How to Transition from Tutorial Dependency to Active Problem Solving

At some point in your journey to learning a new skill or programming language, there comes a realization:

You possess the knowledge necessary to embark on the project you have in mind.

You don’t need to be a JavaScript expert to build an application. Mastering the basics and having the determination to overcome challenges is all it takes.

Having a personal project that you deeply care about becomes the ultimate motivation to overcome the inevitable stumbling blocks along the way.

As someone who avidly listens to podcasts, I particularly enjoy episodes where individuals describe their journey from absolute beginners to launching a product. More often than not, they acquire the necessary skills exactly when they need them, without unnecessarily delving into excessive preparation.

Overcoming Challenges

Now, how do you overcome the problems you’ll encounter? The answer is simple: Use Google. Google is your closest ally. Throughout my 10 years of professional development experience, I have always relied on Google and Stack Overflow to find answers to my questions.

However, it’s important to remember that Google is merely a tool—a machine that locates relevant pages based on your search keywords. And Stack Overflow is a web application that depends on the active participation of countless developers who graciously devote their time to provide answers.

Behind these platforms, millions of developers have taken the time to write informative blog posts or contribute to Stack Overflow threads by answering questions and sharing knowledge.

The Bitter Truth

As someone who contributes to the vast informational ocean on the internet by writing a tutorial every day on this blog, I can assure you of one thing: You will never cease reading tutorials. Why? Because technology is in a constant state of flux.

What is widely used today may be deemed outdated and obsolete in 10 years’ time. We have seen this happen with technologies like jQuery, Angular 1.0, and XHTML.

Moreover, your needs will perpetually evolve.

The knowledge you acquire today will serve as the foundation for building something even more impressive tomorrow.

However, don’t let the pursuit of knowledge overshadow your progress as a creator. The most valuable skill you can develop is not merely making the code work; it’s about utilizing the code to craft something remarkable.

Build something that fills you with pride, and start building today.

Tags: tutorial purgatory, learning process, personal projects, problem-solving, Google, Stack Overflow, acquiring skills, overcoming challenges, staying updated, technology changes, pride in creation