How to change your life for the better — or how I taught myself programming from zero to work in six months.
Foreword:
My name is Igor Konovalov, I’m (now) a working as a JavaScript developer in company Unicorn Contractors. A month ago I was a construction worker, working full-time, and I started learning programming only about six months ago. I taught myself to be a programmer in six months, most of this months working full time on very very tiresome job. How did I did that? Because I had a scientific approach, which I would like to share with you. Hope somebody benefits from it!
Immediately I would like to make a reservation that I will consider self-learning in the context of programming, but you can easily replace the word “programming” with “design” or “cooking custard” — the meaning of the message does not change from this. I am sure that the method can be applied in any field of human knowledge. My apologies for misusing english words here and there — I’m still learning.
So, a little about myself and the initial conditions. I was born in Kolpino (a very troubled suburb of St. Petersburg, Russia), in a hard working family, studied at the gymnasium, was interested in English since childhood, entered the university of LETI in Saint Petersburg, successfully dropped him in the second year, after traveling. I traveled for many years, covered more than 120000 kilometers around Asia and Africa by hitch-hiking (this is described in some detail in this my Russian blog-see the calendar since 2006), at some point tried to study at the Faculty of Geography of Saint Petersburg state university, successfully threw it, at another some point stuck in Thailand for 4 seasons.
Almost three years ago I returned to Russia. In general, I conducted a fairly free and dissolved way of life (I do not regret for a second). Money I earned in many ways — seasonal work on construction, a guide and a photographer in Thailand, some time even was a yoga teacher (which causes infinite perplexity now), then I became a professional installer of gypsum stucco. But, at some point, my quality of life began to deteriorate. In part, this was due to the crisis in Russia (for the work at the construction they stopped paying adequately), in part, it was due to increase of my needs — I had a daughter growing up. Now money, which was not so much, was not at all. And not only money — there was no free time, optimism, energy and with no light in the end of tunnel. By spring-summer of 2016, I turned into an embittered, always complaining about life and eternally yearning man. Apparently, the crisis of middle age, or just stupidity led to this tipping point. I came to a state where it’s already impossible to move on without changes, relying only on the usual actions. So the choice was not great: either feel sorry for yourself and watch your life roll into a ditch, or, like a frog in sour cream, fight!
Complicated the situation was that I, like a real hippie, like to think about the action, but do not act — it’s much easier and more pleasant to dream. So I decided to develop a scientific technique — a plan I want to or not, but will follow. In the process of self-learning, the methodology developed and supplemented, and now, finally, I can try to express it in writing.
In fact, everything is very simple. At one side. Actions itself are simple and understandable. On the other hand, everything is very difficult, therefore life is an indirect product of our personality, and to change our life, we have to change ourselves and do it sincerely — and it will not be done without pain.
Stages:
So, conventionally the procedure can be divided into 3 stages or sections. The first is a psychological attitude. Without it — even if you start, you will quit quickly. The second is the approach to learning (this is the simplest one). The third begins when the foundation of the first and second stage is laid — it is a hunt for opportunities.
Stage One:
Let’s start with the first one. The first stage is the most difficult, and although it takes a little action, it should start and go in parallel with everything else. In no case you can ignore the psychological mood — without it nothing happens! The most important thing that you need to do is understand why you need this change. It is very important to focus at this moment on yourself. Healthy selfishness in this stage is what you need. What will give this change to your life? Why do you need it (not Uncle Sam, parents, children or the President) — you? This is very important to understand — and to shift attention from others to yourself, so that later, when it will be difficult and encounter laziness, you could return to this thought — “it’s I, who needs this, so it’s I who need to apply the effort too!”.
The transfer of the goal to yourself is naturally leads to the fact that you stop hoping and expecting something from outer life. The right moment, Santa Claus, justice, interference of Lord Jesus, etc. There is nothing of this — between you now and the changes later the path is laid only by your own efforts, and only you can make them. Here I do not mean a purely selfish approach, when you do not pay attention to anything and start walking on others heads — no. For example, I was helped by the realization that I have a daughter, and I have to raise her, and she needs help. In order for me to do this, I need to be different: to work on another job, to have more free time etc… I need to have money and free time for it, but it is important to understand — it is necessary for me.
Understanding the causes of actions is a super important point, it’s good to use for all in life. To think not only about what is here, what needs to be done, but also about why we need it.
Another important point — you need to focus on the short term — this is easier to reason about. It is better to “go to summer to Europe” than “to fly to Mars”. Imagine that you are climbing mountains, and on the slope there is only one peak that can be seen. Having risen on it you will see another, but not before. The transfer of goal-setting to yourself is an important point, and it should be treated regularly. Starting from yourself you can make your very own efforts and even if them will be at first minimal, they will come from you, and this is very valuable. I’m doing this because I want to be better, and be able to do this and that. This action has a reason, it is inside of me and I do this action from inside of myself too.
From this moment it is possible to smoothly go into the field of motivation — there is a great video from Mattias @mpjme, where he talks about this point. Even if you watched it, take a look again. He says very, very important things. The most important thing I learned from him is that the motivation it’s something that must be internal and not depend on the outside. Otherwise, such an artificial, external motivation will quickly be blown away. You need to rely only on yourself, gentlemen and ladies. As well as be your own authority. Here I can again advise you to read Erich Fromm — Escape from Freedom. Read if you have not read it, and if you have read it, read it again.
Summarizing the question with motivation and psychological mood: shift the focus of attention to yourself, understand why you need it, understand that the secret of success is only in one’s own actions. On the day when it becomes sad — get distracted, take a walk, remember why you are doing this, and most importantly — know that everything depends on you!
And you have to believe in yourself — not having this faith, it will not work. But, I hope, the reader of this article is free from teenage complexes and prejudices, and even if not — the methodology, if he will follow it, will help him. From here we can smoothly go to the second stage —the actions, Job.
Second stage:
Each step in action will bring you closer to the cherished goal and support you in believing in yourself. Comparing your work a month ago and now, you will see positive changes. Actions are very interesting.
What is needed for effective action: I can distinguish two large sections: the first is regularity, the second is action “wisely”. Let’s start in order. If you read the modern theories of neoplasticism (I personally can recommend the book We Are Our Brain )— then it will be obvious to you — to master the skill you need to apply it regularly.
All our skills and knowledge depend on the structure of the brain. There is a certain spread of predisposition, of course there is, but with proper training and proper approach, the brain can be very seriously reconstructed (for example, I was once very impressed with a study of a growth of brain of jugglers. It increases noticeably in volume with prolonged training), but it happens on a physical level —in simple words, understanding is the ability of several areas of the brain to act together. So for them being able to act together, they need a connection — neurons need to physically germinate into each other with their axons, so that the current of thoughts can flow continuously. This relationship is established only in the case when you are trying to do this action, which you are training, and do it regularly — then the body will gradually understand that you need a stronger connection and begin to sprout neurons into each other.
So the habit is formed by brain connections. We, in fact, use habits constantly, but most of us simply do not know how to turn them for good. And at that stage your actions (in my case it was writing programs), is necessary to turn into a habit. Habit, by definition, is something that you do regularly. Regularly write code (or draw, or play the guitar, etc.) and you’ll have a habit — very simple! In the beginning, while the neural connections are still weak, it will be hard, but time will come when you will feel uncomfortable if today you have not done your already familiar action.
It is very good to use some kind of marker of what you did today. Programmers are comfortable, they have a Github — this is such a large code repository. When you load the code there, a green square appears in the calendar instead of gray. The more the additions, the more saturated the color.
There is even such a flash mob — 100 Days Of Code. You write the code every day, 100 days in a row. I did not participate in it myself, but the thing is excellent. Commit to the Github, do something regularly every day, even if it only takes 15 minutes, but every day — and the result will not be long in coming. Regularity of action is the key to success. A great video on this topic is 7 Habits of Highly Effective Artists.
The second moment regarding actions is “smart” action. This is a complex moment and you can not write about it so simply. In general, the point is to look for your weaknesses and cover them — in the future they will slow you down, also use the right literature, language, etc. Here everything is very individual. In a question with JavaScript, you need to constantly keep your hand on the pulse of technology it becomes outdated in months —don’t waste your time to study some kind of Jquery thing, some outdated library or weird syntax. Learn the basic principles, to lay the foundation for the right understanding in the beginning. It’s like a solfeggio for music, it seems not necessary, but without it you can not become a professional.
Also, the basis for programmers is English (if you are not native)— without a good skill at least of reading it is unlikely you can move far.
In general, be critical of what you do and what you are advised to do, and skip everything through a kind of reason filter. Discarding unnecessary information can now even be more useful than finding it. Time is crucial — don’t waste it.
It will be very useful to find people who are already working in the field and ask their advice (treat it still as critically).
Third stage: hunting
From here you can go to the third stage — hunting. I call it a hunt for a reason— variations with a predator sitting in an ambush seems to me the closest metaphor.
The predator is sitting in ambush, he tries to change the smell and approach the victim from the leeward side. He calmly waits for the victim to jump to his feet, without worrying about what is happening and not thinking too much.
Now ambush are your actions. You need to create around them something of a constant halo. People around you need know what you do and that you do it regularly and with effort.
You will be sitting in the environment of your actions, not moving, not knocking down or stopping them. It’s your ambush.
To change the smell is “work for the public” — as mentioned above, others should know what you are doing. Gradually, you will begin to appear with small projects that can be shown — show them, listen to criticism, be active in social networks, make yourself a website — make sure that you are noticed.
And be noticed neither as another slacker, but as a man of regular action. So you change the smell.
Approach from the leeward side is also an action, similar to the previous one — writing a resume and sending it all around. Approach to writing it responsibly — on this account there are 1000000 tutorials on the network, and make a dispatch your habit.
So you create all the necessary conditions, and you will sit in the ideal ambush. Now, only wait. If you did everything right, your prey simply has no way to avoid being caught. There is no other way left. If this does not happen, reconsider your ambush. Maybe you need to change the angle of view, or smell. Cast away fear and uncertainty — this is the lot of herbivores. You’re on the hunt. And when you see the victim — cling to it with a dead grip and do not let go, use all the possibilities, and if it breaks loose, keep quiet waiting, and be even more effective.
Start now, Believe in yourself, use the scientific method, and everything will turn out!
Thank you for reading this long text! I hope, my example will inspire you!
Many thanks to those people, without whom I could not do it.
Immense gratitude and a deep bow to: Anton Krotov, Vladimir Dolgachev, Alexandra Katushkova, Alice Konovalova, Angelina Sazhnova and Pavel Luzanov.
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