Shiny Object Syndrome When Learning to Program

I started learning to program four years ago, and it has been an exciting yet challenging journey. I found my progress hampered by “shiny object syndrome,” where I frequently chased the latest technologies and trending programming languages touted online. This often led to continual learning without making significant progress.

Initially, I began with HTML and CSS, which were relatively straightforward. When I moved on to JavaScript, I faced significant challenges and eventually took a break from programming. I doubted my abilities and switched to Swift and iOS development, only to encounter similar hurdles.

My breakthrough came with Ruby, a language I knew from Shopify and that my current employer uses. With Ruby, programming became enjoyable. It taught me to think like a programmer, breaking down complex problems into solvable parts.

From there I took a course of React and Next.js which I saw to completion and haven't looked back.

The choice of programming language is less important than committing to learn it thoroughly. The journey is difficult, but staying focused is essential for personal growth. Once you understand the basics of programming, you can more easily learn any new language.