Before Learning Programming 8 Crucial Things You Should Know

When you start learning how to program, you want to make the most of your time and see progress quickly, right?

But if you’re new to coding, you might feel overwhelmed by all the things you need to learn.

So, where should you begin? How can you make good choices and make the learning process as smooth, easy, and fast as possible?

Well, it turns out you can use some simple tips to make things easier for yourself.

In this article, I’m sharing 8 helpful things to know before you start learning programming.

These tips are practical and can be used right away to make your learning journey less confusing and frustrating in the long run.

Actually, these are the exact tips I wish I had known when I first started learning to code myself!

By the time you finish reading this guide, you’ll have a better understanding of what to expect on your coding journey. You’ll know what to prepare for as a beginner learning programming.

So, keep reading!

Crucial Tips

#1: It’s not going to be easy

To begin with, no matter why you want to learn coding, it’s not going to be simple.

Just like when you learn anything new, you’ll start from the very beginning. That’s just how it works.

Climbing up the skill ladder will take many months and years of hard work.

I’ll be completely honest with you: it’s going to be tough and you’ll want to give up at times. Maybe even many times.

But that doesn’t mean you should quit!

Believe me, even though it may feel really hard at times, learning how to code is very rewarding and makes you feel powerful.

You can learn important skills that are in high demand at your own speed and start a whole new career in technology.

Yes, you can get a well-paying job as a developer without having a degree. The fact that you can teach yourself all the skills you need to get your dream job is reason enough to start learning computer programming.

So yes, it will be challenging but enjoyable. And I’m here to assist you in getting the most out of your learning journey.

I started this blog to share every lesson I learned along the way so that you don’t have to make the same mistakes I did.

What you should do: Find your source of motivation

First, make sure you have something in your thoughts that keeps you excited and motivated every single day.

You’ll often be working on your own, so most of the time, you’ll need to know how to keep yourself going through the tough times.

Also, find a way of learning that gets you excited:

• If you enjoy learning by yourself, use books and online courses.
• If you like learning with others and sharing ideas and feedback, join a study group with people who think like you.
• If you need someone to teach you in person, consider enrolling in a coding bootcamp nearby.

Just figure out how you can feel comfortable and find a way of learning that helps you achieve your goals.

If you’re not sure where to start, you can experiment with different ways of learning.

You’ll quickly discover which learning method works best for you and supports your progress. Learning by doing like this is definitely one of the most important things to know before diving into programming.

Now, let’s move on to my next point…

#2: You need a goal from day 1

Can you answer this question right now: Why do you want to learn coding?

Once you figure that out, that’s your big reason to start learning and keep going. It’s like having a far-off goal that keeps you excited.

You might think coding is cool because it’s popular, but you need your own special reason to learn and stick with it.

I messed up when I began. I thought I’d solve a small work problem and be done. But guess what? I’m now a full-time web developer, and that work problem is still there!

I got distracted by all the cool tech stuff I found while learning. I wasted time on things I never used later. Big mistake!

If I knew why I wanted to learn coding and what I wanted to create with it, I’d have gone the right way from the start and progressed much faster.

To make it simpler for yourself, find the most important reason you want to learn coding.

#3: Learn the basics first

Can you answer this question right now: Why do you want to learn coding?

Once you figure that out, that’s your big reason to start learning and keep going. It’s like having a far-off goal that keeps you excited.

You might think coding is cool because it’s popular, but you need your own special reason to learn and stick with it.

I messed up when I began. I thought I’d solve a small work problem and be done. But guess what? I’m now a full-time web developer, and that work problem is still there!

I got distracted by all the cool tech stuff I found while learning. I wasted time on things I never used later. Big mistake!

If I knew why I wanted to learn coding and what I wanted to create with it, I’d have gone the right way from the start and progressed much faster.

To make it simpler for yourself, find the most important reason you want to learn coding.

What you should do now: Learn computer science fundamentals

In my first few weeks of learning programming, I felt really confused by all the fancy words and technical language.

Why did I feel this way?

It was because I didn’t know the basic stuff about how programming works and what it’s all about.

To make things simpler for myself, I decided to start learning the basic concepts of computer science, even though I wasn’t sure if it would help.

You can see everything I learned in my “Coding 101 guide” for people who are just starting out with no experience.

As I spent more time understanding what computers are and what they can do, things started to make more sense and feel easier.

So, here’s my suggestion: before you dive into learning your first programming language, it’s a good idea to learn the basics of computer science.

But is it really necessary?

Well, not really, but if you want to save time and feel more confident in your skills, learning about computer science is the smartest thing you can do right now.

Let me explain it this way:

Learning programming without knowing anything about computer science is like learning how to drive without knowing what happens when you turn the steering wheel.

Sure, you can learn it gradually over time, step by step. But it’s a better idea to take the time to learn it now before you get behind the wheel.

#4: Have realistic expectations

I understand that many of us want to make a big social media platform and become very rich very quickly.

But, to be honest, that’s unlikely to happen.

Don’t get me wrong, though. I want you to dream big and set high goals. Find what inspires you and concentrate on that.

However, it’s essential to set goals that are realistic.

Learning to program is a long journey. You can make progress fast, but becoming an expert will take many years.

So, how do you stay excited for such a long time?

The answer is simple: avoid getting disappointed.

Disappointment can make you lose interest quickly, especially if you’re just starting to learn how to program. If you begin thinking that you’ll create the next Facebook or Instagram in a few months, you’re likely to end up disappointed.

Those are great goals, but they’re not achievable in a few months. You might achieve them in a few years, and I’ll support you all the way.

But think about this:

How long are you willing to wait before you can celebrate your first successes?

I often see beginners who have unrealistic expectations and then lose interest in programming because they can’t reach their goals quickly.

We don’t want that to happen to you.

What you should do now: Set yourself a clear, measurable goal

You should set a clear goal for yourself and work towards it one step at a time. But it’s really important that your goal is something you can actually achieve.

Why am I telling you not to aim too high? Because when you’re coding, your motivation and determination are super important. If you lose them, it’ll be hard to keep going.

And when things get tough, you might start thinking you’re not good enough and want to give up. The worst thing that can happen when you’re learning to code is feeling really disappointed. You want to avoid that at all costs!

So, right from the start, make sure your expectations are realistic. When you begin programming, you’ll start with the basics. Gradually, you’ll get better and work on more challenging and complex projects.

Create a plan for your learning based on your goals. Then, take it one step at a time and keep track of how you’re doing. Celebrate your small successes and don’t forget to look back and see how far you’ve already come!

#5: Build meaningful projects

So, you want to become a professional web developer or programmer? Congratulations!

As you learn to code, you’ll use your new skills to create different kinds of projects. At first, these projects will be small and straightforward. But as you keep learning, your projects will become more significant and more complicated.

No matter what you build, always think about your future job as a developer. Yep, you need to have a plan for what you want to do with coding. If you’re learning to code to start a new career, think about your dream job.

Where would you like to work? What kind of work do you want to do?

Once you’ve figured that out, think about what your future employer will need from you:

1. How can your programming skills help your future employer?
2. What problems can you solve for them?
3. How can your skills add value to their business?

These questions will help you understand which skills you should focus on in your portfolio.

Do you see where I’m going with this?

That’s right – now all you have to do is create practical projects that showcase these skills for your portfolio. But remember, make these projects meaningful.

Keep in mind that you can land any developer job in the future; you just need to demonstrate your abilities so that the right employers can see how you can help them solve their problems.

Recommended coding courses for building your first programming projects

I’ve taken some really good coding classes that helped me make my own collection of work and land my first big freelance jobs.

But if you’re just starting to learn how to code, it can be really annoying and confusing to figure out which coding classes are the best. There are just so many to pick from!

To save you time from searching for the right classes, I’ve gathered a few beginner-friendly coding courses that I’ve taken myself.

Here are three of my favorite ones that I recommend you check out. They’re great for beginners, so even if you’ve never tried coding before, you’ll have your first important projects running sooner than you might think.

1. The Complete Web Developer Course 2.0:
   The coding course I love the most is the one that got me my first freelance jobs really quickly. If you’re not sure what kind of coding you want to do, this course is a great option.
2. The Web Developer Bootcamp:
   Similar to the course above, but it covers a few more tools you will need to learn at some point anyways.
3. The Complete WordPress Website Business Course:
   This Udemy course will help you become a better web developer. If you want to earn more money as a freelancer by creating websites using WordPress, this course is the top choice. I personally took this course and, afterward, I always had plenty of freelance work!

#6: Cultivate determination and patience

Okay, imagine being a really good computer expert. To be one, you need to have lots of good qualities, like being really determined and patient.

Determination is like having a strong desire to do well and never giving up, even when things are tough. It’s like a spark that keeps you going.

Patience is like being able to wait calmly. It’s important because it helps balance your big dreams. You see, having big dreams is cool, but if you don’t have patience, they won’t come true.

I have to admit something: I’m not a patient person at all. But when I started learning about computers, I had to be patient. I made a lot of mistakes and sometimes got so frustrated that I wanted to quit.

But here’s my secret: I’m so focused on my goals that I can’t give up. It’s like determination and patience are best friends, helping me.

So, if you’re not very patient, it’s a good time to practice. If you want to be a pro computer person, you’ll face problems and feel frustrated sometimes. But it gets easier, I promise!

Just remember your goals and keep going. You’re unstoppable!

#7: Maintain your focus

Do you remember that important thing I was talking about earlier? Awesome!

It’s the most crucial recipe for your success, so always keep it in mind!

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that you should stay focused on that important thing, no matter what.

But why, you might ask? Can’t I just pick a new important thing?

Well, that’s not a good idea at all. (I’m sorry for being straightforward, but it’s the truth.)

When you’re thinking about learning how to code, there was something that got you interested in the first place.

And once you learn more about how to achieve that important thing, you’ve already chosen the right tools to get there.

For example, if you want to start a career as a professional developer, you’ll learn the tools that are needed in that specific area, right?

Let’s say you want to become a web developer, and you’re already making progress.

Then, you meet someone who talks about how amazing it is to create video games with code, and you can’t stop thinking about it. You want to make cool games too!

But here’s the catch:

In most cases, web developers use totally different programming languages and tools than game developers.

So, if you switch from learning web development to making video games, you’ll have to start all over again.

Obviously, that’s a situation you want to avoid.

So, it’s important to set your goals right from the beginning and create a solid plan to reach them.

#8: You need to start NOW

Finally, if you really want to start learning programming, start NOW!

It took way too long for myself to get into learning coding a few years ago. I had all these ideas in my head about coding:

• Coding is super difficult,
• I need to be great at math,
• I should get a college degree instead…

And that’s all just a bunch of bullcrap!

Don’t worry about what others are saying or what you’ve heard about coding. If it’s something you really want, just go for it!

In short: if you want to learn programming, just start learning programming. Simple as that!

I know it can be difficult to find the best resources for learning when you’re a complete beginner. But don’t worry! I’ve tested heaps of courses and other resources throughout the years to help you out.

Final thoughts: Things you should know before learning programming

I think you’re ready to begin learning how to code now! What do you think about that?

In simple terms, learning programming is a lot like learning any other skill. It can be interesting, sometimes tough, but mostly very empowering and fascinating!

You’ll probably make progress quickly, maybe even faster than you expect. With each lesson you complete, you’ll get closer to your ultimate goal.

So, whether you want to start a new job in technology, become a developer, or work as a freelance web developer, this post will help you get started on the right track.

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Enjoy your coding journey!

• Codeical