My Unconventional Coding Story | Self-Taught

In this video, I'll share my coding story, and how I learned to code and successfully changed careers to software engineering.

When I was first learning to code, I really found these "testimonies" very helpful. The struggles, tips, and just hearing others succeed at learning to code served as a huge encouragement to me.

I'll discuss what I did before coding, my first exposure to code, learning to code, and the various jobs that followed. We'll discuss what I learned in each step, my successes, and failures, and how you may be able to apply the same tactics to help you in your journey.

Tune in!

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
01:29 Before learning to code
03:20 10 Years Wasted
04:47 First exposure to coding
07:01 Learning to code
09:46 Upwork side jobs
11:03 Dropping out of bootcamp
11:20 Going full-time freelancing
15:28 From freelance to software engineer
20:19 Transitioning to Site Reliability Engineering
24:42 Transitioning to Developer Relations
26:25 Outro

** Career Path Coding Tracks **

** My Coding Blueprints **

** I write regularly **

** FREE EBOOKS **

LET'S CONNECT!

#selftaughtdeveloper #coding #careerchange #learntocode

** Some of the links in this description may be affiliate links that I may get a little cut of. Thank you.

[TravisMedia]

Thanks for all the comments! I do appreciate you all. I'm thankful for this story. Remember, you have a story as well, and it's still being written. What's it going to look like?

[jonathanvandenberg]

At 37 I started learning coding like we all are here, on YouTube and some courses. After 1.5 years I got a job at a software company making web3 applications for clients, as well as in-house projects, as a Fullstack Dev. Previously an English teacher in Asia.

I learned JS, CSS, HTML, Typescript, React, NextJS, Prisma, GraphQL, Redux, MongoDB, Solidity, Hardhat, TheGraph, Tailwind, FramerMotion and countless other libraries like Axios, Express, Git etc etc...

I stopped going to restaurants, bars, and almost no socializing in general. I worked as little as possible, just to earn enough for rent and food, so I could fill every hour with learning coding. It was a lot, more than 8 hours per day. I stopped playing guitar for the first time in 21 years (University Qualified and active Jazz Guitarist by night). I basically stopped my life to forcefully redirect it in this direction.

I got the job through a recommendation from a friend. But wait, you're saying "Ahh a recommendation...". Well you'll never get a recommendation from anyone if you're not competent. People put their name on the line to recommend someone. Even I wouldn't recommend a friend who is not fully competent. the 'fully competent' is the tricky part. That's what this post is about.

In the job, I was thrown into a different stack, with very complicated code and a different way of working. In multiple repos. What I have learned for irl is that the faster you can learn something new, the better. For example, one of last week's tasks included:

'Write the documentation for the APIs using sequence diagrams, descriptions, and swagger (OpenAPI) integration. Host on GitHub pages'. 

All of which I knew nothing about, but I just read the docs of OpenAPI, docs for Github Pages, looked at random API sequence diagrams from google as reference and voila! So that kind of boost learning is an essential skill to have. I should mention it's a 2yr old startup, about 12 people in the company, everyone is Fullstack but everyone has their unique specialities.

You can do it. But it's not easy, it's frustrating, you'll wanna quit. You have to keep doing it as much as possible. An hour a day is not enough. Get serious, knock it out! Just remember that you'll only have to do it once. WHEN you get your foot in the door. You're in.

I'm now 39, a programmer by day and jazz guitarist by night.

GOODLUCK!!!

[noelzkie]

I worked for 15 years in a call center, but when i turned 35 i was able to get a software engineer associate position. I am now in a mid level position and hopefully get the senior position by june this year. It is never too late to learn.

[isingcauseimliving]

I am 40 ! Was into bad jobs. But kept working on learning online. Learnt AI ML from Coursera. Was doing UX on the side. Things fell into place and was able to impress the interviewers with my DS / ML knowledge while interviewing for a UX role. Now, I am the UX Manager for Data Viz at a great company. Now, my goal is to also become a ML Engineer.

[josea.torres]

Thank you so much, Travis! I’m 69 years old and getting back into coding, after a 20 yrs away from programming. Wow, everything has change but, I’m giving it a go! 😊

[jaked]

No marketing gimmicks, just down to Earth, sincere content. We appreciate it, Travis!

[mazivictorokezie]

Wow! Am lying on my bed watching this video. Honestly, you inspired me. My wife is also beside me watching. Last week you encouraged me through one of your video to buy Dr Dr Angela Yu's course on Udemy, which I did. Am fifty years old and am making a career switch to tech. It is a huge challenge but thank God I came across someone like you online. I don't know what to say but you did put some springs on my steps this evening. All you made me realize is that if you can do it, I can also. You are really an encouragement for me. I learn alot from your videos. Your story inspired me. By the way thank you for you recommending Dr Angela's course. Love ya. All the way from Nigeria with love

[jacarey]

38 year old just trying to get into web development and found this helpful and encouraging. Thank you.

[carlostakashima]

At 42, I’ve been trying to learn Python on and off for years, and failing at it; and I get down on myself about it, but it’s something I really want to learn. I get scared that I’m not good enough or smart enough or won’t learn how to apply myself. Your story really made me reconsider trying again and finding a way to make myself succeed this time around. Thanks so much for this. Inspiring story.

[LoreCraftForge]

36 yr old welder here and have been learning programming myself since I think November of last year. Was jumping around between front end (html, css, js) and doing some back end stuff(python) doing ai automation projects. Very small. But recently I’ve concluded I want to be a front end dev. Have been feeling like I’m always playing catch up. And I needed to hear this. It’s never too late! I work 4 10s, 4am to 230 and I try to do the exact same thing man. Get home, shit shower and shave, eat and then code. I did take about 3 weeks off because I think I was burning myself out jumping from front end and back end. But man… I can’t thank you enough for just being. You. I needed this as a refresher.

[sparky_winston]

Trying to switch career at 38 here. Your story is so encouraging and inspiring.

[travis.miller]

As someone who is 32 and just starting to learn to code, this is really assuring. Thank you!

[the.white-Howard]

Im 28 and Im already lost. Seeing this kind of video really inspired me. Thank you, Travis.

[traezeeofor]

Loved listening to this too. I'll be 40 this year, been self-studying for months now. Should be competent enough for a front-end internship next month. Very refreshing listening to your story. Been long i listened to a good one. I'm further inspired. Thanks Sir

[thebaxsquad]

Travis is a kind of guy that will tell to his future grandkids about how he live a life trying to earn more money for his growing family and love what the journey offered to him. his Tech journey is amazing. It's a never ending journey of learning.

[yantra]

This is so inspiring! I’m 47. I became a truck driver to pay for certification tests like Security+ and CCNA. Like you, I’m really motivated and excited about tech. And this is exactly the kind of lightening strike of inspiration I needed. Thank you so much!

[danieldael]

"I can relate to this story. I felt stuck and hopeless with my current career. I'm already 30 years old, and I want to be a web developer, even though I don't have a computer degree. I have been employed for 5 years as an encoder/office staff, and I'm getting bored with my job. However, I have to do it to pay my bills. After work, I spend my nights practicing coding. I enrolled in a coding bootcamp, and somehow I was able to finish it despite my hectic schedule. For now, I'm still practicing my coding skills, and hopefully, I can find a job as a web developer soon."

[CloudlessStudio]

I did a web boot camp but what got me a job was my game development experience. When you said things fall into place at some point, it’s so true

[anirband]

It's 3 am I watched your entire video. I'm going down the same path, trying to make the code work, struggling and trying again. I'm leaving this comment just to say I'm really happy that you tried and made it. I hope someday I'll be able to feel the same happiness for myself. Happy coding 😊

[mushroomthump]

Amazing story! I’m 35 and just started learning to code at the end of last year. definitely inspiring