From Economics to JavaScript

Greetings everyone, my name is Vlad, a 34-year-old developer in the making. My ambition to become a developer can be traced back to 2018. However, as they say, comfort can often be a barrier to progress, just like ego.

I had been part of my family’s enterprise since my high school years, which, to an extent, predetermined my career path. In truth, I had a fondness for coding during high school, but I struggled with mathematics.

Given that maths is a pivotal component in all computer science curriculums, I chose economics instead. You might find this strange considering accounting, a part of economics, appears math-heavy. But trust me, it isn't; you won't find integrals and derivatives in accounting.

After dedicating 13 years to my family's business, I decided to venture into corporate finance for another 2 years. It was then that I realized that I could no longer keep wondering, "What if...?".

Therefore, I gathered my courage and embarked on my journey into programming. Since January, I have been learning HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and ReactJS. I received words of encouragement from both people within the tech industry and outside. However, the path is not as glossy as it may seem.

Along the way, you're met with a plethora of doubts and uncertainties. You start questioning your abilities, skills, and comprehension capacity. You even begin to doubt if you'll ever reach your destination.

Despite the roadblocks, it's important to maintain resilience. As James Clear emphasizes in his book "Atomic Habits", the world favors those who consistently make an effort, even when they don't feel up to it.

We all desire significant progress within a day or a week. But what truly matters is the daily 1% improvement. It's essential not to compare your journey with others, everyone progresses at their own pace.

The goal is simple: Be better today than you were yesterday!

Some days will be radiant, with everything falling into place, and some will be overcast, with seemingly insurmountable challenges. Yet, it's essential to stay persistent, practice regularly, and keep applying for internships and entry-level positions.

You may grapple with feelings of inadequacy, discouragement, or even a complete loss of hope. During such times, going for a walk, meditating, or discussing your feelings with a friend or loved one can be beneficial.

Then, you must return to your computer and continue coding. Maintaining routines can significantly aid your progress; they provide a sense of security and promote better performance. This could range from taking a short nap post work or having a comprehensive daily routine like stretching, breakfast, coding, walking, lunch, more coding, and then engaging in some physical exercise in the evening.

So, don't lose heart, remember that you are not alone in this journey!

This is the essence of iCodeThis: bringing together individuals embarking on the same journey. It's like a train filled with diverse yet similar-minded individuals all heading towards a shared destination.

It's not about how fast you get there; consistency and community are what matter. The platform provides direction, purpose, and exciting challenges to practically enhance your coding skills. And that's all that really counts. It's about having someone to turn to when you're at a crossroads and sharing your progress with them.

Join our Discord if you want to be part of the community!