How Best to Avoid or Escape Tutorial Hell

INTRODUCTION
Keep an open mind and remember that many developers have experienced tutorial hell at some point in their development career, so you are not alone. There's not much to worry about, and if you're reading this article, you're either aware of the possibility of getting stuck in "tutorial hell" or you're just starting out as a programmer and want to make sure you don't get stuck there. This article will help you avoid tutorial hell, regardless of which category you fall into.

Getting Started
Tutorial hell is the stage in one's development journey where you jump from one tutorial to another. This is usually the result of completing one tutorial or stopping halfway, then trying to reproduce what you have learned and because you struggle with reproducing or can’t recreate what you just learnt you quickly look for the next best tutorial that is expected to answer all your problems or satisfy your curiosity. The first step to breaking free from tutorial hell is realising that no one book or video tutorial will be all-encompassing, meaning there will be a need to keep updating your knowledge as you advance in your career.

Still, there is a requirement to first fully grasp what you have already studied before moving on. I have come to understand something over the years, if you practice or take on challenges based on what you already know, over time, you will naturally move on to the subsequent knowledge required as the challenges or tasks ahead get tougher, or simply just step up.

My Struggle with Tutorial Hell
How is it that I can advise on tutorial hell? The answer is simple, I have been trapped in tutorial purgatory over the span of my career, and below is a list of things I did that kept me trapped.

1. I kept googling (searching) for the best books or tutorials to learn concepts or programming languages.
2. I had a lot of YouTube videos I planned to watch all saved, though I never visited most.
3. I believed paid videos always translate to a better tutorial or quicker teaching.
4. Skipping the basics and trying out advanced concepts.
5. Learning multiple programming languages or concepts at the same time as a beginner.
6. Not knowing when to ask for help.
7. Believing one tutorial will have all the answers concerning a programming language or documentation.
8. Never referencing the official documentation.

While the list may be longer and slightly different for different people, the general idea behind my being stuck in tutorial hell was that I kept seeking knowledge without stopping to consider what little understanding I had gained that should be tested.

Reinvent Your Learning Approach
You must first understand that nobody ever gets anything done by planning alone, and knowledge not put into practice will soon be forgotten. So first, you must discover how to best retain things and work with them.

1. Discover how you learn: You first must discover how best you learn; do you learn best by reading books or simply watching others do it? If you love to read, there are many good online bookstores or hardcover books on the chosen programming language that you can get started with, but if the latter is the case, then YouTube should not be played down just like other paid tutorial platforms. Decide on your best learning approach and stick to it, using the other for references as you progress in your journey.
2. Take Notes: I found taking notes an essential aspect of my learning process when I first started learning to code. The notes don't have to be long, just enough to convey the message you're trying to keep handy or to serve as a reference.
3. It is ok to not get it the first time: I tell younger developers to cut themselves some slack. Nothing is wrong with not getting it the first time, the second time, the third time, or longer if the need arises.

How To Break Free
1. Build your first app: Don’t wait until everything is perfect before you start. Start building based on the little knowledge you already have. This will not only increase your knowledge, but it will also help build confidence.
2. Bugs are your Friends: A broken app only means you are trying, don’t let bugs or errors discourage you from trying. Remember, Google is always a click away.
3. Set realistic goals: Don’t put too much pressure on your achievements. Consistent little steps are far better than no steps or a few giant steps. Remember, perseverance is vital.
4. Find a mentor: get someone you can understudy or ask questions without being shy, work with them and grow under their wings.

5. Teach what you already know to others: breaking down what you already know reinforces your knowledge while contributing to others.

6. Repetition cannot be overemphasized: after learning, take time out and recreate what you have just learnt without following the instructor.

It's the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen. – Mohammed Ali

Conclusion
Every self-taught programmer will tell you that tutorials are essential; however, this article is not geared toward shelving tutorials but rather a general call on how to best approach tutorials and gain the most from them without going around in circles.