Have you ever thought, “How do I learn programming?” If yes, did you then go to YouTube and Google for advice? If you did, you are not alone. Almost every beginner starts there. But let me tell you a secret—your learning journey is in your hands. No one else can do it for you. Yes, you can take guidance from 50 people, but ultimately, you need your own roadmap to learn programming. But WHY?
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Your Goal, Your Path
Suppose you are planning a road trip from Jaipur and want to go to Ladakh. Someone suggests you take the Manali route, while another person says Srinagar is better. But you are the one driving. Only you know how much time you can spend, and whether you want to stop at Shimla for chai.
Learning programming is just like that. Your goal is your Ladakh, and your path is the roadmap you create.
Now, why does this matter? Because only you know your AIM. Maybe you want to get a job at Google, or maybe you dream of building your own app like Byju’s. Whatever it is, you need to break it into stages and milestones that suit your journey. Relying entirely on someone else’s roadmap is like taking directions from a stranger for your own house. They might get you close, but not to the exact door.
Divide and Conquer
You cannot learn everything in one go, and you know this, so I suggest breaking your AIM into small achievements.
1. Set Milestones: Divide your roadmap into clear stages. For example:
- Stage 1: Learn basic programming concepts (variables, loops, functions) (1 month).
- Stage 2: Practice coding problems on platforms like HackerRank or Arlarse (1 month).
- Stage 3: Learn advanced concepts like data structures and algorithms and practice on Leetcode or Codeforces (2 months, solve 100 questions).
- Stage 4: Learn a technology like data science or web development (2 months).
- Stage 5: Build small projects like a calculator, portfolio, or clone websites (1 month).
- Stage 6: Apply for internships or jobs (10 applications/day).
2. Reward Yourself: Now set rewards on each step. Suppose you decide, “I won’t scroll Instagram until I finish learning Python loops.” Or, “If I finish building my first project, I will treat myself to pani puri.” These small rewards will keep you motivated and progressive.
See? It’s practical and actionable.
What Happens When You Don’t Have a Roadmap?
Let me tell you a story. There was a guy named Raj. He wanted to learn programming because his favorite Bollywood actor, Shah Rukh Khan, once said in an interview, “Success is about hard work and direction” Raj started learning Python inspired by those words. But here is the twist, he didn’t have a roadmap. He spent one month watching random tutorials, two weeks trying HTML and CSS, then got bored and left programming altogether.
What went wrong? Raj had no direction. Without a roadmap, he was just wandering like a lost tourist.
Now imagine another guy, Ravi. He wrote down his roadmap:
- Basics of Python,
- Data Structures,
- Projects,
- Internships.
Every time Ravi achieved a milestone, he rewarded himself with a weekend movie. Guess what? Within six months, Ravi got an internship in a top IT company. The difference? Ravi had focus and a plan.
Flexibility Matters
One of the coolest things about making your own roadmap is that it is flexible. You might have exams, family weddings, or even the IPL season distracting you. A personalized roadmap allows you to pause and pick up where you left off.
Remember, no two programmers’ journeys are the same. What works for your friend might not work for you. For example, someone learning for a government job like NIC (National Informatics Centre) might focus on languages like C or Java, while someone eyeing a startup job would dive deep into Python, Django, or React.
Now, I am not saying that you should ignore advice from others. Take guidance. Learn from mentors. Read blogs (like this one). But don’t blindly copy someone else’s roadmap. Your friend might be excellent at data science, but if you are passionate about web development, your roadmap will look very different.
Conclusion
So, creating your own roadmap to learn programming is not just smart; it’s essential. It’s your dream, your journey, and your responsibility. Stop waiting for someone else to hand you the perfect plan. Start small, stay consistent, and trust the process. Remember, every great coder from Sundar Pichai to that one senior in your college once started from scratch.
