Learning on the Job: Real-World Experiences

Learning is indeed a lifelong journey and a fuel that propels us forward,this belief i hold tightly as it has served as propellant for my tech career,allowing me adapt to new challenges and seize opportunities i could have missed.

Richard Branson's quote about seizing opportunities even when you're unsure of your abilities may seem radical at first glance. After all, isn't it risky to jump into the unknown without adequate preparation? While it might sound wrong or fraudulent, there's wisdom in his words. Saying "yes" to opportunities, even if they stretch your comfort zone, opens doors to growth and new possibilities. It's not about being fraudulent; it's about having the confidence in your ability to learn and adapt.

so many quotes come to mind quotes of how "opportunity comes once" and how "comfort is an enemy of success"

Let's dive into the storytelling then. 2020 was a whirlwind year for everyone. The pandemic cast a gloomy shadow over everything, but amidst the chaos, it brought forth an unexpected opportunity for growth. Before the pandemic hit, I had some experience dabbling in code – basic projects like a calculator or a to-do app, and of course, the obligatory binge-watching of countless YouTube tutorials (welcome to the standard tutorial hell starter pack).

People had approached me with opportunities to build software solutions before the pandemic, but I was gripped by fear. Am I good enough? What if it doesn't work out? What if the application crashes? A million doubts swirled in my head. But in 2020, I made a conscious decision to confront my biggest fear: the belief that I didn't know enough. Truth is, no one ever knows everything; you'll never learn it all.

I decided to take a course recommended by a friend, but boy, was it long. I found myself getting bored easily. "I just want to build projects, what's all this theory for?" I'd grumble. Amidst the course, I started posting about tech on my social media. I'd snap photos of my screen with lines of code and share them online. I didn't really have a plan; I just kept at it – learn, code, share.

Let's take a moment to pause and reflect on something I stumbled upon recently – an idea I've coined the "3M's": Mastery, Media, and Money. It's a simple concept: first, you focus on mastering a skill. Once you've reached a level of expertise, you share your knowledge and insights with the world through various forms of media – whether it's writing a blog, creating short articles, or producing videos. Essentially, you're showcasing your God-tier skills to the online community. And then, and only then, will the money start flowing. It might not come pouring in all at once, but it'll gradually start trickling in.

Back to my story. Without even realizing it, I had gathered a group of people who were following my progress through my WhatsApp updates. They say good things happen to those who aim for greatness, and maybe that's why opportunities started showing up for me. The first job offer I got seemed really complicated, and I almost said no. But I decided to give it a shot. It was tough – lots of confusing stuff about how businesses work and dealing with databases. It gave me a lot of headaches, and I needed painkillers just to cope.

But I finished the job, even though I didn't get paid. Still, it was a lot more valuable than just finishing another online course.

Then came my second job. also technical, but this time, I decided to charge more for my work (or what felt like a lot more to me at the time!). I tackled the project despite running into a bunch of problems. Keeping the project running smoothly was a nightmare, especially when I had to handle a server meant for 20,000 users, built on terrible code. It was a mess – fixing errors, managing transactions – it felt like a never-ending struggle.

But you know what? Through that experience, I learned how to do backend development, mobile app development, and web development all at once.

It wasn't tough to land more gig offers and expand my portfolio. I kept accepting jobs that I wasn't sure I could handle, but I dove in and got them done. It built up my confidence, and before I knew it, I was working for my first startup, then a second, a third, and so on. My journey might be a long one, but I hope you've picked up a thing or two along the way! 🚀💼🔧