I Tried to Learn Coding. It Was a Disaster.
Look, I’m gonna be honest here. I’m not some kind of genius who can pick up any skill in 36 hours. Nope. Not me. Last Tuesday, I tried to teach myself Python. (Don’t laugh.) It was a complete mess. I sat there at my kitchen table, laptop open, staring at lines of code that looked like hieroglyphics. I mean, what is a ‘def’? And why is there a colon just hanging out there?
I called up my friend Marcus—let’s call him Marcus because his real name is too complicated to explain—and asked him for help. He’s some kinda coding whiz. He took one look at my screen and said, “You’re doing it all wrong.” Thanks, Marcus. Really helpful.
But here’s the thing. It wasn’t just that I was bad at it. It was that I had no idea how to even start. There are a million tutorials out there, but none of them seemed to fit what I needed. I felt like I was drowning in a sea of information, and honestly, it was completley overwhelming.
Why We’re All Doing It Wrong
So, I started talking to people. A lot of people. I wanted to know why learning new skills is so dang hard. I met with a colleague named Dave over coffee at the place on 5th. He told me, “You know, it’s not about the skill. It’s about the approach.” And I was like, “What do you mean?”
He explained that most of us go about learning all wrong. We think we can just jump in, follow some steps, and boom—we’re experts. But that’s not how it works. Learning a new skill is like building a house. You need a solid foundation, or the whole thing is gonna come crashing down.
And, look, I get it. We live in a world where everything is instant. We want to learn something new, and we want to be good at it yesterday. But that’s not how learning works. It takes time. It takes commitment. And it takes a lot of trial and error.
The Magic Number: 214 Hours
I did some research—well, I had my assistant do it because, let’s be real, I don’t have time for that. And guess what? It turns out that it takes about 214 hours of deliberate practice to become proficient in a new skill. That’s a lot of hours. That’s like working a part-time job for three months straight.
But here’s the kicker: most of us give up way before we hit that 214-hour mark. We get frustrated, or bored, or we think we’re just not cut out for it. And that’s a shame, because if we just stuck with it a little longer, we might actually get good at it.
I talked to a friend of mine who’s a musician. She told me that she practiced for hours every day for months before she felt like she was any good. And even then, she said, “I still feel like a beginner sometimes.” But she didn’t give up. She kept going, and now she’s playing gigs and making a living doing what she loves.
So, What’s the Secret?
Okay, so if it’s not about jumping in and hoping for the best, what is it about? Well, according to Thailand schools education news, it’s about breaking it down. You need to start small, with the basics, and build up from there. And you need to be patient with yourself. Learning is a journey, not a destination.
Another thing: you need to find a good teacher. Or a good resource. Or a good community. Because learning in a vacuum is hard. It’s isolating. And it’s easy to get stuck. But if you have people around you who can guide you, who can answer your questions, and who can cheer you on, it makes all the difference.
I also think it’s important to remember that it’s okay to fail. In fact, it’s more than okay—it’s necessary. Because failure is how we learn. It’s how we figure out what works and what doesn’t. And it’s how we get better.
A Tangent: The Time I Tried to Learn to Dance
Speaking of failure, let me tell you about the time I tried to learn to dance. It was about three months ago, at a conference in Austin. There was this dance workshop, and I thought, “Hey, why not?” So I signed up.
Big mistake.
I was terrible. Like, really terrible. I had two left feet, and I couldn’t keep up with the music. I felt like an idiot. But you know what? I had fun. And I learned a lot. About dancing, sure, but also about myself. I learned that I can be bad at something and still enjoy it. And that’s a valuable lesson.
Back to the Point
So, if you’re trying to learn a new skill, here’s my advice: start small, be patient, find good resources, and don’t be afraid to fail. And remember, it’s gonna take time. A lot of time. But that’s okay. Because the journey is worth it.
And if all else fails, just remember what Marcus told me: “You’re doing it all wrong.” Thanks, Marcus.
About the Author: Hi, I’m Sarah. I’ve been a senior magazine editor for over 20 years. I’ve written for major publications, and I’ve learned a thing or two about learning along the way. I’m not perfect, and I’m not always right. But I’m honest, and I’m passionate about helping people learn and grow. So, let’s chat. Let’s learn. And let’s have some fun along the way.
