When we start learning something new — coding, writing, design, or any creative craft — it’s rarely smooth.
For me, one of the hardest moments was dealing with other people’s opinions.
I used to worry about what others might think of my work… until I realized something powerful: I am enough as I am. No one is perfect, and no one has to be.
That shift helped me stop chasing perfection and finally start.
💭 Think about it:
What was your worst memory during your learning journey?
What fears stopped you from starting?
How did you eventually build the confidence to take the first real step?
How do you fight the voice of perfectionism that whispers: “It’s not good enough yet”?
And beyond that — what are your dreams? What do you hope changes in our community, in our industry, or in the way we support each other?
✨ I believe talking openly about these struggles can inspire others who are just starting out.
If you share your story, you might be giving someone else the push they need today.
I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments.
Let’s make this space not only about skills and tools, but also about courage, resilience, and growth.💖
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Top comments (25)
When I was first getting into coding — while being completely broke literally sleeping in a crawlspace above a bathroom with 8 roommates — I was so stressed I got shingles.
It was just part of my journey I guess?
Thank you for having the courage to share this. That sounds incredibly tough, both physically and mentally. The fact that you kept going through that says so much about your strength. It's not just part of the journey it's a testament to your resilience. Huge respect.🥺⭐
I've been wanting to dive into the world of robotics for a while now and even got a beginner Arduino kit to start experimenting with. But somehow I keep finding other things to do instead of actually starting. I think subconsciously I'm feeling that it'll take a lot of time to learn and the tangible results won't come quickly. Plus there will be additional costs involved.
There's this Russian expression "и хочется и колется" (literally "you want it and it prickles") - basically when you really want something but you're also scared/hesitant about it lol.
But you know what? Writing this comment made me realize that tomorrow I'm actually going to start digging into it! Sometimes we just need to acknowledge our fears out loud to move past them.
That's awesome! Taking that first step is the most important part. Really glad you've decided to start!
If you have any questions along the way or get stuck, feel free to reach out. I'm happy to help if I can.
Best of luck with your project! Looking forward to seeing your progress.😍💖I know you can do it
For me, the worst part was that I changed direction, so I was completely new and inexperienced in development, with no knowledge whatsoever, and starting my academic training with C and then algorithms was a nightmare!
Then, as for my fears, they were pretty ridiculous (and I probably still have them), but it was the fear of not being capable! able to learn, understand, etc. And as for the first step, I think I was lucky when I went back to school to meet a 40-year-old guy who was also going back to school, and seeing him work hard to catch up inspired me, so I went for it and always worked to imitate him.
As for the voice of perfectionism, unfortunately, I still have it. Right now, I'm working on a side project, and even though I've defined an MVP on paper, I still have that voice telling me, “You can't show this to the world, it's lame.”
regarding my dreams, I admit that seeing my project through to completion, having a solid, benchmark project, without necessarily making millions from it, I don't care about that, but being able to say that I did it would be very satisfying! But my childhood dream would be to create my own game, like Mégabonk, which is popular right now. Even if no one plays it except me, it would make me proud, but when I see how much work it takes, I tell myself that this dream is slowly slipping away and there's nothing I can do about it :(
What are your dreams?
Thank you so much for sharing your story so openly. I really related to your struggle with that voice of perfectionism; it's a constant battle for me too, always whispering that my work isn't good enough to share.
I also took a big leap two years ago when I left my main field of study to dive into programming, and it was incredibly challenging.
My dream is to build a successful and peaceful life from this path, make my family proud, and yes – achieving financial freedom and making money is definitely a part of that dream for me.
Your goal of creating your own game is amazing. Please don't let the sheer amount of work stop you. Just focus on that MVP and take one small step at a time. You've got this!
I would be happy to follow your work.🌷😍
Thank you so much (I answer in english hehe) for sharing also your story ! And congratulations for the path you have already traveled, it's amazing and inspiring for a lot of people for sure ! I'd be happy to share, and, I hope you'll see a post one day about how I finally make my game and share my project to the world ahah
I'm sure you can do it. I hope I become skilled and my choice isn't wrong in going this route.🥺
I'm sure you will !
🌷✨
The biggest struggle for me is managing not to get too overwhelmed with all the things I want to learn. Whenever I jumped from technology to technology, from course to course I ended up completely exhausted and confused at some point. I don't want to make this mistake anymore.
A couple months ago, I dedcided I'm gonna start with small projects and gradually build my way up. At first, I built a simple CLI tool, then a basic API and a quiz game with an in-memory database etc. This has really helped me stay consistent and actually build something, even if it's basic.
Since my goal is becoming a fullstack developer, I'm now tackling vanilla HTML/CSS/JS challanges almost daily. Whenever I complete a project, I reward myself with some Laracasts backend PHP/Laravel videos.
It's very easy to get overwhelmed and quit which is why it's important to not overwhelm yourself and start small.
This is such a valuable insight, Lars! You've perfectly described a trap so many of us fall into the shiny object syndrome of jumping between technologies.
Your approach of starting with small, tangible projects is brilliant. That progression from a CLI tool to a basic API is exactly how solid foundations are built. It's not about learning everything at once, but about building consistently.
What really stands out is your selfawareness in creating a sustainable learning system. Rewarding yourself with backend videos after frontend challenges is such a smart way to maintain balance and motivation.
Thank you for sharing this practical wisdom. Your journey from overwhelm to focused, project-based learning is incredibly inspiring for everyone feeling scattered in their learning path. Keep building! 💪🏻🌷✨
In my case it wasn't hard at all to start learning web development. I didn't have any fears in that moment, at the time when I took the decision.
It was kind of like a childhood passion, that I somehow started to follow years later. It felt so cool as a kid to think about those hackers that master computers and programming. It was like, that's crazy, how do they do that? While for me programming was something so untouchable, couldn't wrap my head around it.
I started exactly 1 year ago and I remember my worst memories are related to those moments when I felt truly discouraged. I would try to solve a JavaScript challenge and fail and then the whole world seemed to break. I would want to make a simple app and had no idea what to begin with. So then I would feel so small and stupid. Like 'you will never never be a programmer, promise you'.
Somehow I didn't stop. I am stubborn by nature and that helped a lot. Today I am nothing, I fail, I can't focus, I can't work. I know it is just a bad day. Tomorow I rise again, I can do it, I take it slowly with baby steps. I never said 'that's it, I stop, this is the end'. Whenever it's a bad day, it's just one, or two or whatever. But keep going.
And about the perfectionistic side of things. In my case, it makes me do everything better. This helped me come closer to achieving my goals of being a fullstack. Polish more, struggle more, learn more. Do better. Do more. It is a good thing, but I would encourage people to learn how to tame it, because at the same time being a perfectionist person could break you more than it can build you.
Reading your story felt like looking into a mirror. That cycle of frustration and determination is so familiar. You've put it into words perfectly.
What truly inspires me is your relationship with perseverance. You don't pretend the bad days don't exist; you acknowledge them, and then you choose to rise again anyway. That's not just persistence that's profound strength.
And your point about taming perfectionism is the golden key. It's a powerful driver, not a master. Thank you for this honest and powerful reminder that we're all a work in progress. Keep rising!❤️🔥😍
I can't imagine my day without learning something new. If I don't get anything, for me it's a wasted day. Of course, my brain can't be in work mode 24/7, but I truly feel useful when I study, when I talk to smart people, and when I read such cool stories as yours.
Thank you! That means a lot. I'm right there with you that daily learning is what makes life meaningful. Keep nurturing that amazing curiosity!💪🏻✨😍
In the very beginning it was giving up my previous path that I stubbornly tried to keep following for a long time. Since I gave in and decided to actually make that change and get on this new journey of coding it was and still is circumstances, overwhelm, tiredness and the feeling of being "stupid". My current life circumstances are not the best, I don't wanna complain as it could be much worse but to name one thing at least: I wish I had a shorter distance to the company/school I am currently training at, so that I could have more time for other interests and sports to balance out all the sitting at a desk all day, most of the days. Overwhelm/tiredness: Learning a lot of new things, so many new concepts, once I feel like I am getting familiar with something, another problem pops up and in the end of the day (usually earlier, haha...) I am just very tired but I gotta keep pushing. Which leads me to feeling stupid: so many things I don't understand, always new things I don't understand, often feeling "I should know this" or like I'm behind. But yeah, giving up is not an option 💪
Thank you so much for sharing something so personal and vulnerable. It takes a lot of courage to articulate these feelings—the overwhelm, the self-doubt, the physical toll—that so many of us on this learning journey experience but rarely say out loud. Please know that you are not alone in this.Like you, I had a change of goal and started coding two years ago and I completely understand you.
What shines through your words, however, is not 'stupidity,' but incredible resilience. The fact that you keep pushing, even when you're tired and feel behind, is the mark of a true learner and a future great developer. The 'feeling of being stupid' is just the growing pains of your brain expanding at an incredible rate. Thank you for reminding us all that giving up is not an option. Keep going, you've got this. 😍✨
This post really resonates. The struggle with perfectionism and fear of judgment is something many of us face when learning something new. It's refreshing to see someone openly discuss these challenges and encourage others to embrace their imperfections. Your perspective is a reminder that growth comes from starting, even if it's messy. Thank you for sharing your journey and inspiring others to do the same.
Thank you so much for this thoughtful comment. I'm really glad the post resonated with you.
You've perfectly captured the essence of what I was hoping to convey - that growth truly does begin when we dare to start, however messy that beginning might be. It means a lot to know that this perspective serves as a helpful reminder.
Knowing that sharing these challenges openly encourages others like yourself makes the vulnerability completely worthwhile. Thank you for being part of this important conversation.⭐😍
😍❤️🥺💯
Hey Yalda!🥰 I read your post and I want to say that it wasn’t easy for me either at the beginning of this journey. I had many regrets and judged myself a lot at first, telling myself that everything was hard, that there was so much to learn…
But you know what? I’ve been in this field for a year now, and along the way I realized that it’s not because of development itself… It’s not that I have some problem with learning or developing, but simply that it’s the brain’s response to the unknown and the fear of failure. No matter the field or the job, you will always have these fears. From the very start, your brain knows there will be huge amounts to learn, that it will be overwhelmed, that there won’t be time for anything else, that learning feels too slow, that it will compare itself to other developers (even though those developers already have at least 5 years of experience, your brain will still do it 🙄😂)… So we have to learn how to handle the way the brain works, these situations, these thoughts… How? By enjoying the whole process!🥰
Try to enjoy the level you’ve reached! Before, maybe you were happy just to see a div moving with an animation or an alert popping up, you enjoyed that little success… You should still do that now! Enjoy the small projects you create, enjoy the language you’re learning. By doing these things, you’ll see that you’ll gain confidence in yourself! You’ll see how much you’ve advanced, how many things you’ve built. It will give you a lot of courage!
You said above “dealing with other people’s opinions”, their opinions don’t matter at all as long as you prove to yourself that they are not true. (Of course, you shouldn’t care at all, but that’s just how the brain works sometimes, it thinks in a flawed way!🙄) You prove it to yourself through what you’ve created, through your proof of strength moving forward; you don’t need to prove it to them too!!! Don’t let even one person make you believe the opposite of what you are doing!👌
Keep going on your path and enjoy your achievements, Yalda!🥰 I’m looking forward to seeing your progress here! Believe in yourself!🥰
Wow, hello there! 🥰 I'm so genuinely happy to see your comment thank you for sharing such kind and incredibly insightful words!
You've absolutely nailed it. Shifting the perspective from "I'm bad at this" to "This is just my brain's natural response to the unknown" is such a game-changer. And your advice to actively enjoy the level we're at? That's pure gold. It's the perfect way to quiet the noise and build real, lasting confidence from the inside out.
Thank you for the powerful reminder that our own belief, built through every little thing we create, is what truly matters. Your message felt like a warm hug!
Also, it feels like we have so much in common! I'd love to stay connected and cheer each other on. 😊 Feel free to reach out anytime – it would be wonderful to talk more! I'm also on LinkedIn, Telegram, Instagram, and Discord😁
Keep shining and believing in yourself! I'm so excited to see your journey unfold. 💖😁💪🏻