Escape Tutorial Hell Now!!!
For as long as I can remember, I have always been stuck in tutorial hell. The first course I ever took was a JavaScript course that I bought on Udemy during the pandemic, in an effort to learn a skill that I've always been interested in.
However, that course was in disguise, an entry to the gates of tutorial hell. Now don't get me wrong, courses and tutorials are great in getting you started and learning the basics, but they are also an easy trap to fall into. A trap that keeps you from actually being able to build something on your own.
I've been stuck in tutorial hell for years, feeling terrible with nothing to show for what I had spent hours on. I've only recently been able to escape it. Creating this personal website on my own, although simple, was a pivotal turning point for this. I learned a lot of things along the way, and I want to share them with you so that you can avoid the same mistakes I made, or even climb out of tutorial hell if you've already fallen in.
1. Stop Consuming!
The first step to escaping tutorial hell is to stop buying these courses with your precious money. It's easy to get caught up in the cycle of buying courses and watching tutorials, but it's important to remember that the best way to learn is by doing.
“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
You can watch all the tutorials in the world, but if you don't actually start building something on your own, you'll never be able to.
However, it is important to note that tutorials and courses are not completely useless. You should look for tutorials that teach you the very basics of the language or framework you're trying to learn. Don't go for courses that are 50 hours long. Also don't let courses with projects fool you either. It may be 'project-based' learning, but you're still following along with the instructor 75% of the time, and not solving problems on your own.
Learn the very basics and move on. Different projects require different skills and knowledge - don't try to learn everything before getting started.
2. Start Building and Start Small
Start building small projects! Take the time to think of a project that you're interested in and start building it. Might be a simple, static blog site like this one, or a to-do list app. Not only will you learn a lot more because you have to solve problems on your own, but it's so so much more enjoyable. Time flies when you're building something you're interested in.
On the other hand... when I'm following a tutorial, I'm falling sleep after 5 minutes. I'm not engaged, I'm not learning, I'm just following along. It's a waste of time.
3. Increase Complexity and Embrace the Unknown
Move on to more complex projects. Add a database. Add authentication. Add a payment system.
It can be scary to start building something you have no idea how to do. But that's the best way to learn and evolve. You'll be forced to Google things, read documentation, and ask questions on forums. Take your time and enjoy the process!
Follow these steps and you'll be well on your way to escaping tutorial hell. Remember, the best way to learn is by doing. These were the steps I followed exactly, and programming has never been more enjoyable for me. I hope you can find the same joy in building things on your own.
Good luck!
George