Is Programming Hard? 10 Mistakes That Make Programming Difficult

Programming has a reputation for being difficult and this keeps many would-be programmers away.

But is programming hard?

The truth is that programming exists on a spectrum from easy to hard. Some aspects are simple and can be learned fairly quickly while others are challenging and require years to master.

For example, learning how to code a simple website can be done fairly quickly. On the other hand, coding the next operating system or the next blockchain will require excellent coding skills.

Having said that, certain mistakes can make your programming journey very difficult and set you up for eventual failure.

In this article, I will explore the biggest of these mistakes and suggest ways that you can deal with them.

What makes programming difficult?

Let’s dive into the mistakes that make programming hard.

1. Losing Interest in Programming

You may have gotten into programming with a lot of excitement and hope but a few months down the line, you find yourself disillusioned and falling out of love with it.

When you lose your passion, programming can become very difficult because you lose the internal source of motivation that can keep you going when you encounter challenges.

>> How to revive your interest in programming

If you feel like you have lost your passion for programming, here are a few things you can try.

#1. Remind yourself of why you got into programming

Write down the reasons why you got into programming in the first place. Whenever you face challenges, come back to them. Your should always keep sight of your goals and objectives.

#2. Look for roadblocks and eliminate them

As a beginner programmer, certain roadblocks may lead you to lose interest in programming, for example:

• Being unable to get the kind of job you want.
• A challenging workplace that is too competitive or does not align with your values.
• Working with difficult bosses.
• Having no outlet for creativity because many of your ideas are shot down.

You can get around these roadblocks by changing jobs, becoming an entrepreneur, or building a supportive network of coding friends. Don’t let these barriers rob you of the long-term benefits of programming.

#3. Create a project that will excite you

You need to have a project that will excite you. It could be a website, an app, or a game. This is especially true if you have a job where you are pigeonholed into a specific task.

When looking for a project, here are some questions you can ask yourself:

• What have you always wanted to do?
• What pain points do you or your friends face that you can solve by coding?
• Which cool projects would you like to replicate?

2. Having a Fixed Mindset About Programming

The term fixed mindset comes from Carol Dweck’s excellent book Mindsets. It describes the belief that intelligence, talents, and personalities are fixed at birth and cannot change.

A fixed mindset can be very problematic in many areas of your life including programming because:

• You believe that it is impossible to improve your abilities because you are stuck with what you are born with. So you don’t even try.
• You believe that struggling with something is proof that you are not cut out for it. The truth is, struggle is part of the process of getting better.
• You are ashamed of your lack of ability and you spend a lot of effort trying to hide your inadequacies. You don’t seek help because you fear it will make you look dumb.

>> How to overcome a fixed mindset in programming

Here’s how to overcome a fixed mindset.

#1. Don’t be intimidated by programming and programmers

We tend to think of programmers as super smart hacker-type people who create complicated software out of thin air.

The reality is that the average programmer struggles with problems just like everyone else. In fact, 60% of programmers spend 30 minutes or more per day asking for help or looking for solutions from others (see programming facts)

While it is true that some people have natural traits that make them suited for programming (such as orderliness, logic, or persistence), you too can gain these traits if you work at them.

#2. Adopt a learner’s mentality

Commit yourself to constant learning and improvement. The more you learn about programming, the better you will become.

There are many excellent learning resources online that can help you out. Don’t think that you can’t make a good programmer because you don’t have a CS degree.

#3. Avoid Perfectionism

In your programming journey, you are going to make mistakes. This does not mean that you are not suited for programming.

Mistakes are a chance to learn rather than proof of inability. So, if you find yourself making many dumb mistakes, approach it with a curious mind and look for creative ways to get better.

3. Having Unrealistic Expectations About Learning to Code

If you come into programming with many unrealistic expectations, you may erroneously conclude that programming is not for you when reality strikes.

Watch out for the following unrealistic expectations:

• Thinking that you should pick up programming fast.
• Thinking that you should not struggle too much.
• Thinking that every moment should be fun.

>> How to deal with unrealistic expectations when learning to code

You need to re-examine and re-calibrate your expectations so that they reflect reality. Here’s what you can do.

#1. Adopt long-term thinking

It is important to be patient and adopt a long-term perspective especially when:

• You are lagging behind and others around you seem to be progressing faster.
• You feel overwhelmed by how much there is to learn.
• You feel like an imposter or that you are not a ‘real programmer’.

The 10,000-hour rule states that it takes roughly 10,000 hours of deliberate practice before you become a master at something. Really good programmers have been at it for a while and if you keep at it you will soon be as good as them.

#2. Persevere through the hard bits

Some aspects of programming can be difficult. For example, spending 10 hours trying to find a bug can be frustrating.

However, struggling is good. If you persist, your brain grows, much like muscles grow under load. New connections will form in your brain and things will get easier with time.

To break through this phase, you need to power through even if you feel like is too hard.

Remember, easy has a price and that price is a lack of growth.

#3. Be kind to yourself

Don’t beat yourself up when you fail to hit your expected milestones. As long as you keep moving forward, you should be proud of yourself.

Don’t compare your journey with that of others. Don’t quit because you feel like you are lagging behind. Go at your own pace as long as you keep moving. If you can’t run, crawl.

4. Failing to Develop your Logical and Analytical Side

Conventional wisdom seems to suggest that people who are logical, analytical, and sequential tend to do well in programming. That is not surprising because you need to think in the same way a computer thinks.

To be a good coder, you need to have the ability to:

• Break complex steps into simpler steps.
• Solve problems in a step-by-step fashion.
• Think several steps ahead.

Mathematicians and chess players tend to be very good at this.

What can you do if you struggle with analytical and logical thinking?

The first thing is to understand that we are all born with the ability to think logically and analytically. But many of us don’t train this part of our brains.

Regular programming can help you develop these ‘left-brain’ abilities. That is why many researchers say that programming makes you smarter.

>> How to improve your capacity for logical and systematic thinking

There are exercises that you can do that can help you speed up your capacity for logical and systematic thinking.

#1. Work things out with pen and paper before you code

It is tempting to jump straight into coding but you need to take the time to go through the logical steps of your software with pen and paper in plain English. Break things down into small steps and use image aids such as mind-maps and flow charts.

#2. Do coding challenges

Coding challenges will help you practice coding and stretch your current abilities. Coding challenges will also expose your weak points so that you can work on them. Check sites like GeekforGeeks, Hackerrank, or Kaggle for some coding challenges.

#3. Improve on other people’s code

Other people’s code is a blessing and a curse. A ready-made solution can make you lazy if you just plug and play. Before resorting to someone else’s code, try to do it yourself. And once you resort to using someone else’s code, challenge yourself to make it better.

5. Failing to Master the Fundamentals

Neglecting to master the programming fundamentals is like building your house on a foundation of sand. Sooner or later, it is likely to collapse.

We tend to avoid the basics because:

• They tend to be boring. We want to jump straight into the action and do exciting stuff.
• We are distracted by shiny new frameworks, libraries, and tools.
• We compare ourselves with those who are further ahead and want to do what they are doing.

You have to resist the temptation to skip the fundamentals because it can make programming much more difficult when you start doing more advanced stuff.

>> Tips for getting the fundamentals of programming right

Here are some great tips for getting the fundamentals of programming right.

#1. Understand the basics of programming

There are several basic things you need to understand when learning to program, for example:

• Basic syntax
• Variable declaration
• Data types, and structures
• Control structures
• Algorithms.

#2. Learn proper coding practices

It is important to train yourself to adopt good coding practices early on. It is easy to pick up bad coding practices if you are not careful. Here are some good practices you can consider adopting.

• Use DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) principles.
• Don’t be verbose. Train yourself to write as few lines of code as possible.
• Write clear comments so that someone else can understand your code.
• Use appropriate naming conventions.

#3.Learn how to use appropriate libraries, tools, and coding environments

Learning how to use programming tools and coding environments can greatly simplify the coding process. You should be able to:

• Choose a good IDE (Integrated Development Environment). This will help you code and debug faster.
• Choose appropriate libraries and frameworks. Re-using other people’s code can save you a lot of development time.
• Use code versioning tools and repositories such as Git and GitHub.

6. Choosing a Difficult Programming Language

Programming languages are not created equal. Some are much easier to learn and work with compared to others.

An example of a language that is beginner-friendly and easy to work with is Python (see benefits of Python). Others such as C++ or Java may be more challenging.

If you tend to get easily frustrated, you might want to start with a language that is easy to work with otherwise you might be tempted to quit if you don’t see much progress.

>> How to determine if a programming language is difficult to learn

How do you tell if a programming language is difficult to learn and work with?

#1. Look at the Syntax

Some programming languages have many syntax rules that can be confusing and difficult. For example, they may encourage the writing of many lines of code to accomplish a simple task (verbosity).

For example, here is ‘hello world’ in Python

print ("Hello, World!")

Here is ‘hello world’ in Java

public class HelloWorld {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println("Hello, World");
    }
}

#2. Check the programming paradigm used

Programming paradigm refers to the style of programming used in a language. There are two main programming paradigms.

• Imperative: Here, you provide step-by-step instructions on how to achieve a particular result.
• Declarative: Here, you specify the result you want but don’t provide step-by-step instructions on how to get there.

While each style has its pros and cons, the imperative style of programming is generally easier for beginners to understand.

Popular languages like Python and JavaScript follow the imperative style.

#3. Check for availability of frameworks, libraries, and learning resources

Popular programming languages with large communities tend to have plenty of high-quality frameworks, libraries, and learning resources. They also tend to have good quality official documentation.

All these factors simplify the process of working with these languages.

Top programming languages like Python, JavaScript, C#, Java, PHP, and C++ all have strong communities and you can’t go wrong with any of them. For more, see my analysis of top programming languages.

Want to get started with Python? Here are some good courses you can try

7. Choosing the Wrong Programming Career Path for You

The field of programming is quite diverse and there are many paths that you can choose to pursue. See my detailed analysis of top programming paths to take.

If you choose a programming path that is not a good fit for you, programming can become difficult. Fortunately, you don’t have to be held hostage to one particular path. If you find that one path doesn’t suit you, try another.

>> How to choose the right programming path for you

Here is how you can choose the right programming path for you.

#1. Consider your strengths and weaknesses

You need choose a programming path that will suit your personality and natural strengths. Examine whether:

• You prefer to work collaboratively or you want to work alone. Some paths such as DevOps will require lots of collaboration. Other paths like embedded systems may require less interaction with others.
• You want to primarily write code or you want to use code for other purposes. For example, in DevOps, you just need basic scripting. On the other hand, developing an operating system will require a lot of complicated coding.
• You possess the right kind of creativity for the path. Paths such as front-end web development will require an aspect of visual creativity. Back-end web development will require problem-solving creativity. What kind of creativity do you enjoy more?

#2. Consider how difficult it is to learn the skills for a particular path

Some programming paths are much harder to get into because they are not beginner friendly. You can assess how difficult a particular path is by asking:

• How difficult is it to learn the programming languages and frameworks required for that path?
• How difficult is it to find learning resources for that path?
• What is the availability of tools, frameworks, and libraries?

For example, many people find it easier to get into web development compared to core blockchain development because the programming languages are easy to learn and there is a wide availability of libraries, frameworks, and learning materials.

#3. Consider the challenges in the career paths that you will get into

Careerwise, some programming paths may be more difficult to get into because:

• They are more competitive and the barrier to entry is high.
• They have lower salaries.
• They require additional requirements such as a college degree or specialized certifications.

When you meet these hurdles, you may lose the motivation to put in the required effort.

8. Learning Programming the Wrong Way

How you learn programming can either slow you down or boost you.

If you learn programming the wrong way:

• You can get tricked into thinking programming concepts are difficult when the problem is the learning style.
• You can get stuck in a vicious cycle of taking one course after another without much visible progress.
• You can spend a lot of money and end up being unable to code a simple program by yourself.

>> How to learn programming the right way

Here are a few strategies you can use to take your learning to the next level.

#1. Choose the right learning system for you

When choosing a learning system:

• Choose the right learning medium. Some people prefer books and written matter while others do better with video.
• Choose the right learning style. Some people prefer structured courses while others want coding challenges.
• Choose the right learning platform. Platforms like YouTube are great for discovering new material while courses platforms such as Coursera, Edx, or Udemy are great for structured courses.
• Choose the right teacher. You need a teacher that knows their stuff but also has a teaching style that you enjoy.

#2. Avoid getting stuck in tutorial hell

Tutorial hell is where you spend several months or even years consuming course after course but end up not being able to create anything meaningful, despite all the knowledge you have accumulated.

To avoid tutorial hell, adopt project-based learning.

• Think of what you would like to create before you start learning.
• Break down the project into smaller tasks such as creating the menu, footer, buttons, etc.
• When going through a tutorial, pick parts that you can adapt to your project and try to apply them immediately.

#3. Learn by Teaching

As you create your project, it is important to document the steps you follow otherwise you may forget what you did once you move to other things. A great way to do this is to start a blog or a YouTube channel.

By documenting your project publicly, you can help others who are facing similar problems and you can also get feedback from others.

9. Trying To Do Everything By Yourself

Two heads are better than one. Chances are that if you are struggling with something, someone else already has the solution or the capacity to find a solution.

Do not be afraid to ask for help, it can save you a lot of valuable time. In fact, most of your programming time will probably be spent seeking answers online or from your colleagues.

>> Where to get help in programming

Here are some simple tactics you can use to get help in programming.

#1. Make use of blogs, forums, and groups

There are many blogs, forums, groups, YouTube channels, and Q & A sites that can help you along your programming journey, usually for free. Here are a few examples.

• Free course websites and blogs like freeCodeCamp, Khan academy, or CSS Tricks.
• Q& A sites like StackOverflow. Here, you can ask others to help you with your problems but also contribute to solving other people’s problems.
• Groups. You can search for Facebook groups in your area of interest. If you are part of a course, you can see if there is a group for the course participants.

#2. Use GitHub

GitHub is a code repository service that allows developers to store and manage changes to their code.

GitHub is also one of the largest communities of developers and a great place to find people who are working on similar projects. You can ask them for help or rope them in as collaborators.

#3. Find a Mentor or a Coding Partner

A mentor is simply someone with a bit more experience than you in programming. The important thing is that they should be willing to spare time to help you.

Where do you find mentors and coding partners?

• If you are in school or part of a formal course, your instructor can be your mentor.
• You can join coding communities and groups.
• You can pay someone on sites like Fiverr, Upwork, or Freelancer to help you solve a problem.

10. Forgetting to Have Fun With Coding

Programming is fun but at times it can get frustrating especially if you are working in a programming career. You can start to lose your love for programming if:

• You have aggressive targets that you are required to meet.
• The work environment is too competitive. For example, you may be working with high performers who make you question your abilities.
• Your work is not challenging enough. You may be stuck doing mundane and routine work.

>> How to regain the joy of programming

Here are some things you can do to bring back that joy of programming.

#1. Take a break

No matter how much you love programming, you can still encounter burnout. Taking regular breaks can help you avoid burn out but it can also help you to reconnect with your vision. Explore other interests and hobbies.

#2. Friendly competition

You can inject some excitement back into programming by participating in competitive coding challenges. There are many sites where you can participate such as Hackerrank, Codecamp, or Codewars.

Coding challenges give you the chance to test your skills against others so that you can find new areas for growth.

#3. Get a coding-related hobby

Roughly 73% of professional developers code as a hobby outside of work (see Interesting Programming FAQs). Coding as a hobby is important especially if you feel that you are not getting challenged enough at work or if you don’t have the opportunity to test your ideas.

With hobby programming, you can:

• Express your creativity.
• Explore other interests.
• Do fun projects.

Wrapping Up

If you find yourself struggling with programming, you can use the strategies and advice in this article to set yourself up for success.

Don’t quit or let your passion for programming die. Whatever difficulties you encounter will pale in comparison with the rewards you will from programming.