How did/do you keep yourself motivated to learn programming?

[♥ Decepticon ♥]

Hey all!

A few years ago I started an undergrad in programming, because it's been something I enjoyed learning as a high schooler. I didn't get very far into it for many reasons, one of them being that I found myself disliking programming as a chore, and would hate working with programming. I could only really get into it by being a hobby. Cue to present time, I'm thinking about going back into programming for some side projects of mine (mostly, I'm thinking of publishing my creative projects as interactive titles, similar to VNs but without graphics, as I can't draw), but I can't seem to focus on it without having some motivation... More specifically, I need something that will give me results while I'm learning (like with college, I only ever get motivated to study if there's something like an exam or an essay that I have to work on).

I've been thinking of learning python, and what helped me with the basics a while ago was messing around with a Visual Novel engine to make the bare bones of a graphical interface (by editing the premades, I'm FAR from being able to code something like this by myself LOL).

I'm curious to know how other people feel motivated to learn something - in this case programming, specifically. So, how did you/do you get yourself motivated to learn programming?

(sorry if this isn't the right section for this thread! i was torn between here and general programming...)

[kittyray]

I struggled a bit in my formal CS education, also for a number of reasons, though I did make it to the end. I often like to preach about code being a medium that can be flexed in a lot of different ways. It's totally valid to enjoy programming, but hate the academia side of things or to hate doing it as a job/career (and even that can vary job to job).

If you're interested in creative side projects, there are programs out there that have creativity-focused approaches to programming/code. I've taken several classes through (you need an account to see links) and they're a really incredible program. There are also spaces like Pioneer Works in Brooklyn and Grey Area in San Francisco. If you're self-motivated for things you actually care about, something like the (you need an account to see links) might work for you.

Sorry if throwing a bunch of organizations at you isn't helpful, I sometimes struggle with motivation even when I care deeply about something these days, but I will say that looking at shit that inspires me helps.

[♥ Decepticon ♥]

I struggled a bit in my formal CS education, also for a number of reasons, though I did make it to the end. I often like to preach about code being a medium that can be flexed in a lot of different ways. It's totally valid to enjoy programming, but hate the academia side of things or to hate doing it as a job/career (and even that can vary job to job).

If you're interested in creative side projects, there are programs out there that have creativity-focused approaches to programming/code. I've taken several classes through (you need an account to see links) and they're a really incredible program. There are also spaces like Pioneer Works in Brooklyn and Grey Area in San Francisco. If you're self-motivated for things you actually care about, something like the (you need an account to see links) might work for you.

Sorry if throwing a bunch of organizations at you isn't helpful, I sometimes struggle with motivation even when I care deeply about something these days, but I will say that looking at shit that inspires me helps.

I didn't know these organizations and I actually really loved learning about SFPC in particular! I really loved their premise of interdisciplinary study. Thank you for sharing!

I can relate with struggling with motivation - I've always loved creative projects, but I honestly have such a hard time to stay commited and motivated... Inspiration is also a great help for me.

[kittyray]

I didn't know these organizations and I actually really loved learning about SFPC in particular! I really loved their premise of interdisciplinary study. Thank you for sharing!

I can relate with struggling with motivation - I've always loved creative projects, but I honestly have such a hard time to stay commited and motivated... Inspiration is also a great help for me.

Oh, I'm so glad it resonated with you. It's a program I really want to get more involved with and wish I had unlimited money so I could just constantly take classes. If you have more specific questions about my experience with it or anything, feel free to DM me!

[DarkSkies]

Damn mobile just ate my answer! Here we go... Again xD

For me it was college and job, both answers you probably didn't want to hear sorry lol

Still whatever I know about programming is scraping on the surface, all my jobs required me to use different languages and different stuff which allowed me to jump into diversity but at the same time didn't let me go deeper into specifics or expertise.

While I like programming and learning new stuff, most knowledge comes from my experience so at the end of the day I rely a lot on google or trying to understand what my programming coworkers have done so I can do it too.

Last year I did the free CS50 introduction to computer science course because I really wanted to learn the program basics that I never got. Videos there were time consuming but I don't regret it, really helped me to land things I somehow knew but couldn't comprehend well.

I was pondering if moving onto Odin Project which is frontend approach, but I'm more of a backend person I guess so possibly I'll take a different path.

I also tried hackerrank and leetcode a bit (I'm terrible at mathematical solving haha) which are good as practices too.

I remember seeing a free page about code challenges somewhere but I can't remember the name.

Very interested on others feedback so not me lurking this thread

[Nyu]

Not sure if it helps, but in my case, I'm kinda addicted to the feeling of finally being able to make an idea reality, when you finally achieve what you were after.
It's the little wins that keep me going.

There are also days when I feel like I'm not enough just because I can't make something work (Imposter syndrome hits hard) but when I can finally get it work, it's amazing!
And as a plus, I get the experience to make it faster and better next time.

The thing is, programming isn't for everyone and that's ok, everyone has different likes.
I know I'm not really good with people, so I don't think I could ever work in customer service...
But I enjoy programming c:

[♥ Rattata ♥]

tbh, the thing that kept me motivated to learn how to code, was actually working towards an end product. Like, I learnt php so that I could code a simple CMS for my old website. I learnt actionscript to code flash games for subeta (im ollld), and I kept up with c# and js because work paid me to learn them lol

I think it's good to start with a simple end goal that's achievable and then you can branch out from there depending on how deep you want to get into it

smh I started coding for fun and now it's my job and i have to touch computers every day, ew


e: essentially what @(you need an account to see links) said, that's some good advice right there

[Vis]

So I don't have nearly the amount of programming chops as everyone else who replied but I think there's something to be said about motivation in learning, hope you don't mind seeing my two cents.

The thing helping me stay committed to learning programming is reframing what motivation means. Like maybe what I'm about to describe sounds incredibly obvious to you but it took me a while to realise... and afterward things felt easier.

Motivation TOWARDS things doesn't work for me. I am curious and interested, enjoy breaking things to see how they work, love chasing the good feeling you get when you suddenly understand something new and how it fits in with other concepts. Despite all of that, this kind of motivation just doesn't make me sit down and start which is kind of embarrassing because it seems to work for others so why not me, right

But motivation AWAY FROM things somehow lights a fire under my butt. I had zero experience programming from school or uni but one day just got fed up by rote tasks at my first job. Time to learn to automate them! But the first solutions were inflexible and inconsistent. Time to repurpose them to fit into multiple workflows! But now the client wants something we don't have a tool for and have to do manually ugh... Guess I'll learn to make something for that too!

It's like I'm constantly running away from pain lol. But as soon as the Away From forces me to move, the Towards takes over and keeps me going. If this resonates with you at all, first thank god I'm not alone 😂 second you might try flipping the script, like instead of moving towards X you move away from Y instead when working on your project.

They both have the same outcome at the end.