This is a guest blog post from Kyle Coberly. Enjoy.

Dear new developer,

You can do this. There’s a lifetime of stuff to learn and it will seem intimidating, but if you keep doing it, you’ll get better. Teenagers, career changers, and retirees all have done this, and they weren’t any smarter or more naturally talented than you. You’re in the right place.

Make stuff. It’s easy to get lost in a bunch of theory, especially when it’s dressed up as “the fundamentals.” You can learn theory any time. Seriously. Learn what you need to learn to make something that interests you, and you’ll learn a lot and get enough fuel to get to the next station.

Participate in the software community. Go to meetups, join a community forum or chat group, go to conferences. There’s a lot of people exactly where you are, and a lot of people who were there not so long ago and want to help you get better.

Sincerely,

Kyle Coberly

Kyle Coberly is the executive director of the Develop Denver conference, co-host of the Sprint UX Podcast, and serves as the Technical Lead for Health Scholars. Previously, he was the Faculty Director for Galvanize’s Web Development Immersion program.