We don't celebrate what we've got and we criticise what we don't have.

You are capable.

How to start

The day I started dedicating myself to learning web development, I did not know how to start. I began by looking for answers on what is the best programming language to learn. Right off the bat I was bombarded with a lot of opinionated articles and I was not able to find a definitive answer to my question.

Clearly, every programming language has its own pros and cons and a definitive answer as to what the perfect programming language is does not exist.

After going through lots of articles and statistical graphs, I decided I want to be a Front-End developer.

This is when I came across JavaScript & ReactJS.

JavaScript

Focus on learning one thing at a time.

I recommend these courses to everyone (even when you have completely no experience in coding). They cost less than $15 each and are really worth your money and time.

I started learning all the basics in web development through the first course (first one on the left) which I completed in 4 months while having a full time job. I spent extra hours everyday mostly after work to finish 1-3 videos everyday. I also spend most of my weekends studying.

Learning takes time and you will encounter lots of confusing things and that's normal. Don't be discouraged. Take breaks. Always keep your mind focused to your goal.

Job hunting

After finishing my first course I started updating my LinkedIn profile. I searched job ad sites for opportunities. I applied to several companies which I think I could be a good fit. With no luck, no one responded to my applications.

It felt so bad that no one would even want to give me a chance for an interview. But I was so committed that giving up was not an option. I continued to enhance my JS skill sets by joining coding challenges and building my own web portfolio.

Things started to change when my LinkedIn profile started to be discovered by potential employers. I was getting a number of calls/messages per day from companies looking for web developers.

I failed some interviews but I managed to convince two companies that I was the right man for the job. I gotta say, it was absolutely a nice feeling to see results from all the hard work I've put through this year.

On to the next goal

Right now I work as a Full Stack Developer for a startup company. We are trying to build the product platform from the ground up which is a dream job for me. The sense of ownership, achievement and the feeling of fulfilment that comes from being a part of building things that would actually improve people's lives is undeniably exciting. It's still in the early phase of development but I can't wait to see the end product.

There are still plenty of things I have to learn. Now, I'm taking my time to be thankful that I am already being mentored by more seasoned developers.

This is just the beginning. Who knows what the future holds for us if we keep pushing and believe in ourselves.

It is absolutely mind-blowing to see how much we are capable of.

We just have to get started.

Say yes now and figure out later. Don't let your inability to be perfect prevent you from starting.

Always remember,

YOU ARE CAPABLE.

Suggested read: How to Hire a Great Web Developer