How to be disciplined in programming?

Discipline is one of the key values of my success in IT, and it's one of the key values of me as a person.

So today, I wanted to break down for you what I learned about discipline and how to be disciplined while learning how to code.

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Define a goal

A lack of clear goals will basically ruin your discipline.

If you don't know why you are doing this, why your brain should try hard to motivate you and keep going?

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It can be money, a wish to prove something to someone a will to provide for your family, DOESN'T MATTER.

But you should have a clear goal, and you have to have a HUGE DESIRE to achieve that goal.

So it can't be a random thing that you just made up.

It should be something that you've been dreaming of for months!

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Have a structured learning path

You need to know what you should be doing ALL THE TIME.

Because if you make your lazy ass stand up and go to your computer, you should have a clear understanding of what to do in front of that computer.

So before starting to learn any technology write a STEP-BY-STEP plan on what you'll be learning, and what projects you'll be creating.

Thanks to it you won't be wasting time on figuring out what to do, and you won't be demotivated by the lack of understanding of what is your next step.

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DO NOT CHANGE PLANS

The title of this section is written in CAPS on purpose.

This is the most important tip that I can give you.

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For example, I try to regularly go to the gym.

Everything goes well, I constantly improve my results and don't miss any training for MONTHS.

But if I miss the training one single time due to bad weather, laziness or anything else.

EVERYTHING IS F**CKED!

After it it takes weeks, or even months to get back on track of consistency.

SAME THING IN YOUR STUDIES.

If in your plan you defined that you are studying for 2 hours every Saturday.

NEVER MISS THAT SATURDAY STUDY SESSION.

Regardless of what happens or how you feel.

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Know when to stop

The perfect time to stop studying is when you already feel that you are tired but still can do a little more.

STOP AT THIS POINT!

Your study session should end with positive emotion and excitement to continue it later, and NOT WITH complete exhaustion.

That will help you to prevent burnout and actually WANT to continue studying.

The more you like and want to do what you are doing, the easier is to be disciplined about doing it.

I like writing those articles. I receive a lot of positive feedback on my articles, and people find them valuable.

That's why it is easy for me to write them even when I'm super tired and demotivated.

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Conclusion

Being disciplined is freaking hard.

But that's the only way to achieve BIG things.

Because BIG things require a lot of hard work, consistency and time.

So you'll either learn how to be disciplined or you'll not achieve BIG things.

You decide!

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