You Can Learn Software Development
If you’re interested in developing software for a living, or as a hobby, there is a lot you need to know. But do not get discouraged. Like anything in life, with the proper commitment you can do anything you set your mind to. You just cannot let that little voice in your head tell you otherwise. Oh, and believe me, there will be times that it will. That “little voice” will seem very loud at times and it may even seem like it has a point, but remember this. It never does. It is never right. It never has a good point. Never.
I always try to remember what a former martial arts instructor once told me. I asked him who he thought would win this one MMA fight that was being shown on pay-perview. He said “I have no idea by name who will win the fight but I do know it will be the guy who throws the last technique”. In other words, the guy that didn’t quit. Keep that in mind when the little voice of discouragement in your head gets loud. Be the student programmer who “throws the last technique”.
Once you start getting the general hang of it, you will find learning how to develop software gets easier. Listen close. I did not say it was easy. I just said, it will get easier in comparison to how you felt in the beginning. This will happen when you find the learning technique that works best for you. For me, I learn best in a classroom setting. Some people like to do it on their own by using Google, technical blogs and buying books. They spend many hours in front of their computer by themselves. While, I do that too and can find it effective, I think it is because I have years of learning behind me already. I have the foundation. However, I think for a new student programmer, you need a coach or mentor. You need a teacher. Otherwise, that little voice in your head has a better chance of getting in your way and when that happens, the drive to learn goes away. You will end up putting your plans to learn programming on hold for a bit….perhaps for months…perhaps years.
