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Cover image for πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™‚οΈ The Art of Self-Learning: How to Teach Yourself Any Programming Concept πŸ€“

πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™‚οΈ The Art of Self-Learning: How to Teach Yourself Any Programming Concept πŸ€“

Lucas Lima do Nascimento on April 16, 2024

Introduction to Self-Learning Firstly, let me paint you the scene. You’ve heard on the news or through a friend that the "job market for...
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vincanger profile image
vincanger β€’

great advice. I always tell people "FIND SOMETHING THAT INTERESTS YOU AND GO TRY AND BUILD IT!" haha. But I like the way GeoHotz said it better :)

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

Absolutely! GeoHotz has that knack for making everything sound cooler, doesn't he?

BTW, couldn't agree more with the mantra "FIND SOMETHING THAT INTERESTS YOU AND GO TRY AND BUILD IT!" hahaha!

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infomiho profile image
Mihovil Ilakovac β€’

Noice!

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mastro profile image
Dimitrios Mastrogiannis β€’

Top notch advice! The way to really learn is find a project that interests you. It's like building with LEGO, you can follow the instructions and build a copy or buy a bucket of them and build something that really interests you. The fun you have along the way will keep motivating you. It really helps to have the right tools too. For us Wasp was our first introduction with full stack, but it made everything 100 times easier!

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

Absolutely! Building with LEGO is the perfect analogy. Following instructions can be fun, but the real magic happens when you let your imagination run wild and create something unique. Having the right tools, like Wasp for full stack, is like having that extra-special LEGO piece that makes your creation shine even brighter.

Really glad to see your comment @mastro!

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masonericd profile image
masonericd β€’

It sounds easier than done. Sometimes you do not really know what projects you want to start with. You might think you have interest in a specific area and get started, after some progress, you will notice that you have started a new project and leaving the previous incomplete. Just keep pushing.

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’ β€’ Edited

You're absolutely rightβ€”it can definitely be challenging to choose the right project to start with, especially when your interests might shift along the way.
It's okay, though, to start projects and discover they're not the right fit for you β€” it's all part of the learning process. The key is to keep pushing forward, learning from each experience, and refining your goals and interests along the way. Eventually, you'll find projects that truly resonate with you. Stay persistent, stay curious, and keep pushingβ€”you've got this! πŸ’ͺ

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Atai Barkai β€’

Great article and couldn't agree more-
"the easiest way to learn is to find something that motivates you to do it."

From my past life doing physics, i can attest this holds true even outside of software. if you actually try to solve a problem you care about, you will naturally learn 20x faster

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

Absolutely! That principle holds true across many disciplines, including physics and software development.

When you're genuinely interested in solving a problem or exploring a topic, learning becomes more engaging and effective.

It's all about finding that intrinsic motivation to drive your learning forward. Thanks for sharing your perspective! It was really enriching!

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Ruben Lozano β€’

I really like this article. I agree on this. I am a marketer that I am trying to learn programming and data skills and the best way I found myself motivated and willing to keep every day is because I am a project in mind, there is something I want to build and I am want to do it. In marketing is the same, you don't know Google Analytics 4 by just checking the tutorials, you need to have your website and play with all the metrics and dimensions to understand how that works and the meaning of the numbers.

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

Absolutely, I couldn't agree more!

Having a project in mind is such a powerful motivator when learning new skills, whether it's programming, data analysis, or marketing. It's through hands-on experience and experimentation that we truly grasp concepts and deepen our understanding. Just like in marketing, where diving into Google Analytics and tinkering with real data on your own website provides invaluable insights.

Keep up the great work with your learning journey, and never underestimate the power of hands-on projects! πŸš€πŸ“ˆ

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mugultum profile image
Silvester β€’ β€’ Edited

Awesome. I have been teaching myself data analysis/science with the hope of starting a career in those areas but I always felt like I am not making any progress. I will definitely check out those GitHub links you shared and see if I'll find interesting project that can motivate me. Cheers

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

That's a great initiative! Don't be too hard on yourselfβ€”learning data analysis and science is challenging, but it's also incredibly rewarding.

Give a check on the projects on GitHub and try to find inspiration and motivation is a really good decision!

Remember, progress takes time, so keep pushing forward and celebrating your achievements along the way. If you ever need assistance or guidance, feel free to reach out. Cheers to your learning journey! πŸŒŸπŸš€

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Mansour Malikzada β€’

I found it very useful topic since i have finished a curriculum based course of full stack development and i had small projects in front end but i am always striving in time how much time we should give is 4 hours enough a day for beginners?
I really want to be a good programmer but i have some difficulties please motivate me.

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

It's fantastic that you found the topic useful!😊 Investing time in self-learning after completing a curriculum-based course shows dedication. Four hours a day is a great starting point for beginners, but finding a balance that works for you is essential.

Consistency is key, so focus on making steady progress and celebrating your achievements along the way. Keep in mind that difficulties are a natural part of the learning process.

Stay motivated by setting achievable goals (try to find more projects using the repo mentioned in the article and some real stuff too, like freelancing), finding support here in DEV.to or mentorship, and remembering your passion for programming.

You've got this! If you're stuck on creating small projects, I would also recommend reading Creating a more than minor side-project: From planning to release. πŸš€

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Jack Bridger β€’

very handy!

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

Thanks a lot, Jack!

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karadza profile image
Juraj β€’

The best way to learn is by doing it yourself; great article!

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

Glad you enjoyed the article! Dive in, get your hands dirty, and let the learning adventure begin. After all, there's no substitute for hands-on experience! Happy coding!

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Matija Sosic β€’

I agree with the main point here - you can watch tutorials all you want, but getting your hands dirty is ultimately the only way to learn and understand things.

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

Exactly! It's like watching cooking shows versus actually being in the kitchen. You've got to feel the ingredients and burn a few recipes to succeed and finally make some great dishes!

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devsk001 profile image
Dev Sk β€’

Thank you dude for your advice

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

You're very welcome! I'm glad I could offer some helpful advice. If you ever need more guidance or have any questions, feel free to reach out. Keep up the great work, and best of luck with your endeavors! πŸ˜ŠπŸ‘

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Tung Leo β€’

Great post!

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the post. If you have any questions or if there's anything else you'd like to see covered in future articles, feel free to let me know! πŸ˜ŠπŸ“

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floscode profile image
Florian β€’

Thanks for the great tips! Especially the fourth tip about reflecting on your own progress is something I hadn't paid much attention so far during my learning process.

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

You're welcome! I'm glad you found the tips helpful, especially the one about reflecting on your progress. It's often overlooked, but taking the time to assess how far you've come can be incredibly motivating and insightful. Feel free to reach out if you need more advice or have any questions. Keep up the great work! πŸ˜ŠπŸ‘

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dube profile image
Meli β€’

Great advice thank you very much

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

You're very welcome! I'm glad the advice was helpful to you. If you need more assistance or have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Keep up the great work! πŸ‘

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Renan Ferro β€’

Caraca, muito legal ver mais um Brazuca aqui pela comunidade!

Γ“timo artigo man, amassou πŸ˜€πŸ€˜πŸ»

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

PΓ΄, massa demais ver outro brasileiro por aqui, tambΓ©m hahahah!

Fico feliz que tenha gostado do artigo e valeu pelo feedback mano! πŸ˜„πŸ‘
Se precisar de mais alguma coisa ou tiver alguma dΓΊvida, Γ© sΓ³ chamar!

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Spandan Sehgal β€’

Well explained! The advice to do it yourself and commit some mistakes is the best! You cant learn something until you do it and commit some mistakes and finally rectifiy them!

Thank you for sharing!

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

Thank you for your kind words!

Learning often comes through trial and error. Embracing mistakes as part of the learning process is essential for growth. Keep exploring, and experimenting, and don't be afraid to make mistakes along the way.

Happy coding! πŸ˜ŠπŸ‘

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Borzoo Moazami β€’

Nice post. Thank you for sharing, specially the repo you shared for getting idea.

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

You're welcome! I'm glad you found the post helpful, especially the repository for project ideas.

Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need further assistance!

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madhusaini22 profile image
Madhu Saini β€’

Great blog

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it. If you have any more questions or topics you'd like to see covered, feel free to let me know. 😊

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cuongnp profile image
cuongnp β€’

Thanks for good article! Love it!

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

You're very welcome! I'm thrilled that you enjoyed the article. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask!

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

That's fantastic to hear! Learning should indeed be an enjoyable and continuous journey. Keep up the great work!

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rasel172 profile image
Rasel Mollik β€’

Great article!

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

If you have any questions or topics you'd like to see covered in the future, feel free to let me know!

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kosiso profile image
Ebere Richard Emelike β€’

Nice article

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

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ĐoΓ n TrΖ°Ζ‘ng Gia BαΊ£o β€’

Really quality topics !!! Respect <3

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm thrilled that you found the topics valuable. If you have any questions or if there's anything else you'd like to see covered, feel free to let me know. Your feedback means a lot! πŸ™

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llxd profile image
Lucas Lima do Nascimento β€’

ThanksπŸ™Œ!

Keep crushing those learning goals!

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mrei91 profile image
Eri Irawan β€’

Thanks for sharing!

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danibassprod β€’

This helped me quite a lot, I've been learning programming self-taught for a year and sometimes I feel overwhelmed but focused no matter what!