Choosing to learn tech on your own is a big decision, and for you to achieve the result you want and get the skills needed to succeed in the industry, you need to stay motivated and determined.
There are a lot of resources, YouTube videos, and opinions out there, and if you’re not careful, you might feel choked, overwhelmed, stuck, and frustrated. You need to find ways to keep your fire burning, even on the days when you just don’t feel like it.
Here are five simple strategies that can help you stay on track and keep your energy up as you keep going.
1. Find a Mentor and Community: The first step is finding a mentor, someone who can guide you through the process and point you to the right resources. Your mentor should be someone you feel comfortable reaching out to when you’re stuck. You should also join online communities where you can easily ask for advice. Being part of a group will encourage you especially if you keep seeing people succeed in the industry you are about to join.
2. Find a Roadmap: For someone who is new to the industry and has no idea about the necessary skills to get, having a roadmap can be really helpful. This is where having a mentor or community come in handy, they can help you figure out your roadmap. You can also do your research to find out the important skills you need, the best places to learn them, and where to get other resources. This will serve as a guide in your learning journey and will stop you from trying to learn everything all at once. It is very important to start from the fundamentals, it will help you in the long run.
3. Create a Routine and Stick to it: It is very easy to get distracted when you learn on your own without any guidance. This is why it is important for you to set a routine that will help you structure your learning. For instance, you can decide to study for one hour every morning and another in the evening. This routine will make you more consistent and help you stay on track. It would also help if you have a goal you intend to achieve at the end of each day. It can be something as simple as learning how to use a particular component or how to build a simple webpage. Those small goals will help you stay motivated.
4. Focus on Why You Started: Always remember why you decided to learn tech in the first place. Was it because you wanted to change careers? Gain a new skill? Or start your own company? Holding on to that reason will serve as a reminder for you on the days when you feel like giving up. You can write down your reasons on a paper or card and stick it somewhere you can see it all the time. It can be on your computer, wardrobe, or even your bathroom mirror. This way, you can always remind yourself of your bigger goal.
5. Find an Accountability Partner: Just like the word, an accountability partner will help hold you accountable. The person could be someone who is also on a learning journey like you. Your partner can check in from time to time, ask how things are going, and even motivate you when you’re feeling stuck. Knowing that someone is there to check on your progress can give you that extra push to stay focused and keep going.
When it comes to learning on your own, you have to find what works best for you and use it to stay consistent. You can consider switching your learning methods, for example, you can watch a tutorial today and the next day you read a blog post. Each day, try to work on the things you’ve learned and apply them to a real-life scenario. Seeing how far you have come and achieved will remind you that you are making real progress which will help you stay focused.
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