One of the best decisions I’ve ever made was to start consistently working on side projects.
4 years ago this was starting YouTube, and just a few months ago it was building a reusable code template for building apps.
This habit led me to work on my first startup, Creator Kiwi, which I'm building outside of a full-time job and am super close to launching.
In today’s world there’s an infinite amount of information about almost any topic you want to learn.
It’s incredibly valuable but it also makes it overwhelming as a beginner to get started.
When there’s thousands of tutorials and articles on a topic, it feels like you have to get through all of them to learn a skill.
I wasted years when I was trying to learn how to code by only ever coding along with tutorials, never attempting to build something from scratch.
This approach gives you the illusion of progress without anything to show for it.
The most effective method of learning I’ve found is to consume the minimum amount of information you need to start, then start applying what you learned in a real-world project.
This forces you to think about the skill differently and without having your hand held my an instructor.
When you inevitably get stuck on something, you’re free to use Google, YouTube, or even AI to help you.
I’ve found AI the most helpful for higher level questions like best practices and to point me to resources specific to the problem I’m struggling with.
I think the reason this approach has worked so well for me is it’s the perfect balance of difficulty.
When I understand the problem I’m solving and can map out the solution in my head, building feels effortless.
Getting to experience the idea in your head manifest into something you can interact with in the real world is addictive.
Learning to enjoy the roadblocks is where the most growth occurs.
It’s what balances the enjoyment of knowing what you’re doing and feeling a sense of progress.
When you work on a project that doesn’t challenge you, it’s unsurprising that you’d get bored of it.
The final element of this workflow is leaning into when you naturally have the most energy.
I’ve found I get my best work done in the morning, so I try to wake up as early as I can and get started as soon after my eyes open as possible.
The time of day where you feel the most inspired and creative is the perfect time to work on your own projects.
If you have other responsibilities during those times, the next best approach is choosing a time you can consistently show up.
I wasn’t always a ‘morning person’, but my schedule for the past couple of years has made it the best time of day to get things done.
Have a great week.
Cole
P.S. Let me know the tip that helped you the most (doesn’t have to be one I mentioned). I read every reply.
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