Getting Addicted to Coding – KDnuggets

Are you feeling stuck in a programming course or struggling to find motivation to learn coding? Let’s change that and get you hopelessly addicted to coding – in a good way! This guide is different from boring theoretical lectures and the outdated “code by rule” approach. By following a few simple steps, you can improve your programming skills, become proficient at solving problems, and even start earning money along the way.

1. Start Small and Celebrate Wins

 
After learning the basics of a programming language like Python, dive into coding the small projects that interest you. Whether it’s a simple calculator or a basic web app, start with something manageable. Celebrate each milestone—every successful line of code is a step forward. This will build your confidence and keep you motivated.

2. Gamify Your Learning

 
Turn learning into a game. Use Interactive learning platforms like Codecademy or DataCamp, where you earn points and badges for completing exercises. Moreover, you get to learn from coding exercises, projects, and quizzes at the end of each module. Interactive learning is the best way to learn a new programming language if you are completely new to the world of tech. 

3. Challenge Yourself

 
Once you have mastered the core concepts of programming language, push your boundaries. Try solving problems on websites like LeetCode or HackerRank. The thrill of solving complex problems can become addictive, and each solution is a testament to your growing skills. Also, you can share your progress on LinkedIn or any social media website to get recommended by peers and even get a job offer. 

4. Work on a Long Term Project

 
Find a project that aligns with your passions. Whether developing a game, creating a personal blog, or building an app, long-term projects give you a sense of purpose. They also provide a platform to apply your learning and see tangible results over time. Working on a Goodreads application really pushed me and helped me discover a new way to optimize web applications and other aspects of post-deployment. 

5. Share Your Tips

 
Join coding communities online or at your school. Share your experiences, learn from others, and contribute to open-source projects. Teaching others can reinforce your knowledge and help you see coding from different perspectives.

Final Thoughts

Getting addicted to coding is not about forcing yourself to love it immediately. It is about finding your own path, making it relevant to your interests, and building momentum through small successes. Soon enough, you will find yourself thinking about coding problems in the shower and dreaming about algorithms—surprisingly, you will enjoy it!

The main thing is that you will become addicted to a productive activity that will change your logical thinking, help you earn a living, and even build a brand.
 
 

Abid Ali Awan (@1abidaliawan) is a certified data scientist professional who loves building machine learning models. Currently, he is focusing on content creation and writing technical blogs on machine learning and data science technologies. Abid holds a Master’s degree in technology management and a bachelor’s degree in telecommunication engineering. His vision is to build an AI product using a graph neural network for students struggling with mental illness.