but can apply when the need arises.<\/p>\n\n
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