You Don’t Have to Be a Prodigy to Become a Great Developer

Many developers carry the same quiet fear:

"I started too late."

"I’m not technical enough."

"Everyone else seems way ahead."

I get it. I used to think that too.

I didn’t grow up building websites at 12 or rewriting the family computer at 15. In fact, I actively avoided coding because I thought it was “for geniuses.” When I finally rediscovered it after university, I felt like an outsider walking into a world already moving at full speed.

But that’s exactly why I grew faster the second time around: because I chose it.

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Curiosity Beats Early Talent

When you come back to coding out of genuine curiosity, not because it’s part of a degree, not because someone expects it...you bring something far more powerful: purpose.

You’re no longer learning to pass exams. You’re learning to build things that matter to you. That shift changes everything.

Curiosity fuels persistence. And persistence, not talent, is what builds great developers.

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Learning Later Can Be Your Advantage

Rediscovering code later in life often gives you a deeper foundation:

• You value progress over perfection.
• You know how to learn efficiently (because you’ve struggled before).
• You have context from other fields — design, music, psychology, whatever — that makes your work more creative.

Those experiences don’t make you less of a developer. They make you a more complete one.

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Real Growth Is Driven by Choice

Growth in tech isn’t about who started first, it’s about who keeps showing up. The best developers I know didn’t start early. They started again. After burnout. After switching careers. After realizing they missed creating.

If that’s you:welcome back. You’re right on time!

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Reflect

When was the last time you felt that spark again? That moment when something finally worked and you thought: “Wait… this is actually fun.”

Hold onto that. That’s what will take you further than any early start ever could.

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If this resonated with you, share your story: when did your curiosity return?

Photo by Fotis Fotopoulos on Unsplash

Comments

[Asa Smith]

Great perspective, Tim. As someone who transitioned into coding in my mid-30s without a tech background, I sometimes struggle with imposter syndrome. But posts like this are an important reminder that my non-traditional path isn't a weakness, it's brought diverse problem-solving skills and perspectives that make me a stronger team member.

[Tim Lorent]

Thank you @asasmith , I really appreciate it! And respect for changing careers, that takes a lot of guts. I see on your profile you used to build houses, I'm always so envious of people who are able to build things with their own hands. I once built a record cabinet with my dad and that was so rewarding. Anyways, I'm getting off-topic.

Absolutely agree on a non-traditional path bringing value. I've been in this industry for 8 years and I've seen more people with a non-technical background than with. Anything from designers to psychologists, botanists, and teachers. You deliver more value than you think!

If at any point the imposter syndrome takes the upper hand, feel free to DM me on LinkedIn and reach out for some career advice or support, no strings attached: linkedin.com/in/timlorent/?locale=...

Keep coding!