Why People Fail at Learning to Code?

Summary

Uncle Steph emphasizes that the biggest obstacle to success in software development or any career isn't intellectual but psychological. He discusses how insecurities, impostor syndrome, and fear of failure hold people back. Steph introduces 'Lizard Wizard,' a course to understand and control the 'lizard brain,' which can cause anxiety and hinder progress. He suggests practical solutions like working out, trying new things, and embracing failure as a learning opportunity. The video encourages viewers to manage their lizard brain and not let it dictate their success.

Takeaways

• 🧠 The biggest obstacle to success as a developer is not intellectual but psychological.
• 🐉 Understanding and mastering the 'lizard brain' is crucial for overcoming insecurities and fears.
• 🔄 The lizard brain's protective instincts can lead to anxiety and fear of failure in modern contexts.
• 🧘‍♂️ Learning to calm down and not make decisions based on immediate emotions is important.
• 💪 Regular exercise can help manage the lizard brain and reduce anxiety.
• 🌐 Exposing oneself to new experiences and environments can help adapt the lizard brain to modern life.
• 💻 When learning to code, intentionally breaking code to understand errors can train the brain to handle mistakes.
• 🚀 As a developer, embrace the process of building apps without worrying about immediate success.
• 📈 Failure in projects is a valuable learning experience and helps eliminate unproductive paths.
• 🏫 The traditional educational system's fear of failure can hinder real-world success, where mistakes are part of the process.
• 👨‍🏫 Uncle Steph mentors in software development, coding, freelancing, and business, offering resources to overcome psychological barriers.

Q & A

What is the main problem people face when trying to succeed as a developer?

The main problem people face is psychological, not intellectual. Issues such as insecurities, impostor syndrome, laziness, and fear of failure are common hurdles.

What is the 'lizard brain' mentioned in the script?

The 'lizard brain' refers to the part of the brain responsible for instinctual and emotional responses. It is called 'lizard brain' because it is a very primitive part of the brain that has evolved over hundreds of thousands of years.

What is the 'Lizard Wizard' course about?

The 'Lizard Wizard' course is designed to help people understand the mechanisms behind their emotional brain and how to apply practical skills to unlock their full potential.

How can one calm down their 'lizard brain'?

One can calm down their 'lizard brain' by counting to 10, working out regularly, exposing themselves to new stimuli, and learning to not make decisions based on emotions.

What is the significance of breaking code when learning to code?

Breaking code on purpose can teach you more about coding, especially in terms of logical structures. It helps you understand error messages and realize that making mistakes is not the end of the world.

Why should developers not worry about writing perfect code when building new apps?

Developers should not worry about writing perfect code initially because they are likely to change things if the app is successful. It's better to get a prototype out quickly and learn from the process.

What attitude should developers have when exploring new ideas?

Developers should embrace the process of building and creating, without worrying about the outcome. They should be willing to try new things and learn from the experience, even if it doesn't work out.

What is the advice given for dealing with the fear of failure?

The advice is to remember all the times you thought something would go wrong and it didn't. It's about not sweating the small stuff and understanding that failure is part of the process.

How does the educational system affect people's fear of making mistakes?

The educational system often trains people to fear making mistakes because the consequences can be significant, like failing a test or class. However, in real life, making mistakes is part of the learning process.

What is the final tip given in the script about overcoming the 'lizard brain'?

The final tip is to expose yourself to new things, remind yourself that failure is okay, and don't let your 'lizard brain' get in the way of your goals.

What resources does Uncle Steph offer for those interested in software development and coding?

Uncle Steph offers mentorship in software development, coding, freelancing, and starting businesses through his website uncle.com.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 Overcoming the Psychological Barriers to Success

Uncle Steph begins by addressing the psychological challenges developers face in their careers, emphasizing that success is not limited by intellectual capacity but by psychological factors such as insecurities and fear of failure. He introduces the concept of the 'lizard brain' and explains its role in causing anxiety and fear. Steph suggests that understanding and managing the lizard brain is crucial for overcoming these obstacles. He also mentions his course 'Lizard Wizard' designed to help individuals grasp the mechanisms of their emotional brain. The paragraph concludes with advice on how to control the lizard brain, such as counting to ten to calm down, working out, and exposing oneself to new experiences to reduce fear of the unknown.

05:00

🚀 Embracing Failure as a Path to Success

In this paragraph, Uncle Steph discusses the mindset required for developers who want to be entrepreneurial. He uses an example of a woman with multiple project ideas who is worried about the outcomes. Steph advises embracing the process of building apps or products without fear of failure. He encourages quick prototyping and learning from failures, stressing that it's better to fail fast than to invest a lot of time in something that doesn't work. He shares his own experiences with failed business ideas and emphasizes that failure is a learning opportunity and a way to eliminate non-viable options. The paragraph ends with a reminder to not let the fear of failure, instilled by traditional education systems, hinder one's progress.

10:01

🌟 Final Thoughts on Managing the Lizard Brain

Uncle Steph concludes the video script by reiterating the importance of not letting the 'lizard brain' impede one's journey to success. He encourages viewers to learn from past experiences where feared outcomes did not materialize, suggesting that it's part of the process to reach one's goals. He also invites viewers to visit his website, uncle.com, for more mentorship in software development, coding, freelancing, and business. The paragraph ends with a call to action for viewers to comment, share the video if they find it valuable, and to give feedback.

Keywords

💡Psychological

Psychological refers to the mental and emotional factors that influence human behavior and experiences. In the context of the video, Uncle Steph emphasizes that the biggest obstacle to success for developers is not a lack of intellectual capacity but rather psychological barriers such as insecurities and fear of failure. The video suggests that understanding and overcoming these psychological hurdles is crucial for personal and professional growth.

💡Impostor Syndrome

Impostor Syndrome is a psychological pattern where individuals doubt their accomplishments and fear being exposed as a 'fraud.' The video mentions it as a common issue among developers, which can hinder their success. Uncle Steph advises that recognizing and addressing impostor syndrome is key to unlocking one's full potential.

💡Lizard Brain

The 'Lizard Brain' is a colloquial term for the basal ganglia and amygdala, which are responsible for instinctive and automatic behaviors. In the video, Uncle Steph uses this term to describe the part of the brain that governs our fight-or-flight response and can lead to anxiety and fear. He suggests that understanding and managing the 'Lizard Brain' is essential for overcoming the psychological barriers to success.

💡Anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. The video discusses how anxiety about exams or failure can be a byproduct of the 'Lizard Brain' trying to protect us. Uncle Steph advises learning to manage anxiety as part of the process of personal development.

💡Fear of Failure

Fear of Failure refers to the dread of not achieving desired results or the consequences of unsuccessful attempts. In the script, Uncle Steph points out that fear of failure is a common psychological barrier that prevents people from taking risks and trying new things, which is detrimental to growth and success.

💡Emotional Brain

The Emotional Brain is associated with the limbic system, which plays a crucial role in controlling emotions and behaviors. Uncle Steph refers to this as the 'Lizard Brain' in the video and discusses how understanding its mechanisms can help individuals manage their emotions better and thus succeed in their endeavors.

💡Adaptation

Adaptation in the video refers to the process of adjusting to new environments or circumstances. Uncle Steph explains that our 'Lizard Brain' has evolved over thousands of years but may not be well-adapted to modern society, leading to unnecessary anxiety and fear. Learning to adapt to the modern environment is crucial for managing our 'Lizard Brain'.

💡Mental Capability

Mental Capability refers to the intellectual capacity or cognitive ability to understand and learn. Uncle Steph asserts that most people have more than enough mental capability to succeed but are held back by psychological factors rather than intellectual limitations.

💡Exploratory Developer

An Exploratory Developer is someone who is willing to try new things, learn from failures, and continuously explore new ideas. The video encourages developers to embrace this mindset, as it is essential for innovation and growth in the software development field.

💡Error Messages

Error Messages are notifications generated by software or systems when something goes wrong. In the context of coding, Uncle Steph suggests that developers should intentionally break their code to generate error messages as a way to learn more about the logical structures of code and to train their 'Lizard Brain' to not fear mistakes.

💡Prototype

A Prototype is an early model of a product or system used to test concepts and可行性. Uncle Steph advises developers to create prototypes quickly and not worry about making them perfect initially. This approach allows for rapid learning and iteration, which is essential for innovation and success in software development.

Highlights

The biggest problem people have in their career is psychological, not intellectual.

People have more than enough mental capability to succeed in whatever they want to do.

Insecurities, impostor syndrome, laziness, and fear of failure are common psychological hurdles.

Understanding the 'lizard brain' or emotional brain is key to overcoming psychological barriers.

The 'lizard brain' is powerful but often misunderstood in modern society.

Anxiety about exams or failing at tasks is a byproduct of the lizard brain's protective instincts.

Learning to calm down is a practical skill to manage the lizard brain.

Counting to 10 is a simple method to distract the lizard brain and prevent rash decisions.

Regular exercise can help manage lizard brain emotions.

Exposing oneself to new stimuli and environments can help adapt the lizard brain to modern life.

In software development, learning a new language or database can help overcome fear of failure.

Breaking code on purpose can teach more about coding and help the lizard brain adapt to mistakes.

Embracing the process of building apps and not worrying about the outcome is crucial for developers.

Building apps quickly and learning from failure is more valuable than perfecting an untested idea.

The educational system often teaches fear of failure, which is detrimental in the real world.

Successful people view failure as a learning opportunity and part of the process.

Uncle Steph mentors in software development, coding, freelancing, and starting businesses.

The video encourages viewers not to let their lizard brain get in the way of their goals.

Transcripts

hey guys Uncle Steph here how you doing

so what is the number one problem that

people have when trying to succeed as a

developer in their career just about

everything in life it's not intellectual

it is not intellectual for what I've

seen the biggest problem people have is

psychological so chances are if you're

watching this video like there's a 99.9%

chance that you're watching this video

have more than enough mental capability

to be able to succeed in whatever it is

you want to do the biggest hurdle people

have again to reiterate is psychological

it's insecurities it's impostor syndrome

it's laziness it's fear of failure these

are so so common that's why a couple

years ago I put out a course called

Lizard wizard which helps you to

understand the mechanisms behind your

emotional brain your lizard

brain I call it lizard wizard because

once you understand how your lizard

brain works and you and you apply

practical skills you unlock your full

potential the lizard brain is very

powerful but most people are running

around not

understanding how it works what are the

mechanisms of the lizard brain because

of our Advanced society and culture you

have to

learn how to work with it uh a little

bit more than you would have you know

100 thousand years ago when we lived in

the woods you see the lizard brain

without going down this rabbit held too

much evolved over hundreds of thousands

of years during very primitive times not

when we had computers and smartphon so

the lizard

brain though very effective it's always

trying to protect you it can get you in

trouble so you can start having anxiety

about exams anxiety about

failing uh when you know writing a piece

of code and worry that it doesn't work

and having kittens over that this is a a

byproduct an artifact a glitch if you

will

based on programming that was developed

before any of this was around so you

have to in a nutshell learn to get past

that learn to get past

that if you're broke big part of it is

probably because your lizard brain is

out of control if you have anxieties

it's just your lizard brain as I've said

in many videos think of all the times in

your life where you had some fear about

something some anxiety about something

that could happen happens to me and then

nothing happens that is our lizard brain

out of control not yet fully adapted to

the environment the modern environment

that we're in so the point of this video

is to encourage you to help you

understand that your emotions your fears

your anxieties your imposter syndrome

Etc and so on they're all just they're

all just byproducts of your lizard brain

ve veeg is not perfectly adapted to the

environment so there are very ver things

you can do you can learn to calm down

first of all there's an old uh I don't

know if you call it expression or

something but we used to say if you get

angry count to 10 why counting to 10

because it distracts your lizer brain

slows you down calms you down and uh so

you won't make rash

decisions about uh anything that's the

worst thing you can do don't make

decisions based on emotion most of the

time that's is going to get you in

trouble so one of the things you can do

to get a hold of your lizard emotions is

to uh work out believe it or not

training working out on a regular basis

is going to help in that regard there's

no question about that another thing you

can do is expose yourself to new

stimulus new environments visit a

different town go go to even to a

different restaurant you haven't been

been before you want to try new things

you want to explore new things so in the

in the world of software development try

learning a new language uh try a new

database um don't be worried about

making mistakes as I say when you're

learning how to code one are the tips I

give in terms of accelerating the

process of learning to code what are the

tips that I give is that you should

break your code once you get the code

working break it see what happens look

at the error

messages first of all this is going to

teach you more about coding uh in terms

of The Logical structures of the code

when you you purposefully break it at a

particular point and you see the error

that's generated this is going to help

you put two and two together you're

going to figure out oh if I get this

type of error it's it's probably because

of this type of mistak in my code the

secondary impact of that is that you are

training your lizard brain to realize

that if you make an error writing code

it's not the end of the world it's no

big

deal so last week in the uh mentoring

group meetings we have our bi-weekly

coaching sessions

links below we had somebody who had a

whole bunch of projects in mind so she's

capable she can write code she can build

apps Now with uh what was she using I

think she was using react she knows

react knows a bit of rails and she's

learning

laravel so she was telling the group and

our we have group chats so she was

telling us oh Steph well she wasn't

exact she was actually quite calm but

she said Steph you know I have all the I

have did I have these different ideas I

would like to explore but she was a

little

worried um about just whether the

outcome would be positive or not that's

the opposite attitude you have to

have when you are an exploratory

developer an entrepreneurial developer

you have to embrace the process of

trying to build an app trying to create

a web app a SAS product whatever it is

and and not worry about whether or not

it's going to

work that's why I say when you're

building new apps from scratch you

should build them as quickly as

possible don't worry about writing Rock

Solid code because you're probably going

to have to change things if it has any

success so why waste your time writing

super solid uh bulletproof code but

takes a lot more time then you have to

tear it all apart anyway so just get it

out so hi toor you got it's great you

have these great ideas put them out put

them out see what happens you know and

uh doesn't matter if they mess up even

if you put in 50 hours 100 hours to get

a prototype out 200 hours 500 hours to

get a prototype out and it doesn't work

as a business model people are just not

interested it's not a failure because

you are first of all you're going to be

learning a lot along the way which is

always valuable and second of all you're

going to be eliminating options and

variables which eventually will lead you

to uh to a place as

successful I have tried many different

app ideas many different business ideas

throw them out quickly as they say in

the VC World The Venture Capital World

fail quickly fail quickly you don't want

to

spend you know years on a project to

only find out if it's going to fail you

want it to fail as soon as possible

within months if possible so if it fails

great this is not working here I I did

this wrong here move on to the next

thing so yeah and that again all goes

back to the original premise of this

video why what is the number one people

people have is not intellectual it's uh

it's all psychological it's all lizard

brain so I'll leave you with this last

tip remember remember all the things

that you thought would go wrong and

never did so don't sweat it okay one

last tip you know one of the reasons we

are like this is because of the

educational system you know how it is

with

schools if you fail particular tests you

fail a particular class it could have a

detrimental impact in terms of your

entire career this to me as somebody

who's been involved in education pretty

uh pretty closely for 14 years

now uh this to me is

stupid the most successful people try

something fail try again fail try again

fail try again fail I then neate it and

the problem with the school system is

over whatever it is two decades

approximately depending how far you

go you are literally trained to the core

to fear making a mistake because the

cost of that mistake is could be pretty

substantial in the school system in real

life if you uh you if you're smart about

how you proceed you don't want to do

stupid stuff like jumping off a cliff or

something but you know if you're smart

about what you do yeah little mistakes

are just part of the process no big

deal one of uh my mentors accidental

mentors back in the day when I was a

young uh

entrepreneur I remember coming into a

meeting with him and he ran a very big

company it was worth about 50 million in

that money and uh he asked me he said so

he said he said Steph Uncle Steph he

said no he said actually cousin Steph I

was quite young then he said cousin

Steph uh have you ever gone bankrupt I

said no taking a back a little

embarrassed right no me bankrupt

no he said oh I've been bankrupt a few

times part of the game H I had another

guy he's worth even

more and he said the same thing pretty

much businesses go bust you got to roll

with the punches you got to throw out

ideas things will work some things won't

work uh it's all about managing

everything so that uh you end up you

keep on making progress towards your

goals so there you go don't let your

lizard brain get in the way of where you

want to go start learning to master it

again EX ize exposing yourself to new

things reminding yourself that when

things don't work that's okay because

it's part of the process of getting to

where you want to go that's it for now

I'm Uncle Steph I Mentor people in

software development coding I teach

people how to freelance how to start

businesses and so much more you can

check out uncle.com

and uh yeah that's about it if you have

any questions any comments about this

video you know what to do comment below

and and if you think this V video is

valuable don't be afraid to share it

with friends if you don't like my video

or you think my hair is too long give me

two thumbs down not one but two thumbs

down and uh that's it cheers

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