I Quit Coding
It's not for me
Last year, I made a video about how I wanted to learn to code. I said that if I learned how to become a full-stack web developer, I could get a fully remote job and travel the world. Now, although I never dreamed of becoming a web developer, I’ve always dreamed of traveling the world.
Unfortunately, after giving it my all for a full year, I’ve decided to quit learning how to code. It hasn’t been for nothing, since I’ve now learned the skills to maintain my own website. But I don’t see myself coding for a living. The plain and simple reason is that I think coding is incredibly boring.
My Coding Journey
I started with The Odin Project, which I eventually quit because I just couldn’t stand how boring it was. Then I went on my merry way and did some projects of my own—all of which I dropped, because again, I found them boring.
After taking a break, I started a FreeCodeCamp course called the Certified Full-Stack Developer Curriculum and worked really hard on it. I remember being so proud of myself every time I solved something difficult. But that proud feeling whenever I completed a task eventually turned into relief—and then boredom. I can’t explain how boring FreeCodeCamp got after a while.
Many people online told me to just do projects in order to enjoy coding again. But even that didn’t bring back the spark I needed. And so, I’ve now officially decided to call it quits. Giving something a full year of your time should be enough to figure out whether you like it or not.
It's okay to quit
The problem with me is that I have a hard time letting things go. Heck, I even made a video about this in the past. When I do something, I don’t just want to do it well—I want to achieve that goal no matter what. This might sound like a good thing, but in reality, it really isn’t. Having a bit of grit is a good thing, sure. But never giving up no matter what is not the right move.
There are many reasons to give up on something. Sure, some reasons are bad. But I can think of plenty of good reasons why a person should give up on a goal. If you don’t enjoy something, then try to let it go.
For me, that was my job—and now also the dream of working fully remote as a web developer. The chances of me actually doing that are basically zero. And that’s fine. I’m okay with it.
One goal at a time
Instead of worrying so much about doing it “right,” I’ve decided to just drift for a bit. Instead of setting huge goals that span multiple years, I’ve decided to set smaller ones. My first goal is to go on vacation to Japan in October this year. I haven’t been to Japan for a couple of years now, and I’ve been itching to go back. And guess what? That’s my only goal for now. Once I get back from Japan, I’ll set another goal. Only time will tell what that goal will be.
For years, I felt like I had to achieve something great—something that made my time on this planet worthwhile. Something that would prove I’m not just winging it. But recently, I’ve started to notice that I don’t need to bother myself with that. I don’t have to prove anything—not even to myself. My goal right now is to become happy and satisfied with life and with who I am.