#codingatanyage #nevertoooldtolearn #learningtocode #embracethechallenge
Are you feeling overwhelmed and discouraged about learning to code in your 50s? 🤔 Don’t worry, you are not alone. Many individuals face similar challenges when venturing into the world of coding later in life. It can be frustrating to feel like you’re not progressing as quickly as you’d like or struggling to grasp fundamental concepts. But remember, it’s perfectly normal to experience these feelings when diving into a new skill set.
Dealing with Self-Doubt
It’s common to doubt your abilities and question if you’re cut out for coding. However, age should never be a deterrent to learning something new. Embrace the challenge and believe in yourself. Remember, it’s never too late to acquire new skills and expand your knowledge.
Managing Frustration
Feeling frustrated is a natural part of the learning process. Instead of letting it discourage you, use it as motivation to keep pushing forward. Break down complex concepts into smaller, manageable chunks, and celebrate small victories along the way. Progress may be slow, but every step you take brings you closer to your goals.
Learning Styles and Strategies
Everyone has a unique way of learning. If you find yourself struggling to understand certain concepts, try experimenting with different learning resources and methods. Consider seeking out coding communities for support and guidance, or enlist the help of a mentor to assist you in navigating the learning curve.
Embracing the Journey
Learning to code is a journey filled with challenges and triumphs. Embrace the process and be patient with yourself. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a coding skill set. Stay curious, stay determined, and most importantly, stay positive as you embark on this rewarding journey of growth and discovery.
In conclusion, you are not an idiot for trying to learn to code in your 50s. You are brave, ambitious, and committed to personal growth. Keep pushing forward, stay persistent, and believe in your ability to conquer any challenge that comes your way. Remember, it’s never too late to learn something new and unlock your full potential. 🌟 Keep coding, keep learning, and watch as your skills and confidence soar to new heights! #yougotthis #codingjourney #proudlearner
I think it’s never too late for anything. Just have a positive mindset and work smart, in the end you will see the fruits of your commitment
no you’re not too late but you are fighting biology. you need to be aware that coding will literally need you to rewire your brain, and while that can happen fairly easily for kids and young adults, you’re going to have to hit your neurons fairly hard.
it’s no different to any other in depth skill tho, and you will be able to do it. Go easy on yourself, and don’t be imagining that other people are all doing this easily. it took me three years to properly understand polymorphism when i was at uni, some things will take a while to bed in.
but everything builds on everything else. don’t worry if you don’t get the basics at first, move on, see how they’re used. then if you’re still struggling, go back and learn them again. it’s fine, it’s how we learn.
i think of it like combing, you start slowly getting out the knots, you move on gradually, but then you go back and cover bits again until you’ve got it all down smooth. you don’t comb out hair in one slow careful sweep
52 here. Learning every day.
Not at all! Keep learning every day
It might be easier if you can find people to talk to about programming and ask questions to.
Also doing it everyday is quite important. Even just a little bit. Brains tend to learn better that way
I don’t know how long you’ve been learning but everyone learns at a different pace. If it’s been a year and you’re not grasping the concepts then maybe it’s time to take a step back and think about your approach. There’s a million tutors out there and many many alternative ways to learn programming.
Pay some uni student beer money to sit down with you for an hour a week.
So many people ask ‘is it too late to learn’ and the answer is Yes. It’s too late.
If you weren’t touch typing as a fetus, it’s too late. Did you not build an N-64 out of red stone one Minecraft by the time you were 2 and a half? Don’t even bother.
Have you not mastered 19 programming languages by the time you were 9? It’s hopeless to even look at a computer.
Are you 15 and still haven’t received your government certificate saying you’re allowed to code at such an advanced age? Good luck trying to open vscode in jail!
It’s too late to start learning now. Should have started back in 80s when everything was punch cards.
edit: it’s been brought to my attention punch cards weren’t used in the 80s. my bad for not being historically accurate with this very serious post.
If you weren’t painting assembly on the walls of caves with the rest of your Neanderthal tribe, give up
Being real with you here.
If you’re looking for a career change at your age, it’s going to be even more difficult than the shitshow the market already is.
Ageism is real. Illegal, absolutely, at least on paper in the US, but good luck trying to prove you were denied a job opportunity for age reasons.
If you’re doing it for fun, as a hobby, go ahead.
Depends on whether you do it because it is interesting or because you would like a career change.
41. Just went back to college studying IT. I don’t think it’s ever too late to learn something
Early 50s here. It’s never too late
No! Not at all! It does take a long time to become really good at the coding stuff. I spent all of college doing that. You’re not too dumb to learn.
So when you’re talking powerbi && python guessing your end goal is kinda like analyst?
For many, programming isn’t easy. I’m not sure why people think it is, but they do. Did you find math easy? Did you find physics easy?
Are you looking to expand your skills in what you do, like write small Python code, or are you looking to be a software engineer?
If you wanted to just learn to program, just because, then the pace isn’t all that necessary. If you wanted to do it because of a career change, then maybe age might matter, but it may be possible just expand the scope of what you do at work. You don’t have to be a full-time programmer to add programming to your life.
It’s normal for most people to feel stupid when starting out. It gets easier with time and things start making sense. Then you’ll hit a roadblock and go back to feeling dumb. And the cycle will repeat itself over and over.Â
I’ve been at this for almost two years now trying to learn what I need to know, and I’ll be at it for years to come.
“Also I am the kind of person who really has a hard time moving forward until I understand concepts, but I’m sensing this is NOT the way to learn this.”
I would say to focus on understanding the concepts until you’re sure you understand the concepts.Â
You aren’t doing yourself any favors by rushing through subjects you don’t have a solid grasp on just to move to the next subject. If you’re having too much trouble, move on to something else temporarily and give your brain a rest, but definitely go back and keep at it. You’ll just end up getting even more lost as you continue on, and eventually have to go back and relearn it anyway.Â
I’m 55 and coding for some time but I recently realised I hate weakly typed languages.
My grandmother is 75 or so, has always been into technology, and has been a housewife and retired for maybe 40 years.
She has been learning python, HTML, js for the past few years. Because she loves learning and it keeps her brain active.
So never too old.
Also, everybody learns in a different way. I did some basic python training which did not really stick. Then i found a Project i could do using python and SQL, and that way i learned much more and faster. Knowing when to use a for loop of a dict is much easier when you know what to use it for.
No
But coding is hard nro
The easiest way is to get motivated by a personal project and just do everything you got to finish the final software as a product
I would also look for online tutorials that walk you through creating a simple app. Actually coding is better than watching a Udemy class. I like Udemy but you either have to keep stopping the videos to do the work or watch once and then come back to each lesson.
Yes you’re an idiot. You’re past the age where you get your certificate from the government giving you permission to code.
Programming is difficult regardless of age, and I think most people feel like an idiot at some point. That’s part of the experience.
But I think most people can learn how to do it if they can push through that initial frustration.
I lost my job a few months ago and I’ve started learning Python and other coding. I don’t think there’s an age limit. The only limits you have are all in your mind. May your heart be your guiding key.
If you enjoy doing it then keep doing it. If it becomes something you hate then don’t do it anymore. Age doesn’t define your ability to enjoy learning
It takes a bit of letting the concepts sit in your head to really have it click, and its a constant learning experience, but you’ll get it. I’m in my 20s so I can’t speak to how age affects anything, but for me being shown code and concepts is a waste if I dont actually do it and apply that knowledge.
Just following tutorials works when you’re first learning a concept but it quickly falls off, so I often figure out some small program or thing I can do and start messing with it on my own, and thats when it really clicks for me.
You also should remember that code rarely works right the first time and half of the experience is debugging and troubleshooting, but that’s when learning really happens imo. Also don’t be afraid to google things, even the best programmers often look online because there’s just no way to know everything, and theres a lot of great resources to help you figure it out.
I sure hope that isn’t what it means because I’m right there with you! My focus is on PHP for the web work I do with forays into JavaScript and maybe a little Ruby soon.
Learning the fundamentals of coding is great in any case, but in just a few years, AI is going to radically disrupt the market. *As it is now,* the likes of GPT4 and Claude can write basic code that works on the first try. It’s not inconceivable that in a few years, AI will outclass all or nearly all human coders. Personally, I’d learn to use AI as a tool in addition to learning to code.
You start off slow but then you get quicker. Same as learning anything.
I’m 60. A few weeks ago I got my first ever job as a junior developer. Up until then I had been working in a role that has almost nothing to do with technology. I mean they use apps on computers to produce what they sell to customers but the industry has zero to do with coding.
I don’t think you are.
>I like the learning but sometimes I get frustrated and discouraged because I feel like I’m so slow. Does it get better? Is it just realistic to expect to learn slowly?
I don’t know about all that but one website that is definitely an understanding multiplier or whatever is pythontutor.org. It’s won’t teach you code but it will help you make sense of what any given code is actually doing with step-by-step visualizations. It’s so legit. Any time I’m stuck (I’m actually trying to figure out how a leetcode solution actually works right now) I use it. I wouldn’t want anyone trying to learn coding to not have awareness of this website.
You need to really really grind. Also try to vary between zooming in and zooming out. Zoom in to figure out how some specific construct works. Pick up the general idea. Then zoom out and read/write some code using that construct – say loops – then zoom back in to make sense of the details. So you are right, you benefit from moving a few steps ahead of your current level of understanding. Many concepts in programming does not make sense even to mid level coders until they found a situation in which that construct made sense. Generics for instance
But programming concepts are indeed hard, and writing any program is non trivial. It’s like writing proofs of small theorems every day. So don’t get discouraged.
I’m over 50 and I program since I’m 15yo and still it’s not trivial.
You don’t state your background, that might help to trace analogies.
Programming has a steep learning curve at first, but it gets way easier after you understand core concepts that translate across different languages. I would personally say it’s normal, and yes it does get better.
Not too late and – have you considered Visual Basic? Basic is designed to be easy to learn and you probably know Excel inside out already, you can create some useful apps using VB in Excel.
Yes, how dare you!
real answer: come on in, the water’s fine. you’ll find lots of friendly, supportive people to help you on your journey!
It’s not too late. I used Udemy because I learn better in a structured way, but I also spend a lot of time reading documentation. Do what works for you.
When you’re starting out, just remember that it’s not supposed to make sense right away. If it were easy, I wouldn’t be paid very much… and that would suck.
Stick with it as long as you’re enjoying it. Don’t get frustrated. Ask for help (here, in the Udemy course Q&A, wherever), and keep at it. You’ll have points where things click and you make large amounts of progress quickly, and then you have times where you stagnate. It’s really just the same with learning anything new.
Edit: as a personal aside, I’m a senior dev who has been doing this for years, but right now I’m learning something new, and I keep getting stuck at points. Then I get unstuck. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I’m 28 and i wish by 50 id had the ambition to still learn new stuff or just the curiosity
I did it in my late 50s as part of a bigger career pivot. Led to a promotion and nice pay bump at work. And some cool opportunities. Though, I wouldn’t go looking for a new employer.
Taking some C++ online through the local community college this summer at near age 63.
Trying to stay relevant for another 7-8 years. So far, so good.
Helped to have an advanced STEM degree and a technical career up to the present time.
Programming is hard and it’s normal that it takes time and doesn’t all click immediately. Maybe a career change would be difficult, but definitely doable.
That said, I do believe basic coding skills like making Python scripts for rote work is extremely useful in a lot of jobs and can make you more valuable as a whole to a lot of companies, as you can leverage machine power to do otherwise manual work. I regularly write code that helps our company do accounting and manage sales, while that’s not even my main role.
Based on your post, I think you actually have the right attitude for learning programming. It is really hard at first to learn these basic concepts. Keep practicing them. When you learn a new concept like a loop or if statement or whatever, try to think what kind of programs could you make with it. (Simple stuff.) Practice is how you’ll understand these basic concepts better.
I started learning programming at 21 and I didn’t really get it either. I was getting through tons of PHP books but I’d struggle to code anything on my own. When I learnt Python a year later at 22 it started to click for me.
I don’t think the programming language mattered so much as I was coding things on my own. Also the fact that it was my second language made me realize the common elements of all (most) programming languages and why they were important to have.
So no it’s not your age, sometimes it does take time, knowledge and experience (coding things on your own) for things to click.
I like to point people to this video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKWGGDXe5MA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKWGGDXe5MA)
I think it remains the single best explanation, in a non technical fashion to completely demystify how computers actually work and what programming really is concretely. Watch it a couple times, trust me.
It also took me a while to grasp the basics (weeks of time). Think of this like learning a foreign language, rather than how to use some aspect of a computer or piece of software.
Eventually you break through. Things start to fall into place and it gets easier. Your second, third and forth languages are a breeze by comparison.
If learning concepts is easier for you you may try to learn C first rather than a domain specific language like PowerBI or something higher level like Python. You may not use C directly, but it is lower level and therefore more “pure” in terms of concepts. Some folks do better with C, others with Python, etc. The beauty of computation is you can learn whatever flavor resonates most and go from there. In that spirit below are a few “branches” you may investigate:
1. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structure_and_Interpretation_of_Computer_Programs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structure_and_Interpretation_of_Computer_Programs)
2. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambda_calculus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambda_calculus)
3. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C_(programming_language)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C_(programming_language))
4. [https://automatetheboringstuff.com/](https://automatetheboringstuff.com/)
More investigation at any one of those links should send you on your way.
69… still learning because I enjoy it.
Why would you be an idiot for trying to learn something
Coding is like math. Some people learn in one try, some in a hundred but ultimately, practice will get you there. I have a friend that looks at a book at understands it, I have to read it like 3 times. Just be patient. Enjoy the pricess and appreciate small achievements.
P.S. I am in my 40s. I am hoping to get a job one day but if I don’t, I love challening my brain.
42 here with a mild stroke couple of year ago, together with some other uhm.. things.
I’ve been in IT for over 25 years, professionally. Always learning. I didn’t start out as a programmer but I learned the basics of C very early and always had an interest in how computers actually work code-wise. It helped me to have those ground concepts like what memory addresses are, or loop-logics etc, types, C is a pretty fucked up language to WORK (professionally) with, but it’s a really good starter to learn how to program any other language. Everything (please don’t hate me for this, i know it’s not exactly so) is basically based on C, and C is based on Assembly, and Assembly is based on … binary code basically.
I helps to learn a little bit of C I think, at least write some programs that does some whatever so you get the hang of types, memory management etc… Then when you go do python you kind of start to understand what’s happening underneath python when you run or write your code and I think it’ll make it easier.
C is not a simple language, but it is very basic – that’s a weird statement, but I believe it’s true. I would/could never write a whole “somewhat useful” application in C, maybe if I tried really hard I could, but knowing the basics of how CPUs work will help tremendously when you are working with languages that does all that for you.
For example you will quickly learn how fast sorting a list is, the bigger the list – the longer the time – this will be immediately obvious. This will help you to do a lot of things in IT like for example analyzing long-running SQL queries and why they are long running, or optimize a script from running synchronously to running in threads etc.
My two cents, good luck my dude – I belive you can definitely do it. But starting from the basics just for a few months will give you a great headstart later. I’m not saying this is the BEST way to go about this, but it is pretty much the easiest (in my opinion).
You can learn anytime.
But I’ll be real. If you’re learning to try and make it a career you’re going to face a real uphill battle with your timeline and age. Not impossible. But you’d have to be one resilient person.