The Developer Advice No One Gave Me

When I started learning to code, I was full of motivation… and doubt.

I thought I had to know everything to be a “real” developer — every programming language, every shortcut, every trendy framework.

And every time I got stuck, I thought I wasn’t good enough.

But after years of working in tech, building projects, joining teams, and failing more than I’d like to admit… I’ve learned something important.

Something I wish someone told me earlier.

You’re Not Supposed to Know Everything

Somewhere along the way, we got this idea that good developers have all the answers.

That they never get stuck. That they don’t Google. That they understand every error the moment it shows up.

That’s just not true.

The best developers I’ve worked with?

They search Stack Overflow daily.

They ask for help.

They don’t remember everything — but they know how to find what they need.

And more importantly, they’re okay with not knowing everything.

Struggling Doesn’t Mean You’re Failing

Getting stuck isn’t a sign of weakness — it’s part of the process.

Every time you hit an error, every time you re-read the docs, every time you fix something you broke… you’re growing.

That’s how real learning works. Not in a straight line. But in loops, bugs, and breakthroughs.

Confidence Comes from Doing, Not Knowing

The biggest myth is that confidence comes from knowing everything.

It doesn’t.

It comes from:

• Trying, failing, and trying again

• Finishing small things

• Building momentum

• Realizing that even when you’re unsure, you can figure it out

If you’re doubting yourself right now, I want you to hear this:

You’re not failing. You’re learning.

My Advice to You

Here’s what I wish someone told me:

• It’s okay to forget syntax

• It’s okay to look things up

• It’s okay to feel behind

• It’s okay to not have it all figured out

Just keep going.

One step. One bug. One breakthrough at a time.

You’re doing better than you think.