Consistency Over Intensity: The Slow and Steady Approach to Learning to Code

Coding is a skill, much like learning to play an instrument or speak a new language.

Now, imagine you're trying to learn to play the guitar. Would you improve by practicing intensely for 12 hours in one day and then not touching it again for a month?

Or do you think you would you progress more by practicing for 30 minutes every day, consistently over that same month?

Most likely, the latter approach will lead to more growth and understanding.

Here are some reasons to reassure you that your small steps every day will lead to success:

Why Consistency Matters

Better Knowledge Retention: Just as our bodies benefit more from eating smaller meals throughout the day rather than one big meal, our brain benefits from regular, short bursts of learning. When you practice coding consistently, you feed your brain a little bit daily, allowing it to process and retain information better. Remember how when you crammed for exams, and as soon as you walked out, you forgot everything on the topic? Yeah, we want to avoid that!

Building Habits: When you code daily, even if it's just for a short time, you build a habit. Habits are powerful. Once established, they require less effort to maintain. They become part of your routine, ensuring that you keep moving forward.

Avoiding Burnout: Intense, long coding sessions can lead to frustration and burnout. But when you spread out your learning, you give yourself time to process, ask questions, and return refreshed. I know you want all of the knowledge now, but I promise it'll stick and be a much more enjoyable journey if you don't overdo it.

Progress Tracking: When you work on something daily, you can see your progress more clearly. It’s like watching a plant grow. You might not notice the growth every day, but over weeks and months, you can see a significant difference.

Think of learning to code like growing a plant. If you pour a bucket of water on it once and then leave it for weeks without attention, the plant might drown or dry out.

But if you give it a little water consistently, it will thrive and grow steadily.

Consistency is the secret sauce when learning to code.

So, the next time you're tempted to cram in an intense coding session, remember the plant. Just like it thrives with regular care and attention, so will your coding skills with consistent practice.

Choose steady growth over short bursts, and you'll find the journey of learning to code both rewarding and sustainable.