Learning to code is like starting a new workout routine—you’re excited at first, but then reality hits. You get stuck, frustrated, and start wondering if you’re even cut out for it. The good news? You’re not alone, and it’s 100% normal. I’ve talked to a bunch of developers, and every single one has a story about feeling completely lost at some point. Let me share a few things I’ve learned—from both my own experience and theirs—about staying motivated when coding gets tough.

The hardest moments are actually a good sign and here’s why.

If you’ve been at it for a few months and feel like you’re constantly hitting a wall, congratulations—you’ve officially entered the “toughening-up phase.” Most beginners hit their first real challenge within the first 3–6 months. I remember a friend telling me about the moment they nearly quit—they’d spent three days trying to fix a broken script that turned out to be caused by a single typo. “I actually cried,” they said, laughing now. “But after that, nothing scared me as much.”

Here are a few common hurdles and why they’re not as bad as they seem:

1. Imposter Syndrome: You see experienced devs talking about multi-threading, and you think, I’ll never get there. Spoiler: They started with Hello World, just like you.
2. Information Overload: A friend once joked, “There are more programming languages than days I’ve been alive!” It feels like you need to learn everything, but trust me—you don’t. Start with one thing and build from there.
3. The Debugging Black Hole: Spending hours (or days) fixing bugs is like a rite of passage. One developer I spoke to said, “The day I solved my first tricky bug, I felt like a superhero. It was worth every second of frustration.”

And here’s something that surprised me: those hard moments are actually good. They mean you’re pushing yourself, and that’s when real learning happens.

Ah, the classic paradox: you need experience to get a job, but you need a job to get experience. If you’re stuck here, know that every developer you look up to has been in your shoes. I’ve heard so many stories of people breaking through this barrier in creative ways, and here’s what worked for them:

1. Build Small but Useful Projects: One guy I know built a simple app to track his coffee expenses because he was spending way too much at cafés. It wasn’t fancy, but it showed his skills. Employers love seeing practical examples like that.
2. Contribute to Open Source: Another friend shared how they started fixing typos in documentation for a big project. Eventually, they worked their way up to actual code contributions, and that’s what landed them their first interview.
3. Freelance for Fun (and Learning): A former coworker told me about how they took on tiny freelance gigs while learning. “I got paid peanuts to fix a local shop’s website,” they said, “but I learned more doing that than in months of tutorials.”
4. Network, Network, Network: One of my mentors once said, “Most people get jobs because they know someone, not because they’re the best coder in the room.” Go to meetups, comment on forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to people for advice.

You’ve probably heard advice like “Set goals” and “Celebrate wins” a hundred times. It’s not bad advice, but let’s make it more relatable:

1. Find What Clicks for You: A developer I met at a conference shared how they hated coding until they built a tool to prank their friends by sending random text messages. “That project kept me up all night—I loved it,” they said. The lesson? Work on something you care about.
2. Laugh at Your Struggles: One beginner I spoke with told me how they accidentally wrote a program that spammed their own inbox with 1,000 emails. Instead of quitting, they laughed it off—and fixed the bug. Mistakes are hilarious in hindsight.
3. Track the Journey: I’ve been journaling my coding progress for months now. Even when I feel like I’m not getting anywhere, flipping back to see how much I’ve learned gives me a boost. One developer I know takes screenshots of their projects at different stages—it’s like a progress photo for fitness, but for code.
4. Avoid Tutorial Overload: “I spent a whole month just watching tutorials,” one friend admitted, “and then I couldn’t even write a basic program.” Balance learning with doing. For every hour of tutorials, spend an hour coding something on your own.
5. Join a Community: Whether it’s Reddit, a local group, or even a Discord server, having people to share your wins and frustrations with can make all the difference. One guy I know said his coding group became like a second family—they even celebrated his first job offer together!

If you’re aiming for the long haul, here’s what experienced developers swear by:

• Stick to the Basics: Frameworks come and go, but understanding things like loops, conditionals, and data structures is forever. One senior dev told me, “The flashy stuff is fun, but the basics are what get you hired.”
• Learn Problem-Solving: Coding isn’t about memorizing syntax—it’s about thinking through problems. Sites like LeetCode are great, but even puzzles or board games can sharpen your logic skills.

And most importantly, be patient. One developer I interviewed said, “I thought I’d be job-ready in six months. It took me over a year, but now I realize that’s totally normal. Good things take time.”

Every coder I’ve talked to has said the same thing: the toughest moments are where you grow the most. When you feel like quitting, take a break—but don’t give up. One day, you’ll look back at all the bugs, frustrations, and late nights and realize they were stepping stones to where you are now.

So, whether you’re debugging your first program or tackling a complex project, remember: you’ve got this. Keep coding, keep learning, and don’t forget to enjoy the ride!