How you can learn Rails…

Something that has really impressed me thus far in my journey into learning web development, is the incredible amount of information out there. I mean it is beyond impressive! What I love about this community is how open and willing people are to share with one another. However, when you are just starting out, this can all seem a bit overwhelming. I have come across countless blogs, tutorials, screencasts, books, .pdf’s, youtube videos, etc. So how does one begin to navigate this endless sea of information? You begin…

One thing I have yet to hear anyone talking about so far on my own journey, is the concept of knowing how you learn. Have you ever taken some time to consider this? Learning how you learn is crucial to making the most of your time and getting the most out of all of this information surrounding you. The key to learning rails, web development, or frankly anything new is that their is no key. It is going to take time, how long it takes, well… that is up to you.

After reading a chapter, watching a video, reading a blog, etc., take a moment and reflect and ask yourself what have I just learned from this? If it takes you a while to answer that question, the answer is not much. However that might not exactly be true. Let’s take a walk together.

Often times when we learn new things, it takes a little while for our brains to process this new information. I like to think of my brain as being a vast library. Most of its contents are old, outdated, and should probably be thrown out; seriously, it’s a mess. When we take in new information, the brain has to make room for it. Things need to be pushed to the side, shelves dusted, and organized to make some room for this new thing. This process takes time. Often times too, what I have noticed is that I might not immediately grasp a concept, and most of the time I don’t, however a little later on that once “new thing” comes into focus.

Something to consider is that you actually are learning these new things, however you brain doesn’t have quick access to them like people further along that you. The “experts,” had to go through the same pains and experiences that you are going through right now. They have learned the same things as us, however their knowledge is ‘indexed’ and they can access it much faster than we can.

One of my greatest passions in life is music. I have been a musician for over 15 years now. I cannot tell you how many people I have met who have said something along the lines of, “I would really love to be able to play an instrument.” Which to me, always sounded absurd. Truth is, anyone can play an instrument, but somehow we tend to over emphasize the whole ‘talent’ thing. Truth is, talent is nonsense. Sure, it helps, but it will only get you so far. The people who become virtuosos work at it several hours a day for decades! When you and I see pictures of glaciers, we are only seeing the peak, what exists above water. Underneath , a glacier is massive! The foundation is what really counts, and foundations take time to build. This holds true for virtuosos and experts in any given field. “We never see the 10,000 hours.” We simply see the result of them.

So you may be asking yourself, “when exactly are you going to begin telling me how I can learn rails?” The truth is, I’m not going to. I can’t really do such a thing. In fact no one can truly teach you anything. I cannot physically implant knowledge into your brain, you have to do that. All of your teachers throughout your entire life haven’t taught you anything, they simply showed things to you. You had to take what was being shown to you and choose whether or not to make it knowledge. You know the expression, “in one ear and out the other.” Information is passive, in order for it to become knowledge, you have to engage it and make it active. Otherwise it just goes on by.

I think understanding these concepts is incredibly important, and should be taken into serious consideration. By having a different perspective on the things you are learning, you retain them more efficiently and effectively. You can also think I am completely insane or an idiot, and ignore all of this too. It’s up to you. However, I think after taking some time to reflect on all of this you will find some truth to these words.

I am still very much early on in my journey to learning web development, and I by no means have all of the answers. However some of these ideas I have taken with me into this new world I am exploring from my past and certainly from my experience in music. It all relates and builds upon itself. I hope that after reading this, you find yourself asking more questions. If you are confused that is a good thing. Now learning can truly begin…