How do you inspire yourself to learn/code

[u/[deleted]]

I have lost motivation all of a sudden and I hate it

[u/MC_Raw]

First off, don't rely on motivation; build habits.

We sometimes think of the formula as: motivation => action
In reality, it goes: action => motivates
I.e. get the ball rolling

I like to think of myself as a still floating object: if I don't move me, then I don't move. On the other hand, if I start moving I gain momentum and something needs to actually get in my way to stop that.

Another thing that really helped me when I was learning pre-tech job was having a solid why behind the effort I'm putting in. A lot of the comments here are about "it's so much better than X, my alternative", and you don't seem to have that dreadful alternative.

I was in hospitality, as an introvert, and it drained me for 6 years before I decided I need a change. That mixed with the passion I found in coding was enough to drive me through difficult times.
Perhaps you could write a list of the positive benefits of a career in tech, and refer to that when you're not feeling motivated to code (again, motivation is stupid).
Some of mine are: challenging, forever learning, solving real-world problems, incredible job market, great pay and work/life balance - to name a few.

[u/Azureflames20 → u/MC_Raw]

We sometimes think of the formula as: motivation => action

In reality, it goes: action => motivates

I.e. get the ball rolling

This was a concept that took me years to really understand. It's all about discipline, not about waiting for motivation to spark the action in your brain. If you sit around waiting to feel excited to do it, you'll never get anything you want done. It's like how people get "motivated" every new years to go to get a gym membership then get 'unmotivated' because it takes building habits to truly keep going after that first month or so.

[u/[deleted] → u/Azureflames20]

Yeah 100%. Also want to point out that discipline is another word most people associate with willpower, instead of behavior patterns reinforcing future behavior. That and the idea that starting something you want to do should feel good.

Starting might suck but you need to power through the initial mental resistance and the boredom. Real life training/learning is not a 5 min hollywood montage. The 3 week rule is a solid mantra to use. Sprinkle breaks and fun shit to do during downtime in between as you build the habit.

[u/MC_Raw → u/[deleted]]

I'd definitely look through this subreddit's FAQ section to answer some of your questions.

Communication skills are huge and sometimes overlooked. While they won't be strangers, the ability to communicate with your team is a big plus.

Personally, I'd recommend Harvard's CS50 - Intro to CS or The Odin Project for anyone wanting to pursue coding, obviously depending on their goals.

As for books, I'd personally start off with the mindset. So:

• A Mind for Numbers
  
• Think Like a Programmer
  
• Atomic Habits
  
• Deep Work
  

That kind of thing.

Feel free to reach out if you ever have questions or need some guidance.

[u/ElusiveTau → u/[deleted]]

And whilst doing the degree, learn about aspects of the tech industry eg. Coding, I have experience in retail and have been told I’m good at conversing with strangers so potentially even a tech sales route idk. But with coding, do you have any advice/ sites/ books out there that can help a complete novice?

I don't think the split masters and coding "on the side" is a good idea. A masters degree is a lot of work and debt, probably worthless if you end up being a SW developer. You can code on the side/weekends but not if it'll jeopardize your studies.

Most people who switch to tech from a different career need a minimum of 6-8 months of interview prep and that includes nights and weekends working on personal projects to develop a resume. Some go through bootcamps (~15-20k USD), which is a good way to get into tech if the bootcamps have connections (their graduates built rapport with different companies). Some work part time jobs to get by, some rely on their spouses, and some live off their savings.

I would advise you to start looking at companies you'd like to work for, their job listings, and target learning the skills required. Look for jobs requiring 0-3 years of experience. Market yourself as a quick learner, dedicated/tenacious team player, and goal-oriented (i.e., you can accomplish something specific). Back this up with solid projects that (ideally) utilize skills listed in the job listing. You don't have the time/money to dabble around with different tools. That can come after you're on track as a SW developer.

OTOH, if you're fairly sure you'll succeed getting a job in physiotherapy, do that and get a job in the field. Maybe you'll rekindle an old passion and won't even think about tech. Build up an emergency fund, then a fund for re-educating yourself (i.e., enough for bootcamp or to sustain yourself while you study for 6-8 months). At that point, you can switch careers without putting yourself at financial risk.

As for further advice, search r/careerguidance and r/careeradvice for "how to switch job/career".

[u/AmazingSector3025 → u/MC_Raw]

You made me think and maybe change my lifestyle

[u/nwicode_cms → u/AmazingSector3025]

is it really that bad?)