I'm stuck - need advices

Hi to all guys, I am a programmer (but I don’t consider myself that yet) who attended an ITS course, but I only have more confusion in my head because I saw different languages ​​(Java, c #, Python, Javascript, a little php and SQL), I’m not a graduate in Computer Science or Computer Engineering, I’m currently in an internship, which I don’t like because they don’t teach me anything about “business processes”. In the dead periods, I make several challenges on Codewars or Hackerrank but I immediately look at the solution without putting myself on the line. I’m also doing simple projects but most of the time I get stuck without combining anything. I tried different solutions: read the books, watch the tutorials and do more exercises, but I always find myself the starting point or more confusion in the head. I like to plan and make more complex projects than to write on the console the sum of two numbers, but little by little I’m realizing that maybe it’s not my way. Sorry for the outburst and if it’s not relevant, but I need answers to better understand my way.

I think couple simple questions could help here:

  1. Who are my heroes?
  2. What videos does youtube suggest to me?
  3. What are my favorite TV series?
  4. What brought me to freeCodeCamp forum to post this?

Hi @snigo,
I don’t understand your questions,but if I answer your questions , I don’t know honestly about three first questions and I publish this post because I feel that I’m not doing a good job to learn coding and computer science stuff.
I need for help to understand if coding is my way or not.

If I to answer them:

  1. My heroes are Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg
  2. Most of the videos youtube suggests are tech/computing related
  3. My favorite shows are Mr. Robot and Silicon Valley

    n. My brightest memory from childhood is when my dad brought home computer in 1997

And even though professionally I’m music producer, I know exactly the place of coding in my life

Unfortunately I don’t think I have heroes, in my suggested videos there is no regard for programming and I don’t watch TV series related to programming.
My first approach to a computer was with a computer when I was a child, but I played videogames.

The point isn’t really about particular things but rather any things that will signal about the presence of a passion. “You won’t be able to succeed without passion" - don’t you find suspicious that everyone keep repeating this same phrase? On other hand, you can also reverse this question: what’s the point of doing something without being able to succeed?

I wish you to find your passion and your heroes!

If you’re looking for direction, I found a book called “What Color Is Your Parachute?” helpful. I was in a really great job situation except … it wasn’t working… it’s bad when you find the perfect job and you can’t do it :wink:

That book had me telling stories and answering questions that helped me find ways to move forward.

why do you look at the solutions?
do you fear challenging yourself?

I challenge you, just once, take a challenge on CodeWars or HackerRank
Try to understand what is the desired output, look at the tests, look at the description and instructions. Then try to explain how you would go from the input to the output to your (maybe imaginary) five year old sibling so that they could do it to - if necessary you can talk to your duck.
Once you are able to do that, put it on paper step by step, and now, only now you can open your code editor and transform it in an algorithm in your language of choice (and it is fine not knowing how to do that, you can research and ask for help as needed)
Whatever happens, do not look at the solution!


If you like this technique, you will need to practice it, and you will be able to apply it to any problem you will find yourself confronting, but you will need to try.

You may also not be able to really explain an algorithm in its simplest steps at the first try, it’s not easy to do if you have never done it before.


You can do it, but you need to try.


And if you did it once and don’t want to do it again, well, that’s fine too. It’s your choice, but you tried and succeeded in the challenge.


Being stuck in a limbo like that, I understand a bit, after years of feeling lost and stuck in the way of life, I decided to go for therapy. I can’t say the effect as I am still in waiting list, but you could consider it.


I challenge you because any small challenge you have success in, it is a small boost to your self-esteem, and that can help a lot.

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