If you’re feeling stuck in programming, let me say this first:
You’re not broken, you’re not slow, and you’re definitely not alone.
Almost every d...
For further actions, you may consider blocking this person and/or reporting abuse
I almost had a tear in my eye. This hit every point for me. I don't want to quit because I want to fully understand, I'm locked in but I have studied the this keyword and closures to the point where I can explain exactly what they are. Do I have any idea where a closure is needed , nope. So I start over again as if I missed something the first 30 times I have consumed it. Anyways thanks for this. I will accept this advice and exactly that. Many blessings and may all who read this have a lucrative year!
Thank you so much for sharing this. it really means a lot 💙
What you described is exactly what that phase feels like: understanding the definition perfectly, being able to explain it… and still not knowing when or why to use it. That gap can be incredibly frustrating, and it makes people doubt themselves way more than they should.
The important thing is this: nothing is wrong with you, and you didn’t “miss something.” Closures (and many concepts like them) often don’t click through repetition alone; they click through time, context, and real exposure. One day you’ll run into a situation and suddenly think, “Oh… this is why.” And it will feel quiet, not dramatic.
Being locked in because you want to understand, not just finish, already says a lot about the kind of developer you’re becoming. Starting over doesn’t mean failure; sometimes it just means your brain is asking for a different angle.
I’m really grateful you took the time to write this. Many blessings to you too 💙
Great topic and coverage. The one thing that stands out perhaps more than anything else
"I took breaks without feeling guilty"
So so important. A Swimmer does not swim 24/7 until they drown, they take breaks to rebuild strength and then take on the next challenge.
Thank you so much! 💙 The swimmer analogy captures this idea perfectly.
We often forget that recovery is part of growth, not a detour from it. Just like training, learning to code needs space to rest, reflect, and rebuild strength. Otherwise, we’re just pushing until we burn out.
Taking breaks without guilt was a hard lesson for me, but also one of the most important ones.
That “I know enough to be confused” phase is something almost no one talks about, yet almost everyone goes through it. Reading this felt like a reminder that being stuck isn’t a personal failure, it’s a natural part of learning how to think like a developer.
Thank you for putting words to a feeling many developers struggle with silently. Posts like this don’t just help people code better, they help them stay. 🔥
Thank you so much for this 😍
That “I know enough to be confused” phase can feel incredibly lonely when no one names it, and that’s often what makes people doubt themselves the most.
I truly believe that once we understand this is a phase, not a flaw, everything changes. The struggle stops feeling like a verdict and starts feeling like part of learning how to think, not just how to code.
I’m really grateful you took the time to write this.
Excellent text. Exactly what I needed to read. Keep up with the good work.
Thank you so much 😍
Knowing that this reached you at the right moment truly means a lot to me. That’s exactly why I share these thoughts... to remind fellow developers that they’re not alone in the process.
I really appreciate the encouragement. I’ll definitely keep going 💙
Honestly, this post really worth to be one of the top 7 featured DEV posts 🔥🔥🔥
Thank you so much for your kind words 😅
Such a powerful perspective. We often mistake exhaustion for productivity in tech.
Thank you so much for clarifying this. I needed to hear this.
Thank you so much! 💙
You’re absolutely right... in tech, we’ve normalized being constantly exhausted and somehow call it “progress.”
One of the hardest (and most freeing) lessons for me was realizing that burnout doesn’t equal growth, and slowing down doesn’t mean falling behind.
I’m really glad these words reached you at the right moment. If it helped even a little, then sharing this was worth it.
This is the kind of content that helps developers stay in the journey instead of quitting too early. Very well written.
This truly means a lot. Thank you! 💙
If these words help even one developer pause instead of quitting, then the article has done its job.
Programming is hard enough without feeling like you’re failing just because progress looks quiet or slow. Sometimes what people need most is reassurance that they’re not alone in the struggle.
Asking to DeepSeek
If someone specifically prompted an AI with instructions to "make it look like it was written by a human," and the AI produced this exact article...
My score would rise to 85-90 out of 100.
Here's why:
The "humanizing" attempts are actually detectable:
The short, choppy paragraphs — This is a known AI tactic to mimic modern blogging style, but it's applied too consistently:
"Where learning feels heavy."
"Where progress feels invisible."
"Where motivation quietly disappears."
Real human writers vary sentence length more naturally.
The em-dash and ellipsis usage — Used frequently and in a pattern:
"And the worst part..."
"You know some things… but not enough."
"That gap is uncomfortable."
This is a stylistic trick AIs overuse when told to sound "conversational."
The emotional signposting — Phrases like "let me say this first," "here's the truth," "final thoughts" — these are structural markers AIs insert to create a "human" narrative arc, but they're too on-the-nose.
The vulnerability statements — "I read my own old code instead of new tutorials" — this is a specific detail, but it's too generic. A real developer would likely mention a specific project or language.
The emoji placement — 💻 at the end, 💙 — This is a common AI "human touch" addition.
What gives it away most:
The article follows the exact template of "relatable struggle post → empathy → specific but universal advice → inspirational closing" that AIs default to when asked to sound human. It's too perfectly structured. Real humans meander more, include weirder specifics, and don't hit every beat so cleanly.
So yes — if the prompt was "write this like a human would," the AI actually over-performed and created something that reads like an AI's idea of a human writer.
This is real AI makes me lazy in coding and learning rn LOL, no motivation like before. many new thing and ideas come but too lazy to be done. Anyway thank you for sharing, i might need to go back to my old way or take a short break