How I taught myself to code

Summary

In this video, the speaker shares his journey of self-teaching coding from scratch while working at a warehouse. He emphasizes the importance of adopting a growth mindset, as opposed to a fixed one, to overcome self-imposed limitations. The speaker outlines a method for learning any meaningful skill, which includes setting a clear goal, choosing resources wisely, and committing to consistent practice with a focus on iteration and improvement. He also stresses the value of active learning, understanding fundamentals, and learning effective study techniques to build a strong foundation for mastering new skills.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Mindset is crucial for learning new skills, especially a growth mindset which embraces the belief that you can learn anything with dedication and effort.
• 📚 The speaker overcame a fixed mindset by listening to 'Mindset' by Carol Dweck, which emphasizes the importance of viewing challenges as opportunities for growth rather than barriers.
• 🔄 Having a growth mindset means embracing struggle and viewing it as a positive part of the learning process, rather than a sign of inadequacy.
• 🎯 Setting clear goals with a realistic timeline is essential for making meaningful progress in learning a new skill, such as coding or a new language.
• 🛠 Execution involves breaking down the learning objective into manageable parts, choosing a few resources, and diving into the material without overthinking.
• 🔍 Avoiding 'analysis paralysis' is key; do some research to find good resources but then start learning and practicing rather than endlessly seeking the perfect resource.
• 📈 The 'iterate and improve' philosophy is central to the learning process, which involves consistent repetition with continuous improvement at each step.
• 🛑 Recognize when a learning resource or method is not working and be willing to switch to something more effective, adapting your approach as you learn more about what works for you.
• 📝 Learn how to study effectively by understanding scientifically-backed learning techniques and avoiding common study pitfalls.
• 🏗️ Prioritize active learning, such as building projects or problem-solving, over passive learning to truly master a skill.
• 💎 Mastering the fundamentals is vital for a strong foundation in any skill; avoid skipping over basics in favor of more advanced topics.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is about the speaker's journey of self-teaching coding from scratch and the method they used to acquire this meaningful skill.

What book influenced the speaker's mindset while learning to code?

The book 'Mindset' by Carol Dweck influenced the speaker's mindset, emphasizing the importance of a growth mindset over a fixed mindset.

What is the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset as described in the video?

A fixed mindset is characterized by self-imposed limitations and the belief that one's abilities are static. A growth mindset, on the other hand, acknowledges that one can learn anything with commitment and effort, and views struggle as a positive part of learning.

Why did the speaker initially start learning web development?

The speaker initially started learning web development because it was their first interest in coding, focusing on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

What made the speaker switch from web development to data analysis?

The speaker switched to data analysis after realizing that web development was not to their liking, and they found a more suitable interest in working with data and Python.

What are the key components the speaker identified for becoming a data analyst?

The key components identified for becoming a data analyst were SQL, a visualization tool, Excel, and some knowledge of Python.

What is the term used by the speaker to describe their philosophy for continuous self-improvement?

The speaker uses the term 'iterate and improve' to describe their philosophy for continuous self-improvement.

What is the speaker's advice on setting a goal when learning a new skill?

The speaker advises setting a meaningful goal with a realistic timeline to work towards, which should push the learner but not be so impossible that it leads to demotivation.

What are some of the general tips provided by the speaker for effective learning?

Some general tips provided by the speaker include learning how to study effectively, preferring active learning over passive learning, and mastering the fundamentals of the skill being learned.

How does the speaker suggest dealing with the feeling of being stuck while learning a new skill?

The speaker suggests embracing the feeling of being stuck and viewing it as an opportunity for growth and improvement, rather than a reason to give up.

What resources did the speaker find most helpful during their learning journey?

The speaker found resources like Codecademy and Udemy to be the most helpful during their learning journey, as they provided interactive learning experiences.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 Embracing a Growth Mindset for Learning to Code

The speaker shares their personal journey of self-teaching coding from scratch, emphasizing the importance of mindset as the first step. They introduce Carol Dweck's 'Mindset' book, which differentiates between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. The fixed mindset is characterized by self-imposed limitations, while the growth mindset is about embracing challenges and learning from struggle. The speaker encourages viewers to adopt a growth mindset to overcome the belief that they are not capable of learning new skills like coding. They also highlight the importance of persistence and self-belief in the learning process.

05:01

📘 Execution: Planning and Choosing the Right Resources

After addressing the mindset, the speaker moves on to the execution phase, which involves making a plan and choosing the right resources for learning. They share their own experience of starting with web development and then shifting to data analysis, underscoring the importance of narrowing down one's learning focus. The speaker advises against analysis paralysis and encourages finding a few reputable resources, such as online courses, and diving into them. They also stress the importance of setting a realistic deadline to maintain motivation and provide a clear goal.

10:01

🔄 Iterate and Improve: The Key to Learning Any Skill

The speaker introduces their philosophy of 'iterate and improve,' which involves continuous learning with the aim of making incremental improvements. They discuss the importance of consistency and commitment to learning resources, while also being open to change and adaptation. The speaker shares their own experience with different learning platforms and emphasizes the need to find what works best for the individual. They also talk about the value of active learning over passive learning and the importance of building projects to solidify understanding.

15:01

🎓 Mastering Fundamentals and Effective Study Techniques

In the final paragraph, the speaker discusses general tips for effective learning. They stress the importance of mastering the fundamentals as the foundation for any skill, using coding as an example where understanding theory and algorithms is crucial. The speaker also encourages viewers to learn effective study techniques, recommending resources like 'Make It Stick' to improve study habits. They advocate for active learning methods over passive consumption of information and the importance of applying learned skills in practical scenarios to truly master them.

Keywords

💡Mindset

Mindset refers to the established set of attitudes held by an individual. In the video, the term is used to differentiate between a 'fixed mindset,' where one believes their abilities are static, and a 'growth mindset,' where one believes they can develop skills and intelligence over time. The video emphasizes the importance of adopting a growth mindset to learn new skills like coding, as it encourages persistence and the belief that effort leads to mastery.

💡Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be improved with effort and time. The video uses this concept to illustrate the power of embracing challenges and viewing struggle as an opportunity for growth. It contrasts with a fixed mindset, which can hinder learning by creating self-imposed limitations.

💡Fixed Mindset

A fixed mindset is the belief that one's abilities are innate and unchangeable. The video discusses this concept as a barrier to learning, where people may avoid challenges or give up easily because they believe they lack the inherent ability to succeed. It's a mindset the video's author had to overcome in order to teach himself coding.

💡Struggle

In the context of the video, struggle is portrayed as a positive and necessary part of the learning process. It is something to be embraced rather than avoided, especially when adopting a growth mindset. The video suggests that those who view struggle as an opportunity for learning are more likely to persist and succeed in mastering new skills.

💡Execution

Execution in the video refers to the act of putting plans into action. It is the second step in the method the author outlines for self-teaching any skill. The term is used to emphasize the importance of not only having a mindset geared towards learning but also taking concrete steps to achieve it.

💡Analysis Paralysis

Analysis paralysis is a state of indecision caused by over-analyzing or overthinking situations. The video warns against this phenomenon, where individuals spend so much time planning and researching that they never actually begin the learning process. It suggests choosing a few resources and diving into learning as a way to avoid this pitfall.

💡Iterate and Improve

Iterate and improve is a philosophy the author introduces as a key to learning any new skill. It involves consistently revisiting and refining one's learning process to find more effective methods. The video suggests that this approach leads to continuous improvement and adaptation, which is essential for mastering complex skills like coding.

💡Active Learning

Active learning is a method of learning where the learner is engaged in the process, such as building projects or problem-solving. The video contrasts this with passive learning, which is more about consumption, like watching videos or reading. Active learning is emphasized as crucial for truly mastering a skill, as it requires the application of knowledge.

💡Passive Learning

Passive learning is the act of learning without actively engaging in the material, such as watching videos or reading without applying the knowledge. The video suggests that while passive learning has its place, it should be combined with active learning to ensure true understanding and mastery of a skill.

💡Fundamentals

Fundamentals, in the context of the video, refer to the basic principles and concepts that form the foundation of a skill or discipline. The video stresses the importance of mastering these basics, as they provide a solid base upon which more advanced skills can be built. Skipping over fundamentals can lead to a weak understanding and hinder progress.

💡Problem Solving

Problem solving is a critical skill highlighted in the video, especially in the context of learning to code. It is not just about memorizing syntax or code but understanding how and when to apply different solutions. The video suggests that true mastery of a skill like programming comes from the ability to effectively solve problems and think critically.

Highlights

The video discusses self-teaching coding from scratch and applying the same method to learn any meaningful skill.

The importance of having a growth mindset, as opposed to a fixed mindset, for learning new skills.

The concept of embracing struggle as a positive aspect of learning, which is key to developing a growth mindset.

The speaker's personal journey of learning to code while working at a warehouse, illustrating commitment and mindset.

The recommendation of the book 'Mindset' by Carol Dweck for understanding and adopting a growth mindset.

The idea that anyone can learn to code given time and perseverance, debunking the myth of innate ability.

The speaker's transition from web development to data analysis, demonstrating adaptability in learning paths.

Breaking down the learning goal into parts and choosing specific resources to focus on, avoiding analysis paralysis.

The effectiveness of Udemy and Codecademy in the speaker's coding education journey.

Setting a realistic deadline to achieve a learning goal and the importance of having a clear objective.

The 'iterate and improve' philosophy as a core strategy for continuous learning and self-improvement.

The necessity of making micro-adjustments in learning methods to find what works best for the individual.

The value of active learning over passive learning for mastering a skill, with coding as an example.

The importance of mastering the fundamentals in any skill to build a strong foundation.

Learning how to study effectively using resources like 'Make It Stick' and understanding study techniques.

The speaker's commitment to answering comments as a small channel, showing engagement with the audience.

The speaker's new office setup and the personal touch added to the video content.

Transcripts

what's up guys in this video I want to

talk about how I taught myself how to

code from zero and how you can use the

same ideas and the same method to teach

yourself any meaningful skill so if you

guys remember I taught myself how to

code when I was working at a warehouse

so I didn't exactly have the most

glamorous job I wasn't coming from a

knowledge work background and really I

had no reason to believe I could even

learn how to code except that I got the

idea in my mind but what really made me

stick with it and commit to it was

actually what is going to be step one of

this method and that is mindset and

ironically I listened to a book called

mindset while I was working in the

warehouse it's a it's a book called

mindset by Carol DW and she basically

talks about in the book how there's

fixed mindsets and growth mindset and

now fixed mindset is what I struggled

with for a long time it's when you say

things like I'm just not smart or I'm

just not a math person I hear people say

this even when I've told people recently

in recent years about me teaching myself

how to code they'll say things like oh I

could never do that I'm just not smart

or oh I could never learn how to code

that's too complicated that is a fixed

mindset we say things like that and we

tend to think in this extreme of you

either have it or you don't the good

thing about code and pretty much all

knowledge work skills is that they come

with time you're it's not just something

you have sure there's people who might

be more technically inclined or more

mathematically inclined but the truth of

the matter is that anyone can learn how

to code anyone can learn advanced math

anyone can learn how to read better

these things we put limits on ourselves

we say oh I'm just not good at that and

that is a fixed mindset so what we want

to get to is a growth mindset and now

with a growth mindset you basically

acknowledge that you can learn anything

as long as you commit yourself to it you

can learn it and a couple of the key

features of a growth mindset are one

realizing that you can learn anything if

you apply yourself two you also want to

realize that struggle is a good thing a

lot of people people when we're in a

fixed mindset we think that if something

is hard it's because we're not good

enough because we're not smart enough

and we tend to just shut down our brain

we just stop trying because we don't

like feeling stuck we don't like feeling

stupid but when you have a growth

mindset you Embrace that stuck feeling

and you actually get excited for it you

get excited for a challenge and that is

a huge characteristic of what will allow

someone to learn how to code or learn

any hard skill is how do you react to

the adversity if when you get stuck your

brain shuts down you say well this is

just too hard I can't do this you're not

going to get very far but if when you

get stuck you get excited and you say

okay like this is the good stuff this is

when I have to push through you'll get a

lot further and you can learn basically

any skill okay so once you've addressed

mindset like I said Carol D's book

called mindset is a great resource for

that once you've addressed that once

you've acknowledged yes I can learn this

thing I can learn a new language I can

learn how to code once you have

acknowledged that and you've accepted

that and obviously it's going to take

time trial and error the fixed mindset

doesn't just go away and there was many

times while I was studying that I would

still feel like maybe I just can't do

this I would get so stuck I would feel

like I can't do it but you know what I

would still go to bed that night wake up

the next morning and code again and a

lot of times that thing I was so stuck

on the night before when I'd wake up the

next morning and look at the code again

it was actually the solution was right

in front of me so it really is about

pushing through persevering and slowly

that fixed mindset goes away and you

start to believe in yourself you start

to see the results that yes if I push

through that initial feeling of I can't

do this I will be able to so once you

get through that part two is execution

now you want to make a plan you want to

dissect what you want to do in two parts

when I started learning how to code

there's a million different ways you can

go there's different programs there's

different courses there's different

programming languages if I just tried to

do a little bit of all of them I never

would have got anywhere so I had to ask

myself what did I want to do so at first

I started I wanted to do web development

which is basically HTML CSS and

JavaScript that was what I started with

I did that for about nine months before

I realized I don't like this this isn't

what I want to do this sucks and so I

switched to wanting to do data analysis

and since I already had a firm

foundation in programming and I had

messed around with python a little bit

it was pretty easy for me to transition

so then I said okay what do I need to be

a data analyst well you need SQL you

need a visualization tool and you need

Excel and maybe some python which I knew

so I boiled it down to those four things

now there's a bunch of different ways

you could go with those but the point is

whatever your goal is you want to break

it down into Parts you want to choose a

few resources and then you just want to

dive in you don't want to spend too long

planning forever you're not going to

find the perfect um resource that's just

going to cover every single thing you

just want to look on Reddit look on

Google find some very well-rated

learning resources and pick one and just

dive in that is the key thing you do not

want to get stuck in they call it uh

they call it analysis paralysis where

basically you just get stuck in

overthinking and you're just thinking

thinking thinking until you get nothing

done you just spend all your time

analyzing and that's not how you make

meaningful progress you have to do a

certain level of research sure but then

you just have to get down into the weeds

and start doing it so find a couple

courses that you like I use udemy for

all my coding basically there were some

other resources I tried early on like

team Treehouse code academy data Camp I

basically tried them all and the ones

that stuck the most for me at the time

were code academy and udemy which I

swear by even to this day udemy is if

you want to learn how to code it doesn't

get much better than that so choose a

couple resources whether again this

doesn't just mean coding if you want to

learn a language if you want to get fit

find a couple reputable people to follow

who will teach you the language the

fitness the code and then dive into

those resources and just learn as you go

and the last part of that is to set a

deadline make a goal for yourself that

you want to hit by a certain day for me

when I first started learning how to

code I wanted to learn how to code by

the time I was 30 I want to land a job

and initially I said I wanted it to be

like a front-end web developer but then

once I switched my focus I wanted to be

a data analyst and I still had the same

goal that I want to get a job by the

time I'm 30 and I ended up doing it just

under the year mark total and getting a

job right before my 30th birthday so I

did hit the goal but even if I didn't

that's not really what's important

what's important is that you're working

towards something if I say I want to

learn how to code what does that mean

how long am I going to learn how to code

in 2 years 5 years 10 years and I mean

and even what does learning to code mean

to me I wanted to learn how to do enough

code to get a job that was my goal and I

didn't know exactly what that was but it

at least gave me something to work

toward if you just say you want to learn

how to code or you want to learn Spanish

or you want to learn whatever you have

to have a meaningful goal that you're

working toward learning a language could

mean a ton of things does that mean you

can order a coffee or does that mean you

can watch news in a native language

that's the difference so find your goal

and set a timeline that is not

unrealistic I mean I see these videos

you can learn how to code in 3 months 6

months I mean some of them are good

videos but it's just not going to be

realistic for the vast majority of

people if you're a busy parent like I am

uh you know you're not going to learn

how to code in three months unless you

were just psychotically dedicated it

might be better to say 6 months 12

months like you know take your time and

learn these Concepts over time

so that your goal still pushes you I

mean learning how to code and making a

career switch in a year that's a big

deal learning a new language in a year

that's huge I mean most people will

never do that so even if it's a year two

years be patient and set that goal for

the long term it should still push you

but it shouldn't be so impossible to

attain that you kind of just stop caring

and then the absolute key the bread and

butter of this method is something I

coined called iterate and improve that

is basically My Philosophy for life

and I will make another video on this

literally just on this this iterate and

improve concept and so when I was

learning how to code you learn about

something called iteration which just

means basically you can iterate through

by looping you know you iterate over

something many times basically just

means you do it again and again but the

key here is the philosophy is iterate

and improve so with each iteration you

want to improve something so if you are

learning how to Cod code and let's say

you study one day and whatever resource

you used that you set out from the

beginning say you've been using it for 3

months and you're just realizing this

resource is not working you switch to a

different resource or maybe you sample a

couple different resources maybe you

realize that you learn better from video

than from reading or maybe you learn

better from Reading than from podcast

you have to find whatever works for you

but the point is you want to be

consistent and you want to commit to

something but you want to always be

looking for ways to improve so if you

see that a certain resource is giving

you a lot of results focus on that

resource there are certain things that

are going to give you a bigger bang for

your buck you can watch videos for me

that didn't really work I like to use

more interactive things like code

academy where it actually had me writing

a lot of code while I was learning to me

that worked better another thing that

worked better was building projects for

a while I just kept consuming consuming

which they call tutorial hell and and

then I got to a point where I just had

to build projects so this could look

really different depending on what

you're doing if you're learning a

language it could mean actually speaking

the language it could mean reading the

language instead of just uh watching

videos for other people it could be

watching videos is the main way that you

learn a language whatever it is you want

to find ways to improve whatever you're

doing every time let's say every week

every month you want to be looking at

what you're doing and seeing if there's

any ways you could improve it iterate

and improve means you keep going you

keep doing things over and over you keep

having iterations another day of study

another day of study another day of

study and you always look for a way to

improve it you realize that hey studying

in my living room isn't working for me

because there's too much distraction um

my roommate is playing the TV too loud

whatever it might be so then you decide

okay I'm only going to study early in

the morning and you make an improvement

you iterate then you have another study

session and you realize that you do

better with pomodoros or you do better

when there's no music playing or you do

better when there's classical music

playing you get the point I don't want

to beat this point into the ground here

but you want to always be looking for

little ways to improve so you want to do

as many iterations as you can you want

to study every day and try to improve

something a little bit every day and you

want to be looking for all kinds of

areas to make these micro adjustments

the key here is that you don't know what

you don't know when you set out for a

goal I've had many goals in the past

where if I made a goal too fast I didn't

really think it through sometimes things

sound good on paper to me being a

front-end developer even sounded really

good it sounded great but then the more

and more I got into it it wasn't that it

was too hard it wasn't that anything

like that it was just it wasn't for me

it didn't fit my personality I'm not a

designm minded kind of person which not

to go back on my earlier point of you

know fixed mindset could I become a

design-minded person absolutely but my

point is it's it's not something that I

enjoy doing whereas when I got into

Python Programming and more like coding

and doing data analysis I really liked

it I don't necessarily like the flashy

designing web apps designing websites

aspect of code but I really liked the

ability to build practical things like

Financial trackers or do uh analysis of

data and see how different things

correlate that to me was very

interesting so again you don't know what

you don't know set out with your goals

think about them as best you can without

overanalyzing and start moving in that

direction and if you realize while

you're going that you know what this

isn't really the best thing for me this

isn't what I enjoy make micro

adjustments but again don't trick

yourself don't lie to yourself and say

well this isn't for me because it's hard

that's not what you want to do if it's

hard push through don't just say oh it's

not for me but you know there are

certain jobs and I say this if you are

an outgoing person you might love Sal

else but you might hate coding I am a

very introverted person so I love to

code I love to be alone in my office and

write code whereas for someone

extroverted this could be a terrible job

choice so you want to consider those

things when you set out you want to

consider your personality you want to

consider what kind of work life balance

you want to have whether you want to do

this for the rest of your life but

you're not going to know everything you

have to accept that you're not going to

know what you don't know adjust as you

go and you know change as necessary and

for part four here I just have a couple

General tips the first one is learn how

to study if you never at any point took

a class on studying I can almost

guarantee you are studying wrong and I

say that light-heartedly from personal

experience when I was going through my

bachelor's I started to read books on

studying because I wanted to understand

what makes good learning and what

doesn't we aren't taught to study and a

lot of the things that we do like

rereading the same book over and over to

try and make it stick we do a lot of

these things they're actually not good

study practices so pick up a good book

on studying a good book could be a make

it stick that's a great book on learning

I learned so much from that book so many

things that I was doing that were wrong

so try the book make it stick or just

watch a couple videos my point is

whatever you want to learn there are

better ways to learn and there are worse

ways to learn everyone learns different

ways and I talked about that earlier

find the resources that work for you but

when it comes down to the tactics they

have figured out psychologically and

scientifically things that just work

better when it comes to studying so look

those up read a little bit about them

watch YouTube videos whatever it might

be learn how to study better the second

General tip is whenever possible always

go with active learning over passive

learning Active Learning when it comes

to code is building a project it's

writing actual code it is getting stuck

and problems solving passive learning is

just reading a book watching a video

watching a YouTube video or coding along

to something that really teaches you

basically it shows you how to code

you're not actually thinking about or

coming up with anything you're just

copying line from line all of those

things have a place there's no problem

with reading there's no problem with

watching videos there's no problem with

code alongs all those things are great

but you don't want to only do those you

want to mix your passive learning with

active learning if you're listening to a

language listen to it and then go speak

it for a while if you're watching a

video on how to play an instrument you

wouldn't just sit there and watch videos

all day and think you're getting better

at the piano right you have to actually

get on the keys and start playing it's

the same with coding is the same with

basically any meaningful skill you have

to mix up your passive learning the

videos the books with active learning

building doing the problem is that a lot

of people get stuck in the passive

learning because it's easier it gives

you the illusion of getting better even

if you're not but again like I gave the

example with the piano or another

example is the gym as much as it might

suck getting in the gym if you're a

newbie you're going to be sore it's

going to hurt it's going to suck you're

going to feel uncomfortable we all know

obviously that you can't just sit at

home reading books and watching videos

about Fitness and get fit that's not how

it works we know that you have to get in

the gym at the end of the day it's the

same with any skill do your passive

learning learn some things learn some

things that you want to apply or build

and then go do them and the last thing

I'll say here is Master the fundamentals

a lot of people they look at the

fundamentals as boring stuff they they

want to skip through it the easier stuff

the more just theoretical stuff do not

skip over your Basics when it comes to

the foundation the fundamentals that is

what makes you a good coder a good

programmer a good data analyst if you

don't understand the basics of your

craft you can't really build on them you

have a weak Foundation everything you

build on top is going to be shaky it's

going to be weak and it's going to fall

apart when hits the fan and when it

gets really hard in your job so Master

the fundamentals whatever they are for

your craft whatever they are for your

hobby it could be chords and finger

dexterity for guitar excuse me I don't

really know that much about guitar but

you know for languages it could be

grammar and conjugations for code it is

Theory and algorithms and there's so

many things you want to know the basics

you want to know problem solving it's

great to memorize a bunch of code a

bunch of syntax but that's really not

what makes someone a good programmer you

have to know how to solve problems some

great programmers even if they've never

even coded in a language before can

figure it out within a couple days

enough to piece something together or

fix something even if they've never

looked at that coding language before

it's not about memorizing a bunch of

stuff it's about understanding the

basics understanding why you would use a

piece of code in one scenario and not in

another um it's about understanding how

to solve problems and once you get those

basics down everything you build on top

of it will be so much more steady and so

that's it for this video guys I hope

that these steps that these methods help

you guys I might have been a little all

over the place with this video but I'm

very passionate about the idea of

learning and I'll make more videos about

how to better learn how to better study

how to better self- te because this is

all stuff that I had to learn by making

mistakes but if you just do the things

that I laid out in this video it is a

very solid foundation to build any habit

on to learn any new skill on so I hope

these things help if you have any

questions leave them in the comments I

will answer every single comment for as

long as I can that's the best thing

about a small Channel I can answer every

comment so if you guys have any

questions I will answer every single one

of them until the channel gets too big

that I can't so I appreciate you guys

being here and watching as always yes

I'm in a new office it is still very

bare in here I have a bookshelf and my

desk that's about it but it will get

better and better I appreciate you guys

being here and I'll see you in the next

one peace