What watching tutorials taught me and why building changed everything.
Almost everyone who is learning something new experiences tutorial hell at some point.
You watch videos, read guides, and follow along step by step. Everything seems clear while you are watching.
But when it is time to try things on your own, you suddenly feel stuck.
In this edition, I want to share my experience and how I eventually broke out of that cycle.
Time flies.
I still remember when I first started learning to code.
I spent hours watching tutorials. React tutorials. JavaScript tutorials. Anything I could find on YouTube.
If you asked me what I was doing, I would confidently say I was learning.
I was always busy.
Busy watching another tutorial.
Busy taking notes.
Busy trying to become a good software engineer.
But there was one problem.
I was watching a lot.
I was not building much.
But whenever I tried to build something on my own, I froze.
Following along in a tutorial felt easy. I could understand what the instructor was doing, and everything looked clear.
But when the tutorial ended, and I was left with a blank editor, I did not know where to start.
That was when I realized something.
I was not actually building.
I was stuck in what many developers call tutorial hell.
Everything makes sense while the instructor is explaining it.
But the moment the tutorial ends and you try to build something on your own, the confidence disappears.
That was exactly what happened to me when I was learning React.
I had watched many tutorials, but I still did not know how to start a simple application from scratch.
That was when I realised something needed to change.
It took time, but eventually I broke out of that cycle.
The thing that helped me was simple.
I stopped focusing on watching and started focusing on building.
Now, when I want to learn something new, I approach it differently.
Instead of opening YouTube first, I start with a small idea.
It could be a simple tool. It could be a small project.
Then I try to build it.
Most of the time, I get stuck. That is normal.
When that happens, I search for solutions, read documentation, debug with AI, or even just take a rest.
But the important thing is this.
I am still the one building it.
And that changes everything.
When you build something yourself, you begin to understand the real challenges developers face. You start seeing how different parts connect. Your confidence grows because you solved the problem yourself.
Tutorials are useful. They introduce you to new tools and concepts.
But tutorials alone cannot make you better.
Building can
Try this this week
Pick one small idea and build it without following a tutorial step by step.
It does not need to be perfect. It just needs to be something you built yourself.
Examples
• A simple to-do list app
• A small API
• A static website
• A small cloud project, like hosting a website on Amazon S3
If you are interested in cloud projects and you are struggling to think of ideas, that is completely normal. Some days your mind just goes blank.
When that happens, do not worry.
You can explore AWS Skill Builder. They have many hands-on projects and learning paths you can follow.
You can also check out my previous post, where I shared an AWS learning path for beginners.
You will learn more than you expect.
Build more.
Watch less.
Your confidence will grow faster than you think.
Before you go, I am curious.
Right now, which one are you doing more?
Watching tutorials or building projects?
Reply and tell me. I would love to hear your experience.
Every month, I share simple lessons from my journey learning cloud and DevOps.
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Thank you.
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