The Joy of Learning Through Self-Teaching #
Learning is a lifelong journey, and one of the most rewarding ways to embark on this journey is through self-teaching. The process of teaching oneself new skills, ideas, and concepts not only broadens one’s horizons but also instills a deep sense of accomplishment and independence.
In this blog post, I will share my experiences with self-teaching and how it has shaped various aspects of my life, from learning to play the electric guitar to developing applications in multiple programming languages.
For me, it starts with an idea or sometimes a problem that needs to be solved.
Electric Guitar #
One of the earliest memories of self-teaching is with the electric guitar. In this case, it started with an interest in the heavy metal music genre, specifically fast finger movement and guitar solos.
With no formal training, I immersed myself in online tutorials, video lessons, and sheet music. The internet became my classroom, and I learned to appreciate the intricacies of music. Each chord, riff, and melody I mastered brought immense joy and satisfaction.
This experience taught me the value of perseverance and patience, qualities that are crucial for any self-learner.
Repairing CNC Machinery #
In my professional life, one area I found self-teaching to be incredibly useful was with CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines. I realized the importance of understanding their operation. Self-teaching became my tool to repair these complex machines. I studied manuals, explored use cases, and dissected the machine’s software piece by piece to understand their mechanics.
This hands-on approach not only honed my technical skills but also instilled a problem-solving mindset that is invaluable in many aspects of life. An example would be a Water-Jet cutting machine my employer had that was having issues. The bed parameters were way out of bounds, and the machine wouldn’t move because it thought it was outside the area, which it wasn’t.
The company that they had purchased it from were not the manufacturers but did offer support. They came out and spent a whole day trying to fix the problem and left with a temporary fix of reinstalling the whole operating system (Windows 7) and programs on the machine, which later broke again.
I then spent an hour or so on the machine, trial and erroring the issue, and ended up cracking the password for the admin settings deep in the machine’s software and resetting the parameters manually to fix the issue.
Now, whenever it had this problem occur, I could fix it and train other operators on how to fix it should it occur again.
Android Development #
Curiosity led me to the world of Android app development, where I found joy in reverse engineering apps to create custom designs. By decompiling apps and studying their code, I learned how to modify and enhance them to suit my and many others needs.
This endeavor not only improved my programming skills but also gave me insights into user interface design and user experience, which are crucial in today’s digital age.
Overall my projects have amassed millions of user interactions and hundreds of thousands of downloads.
You can find a few examples of my work with Android over on XDA:
Web Development #
Another opportunity arose through work. My employer was seeking to expand the business and reach new customers. Being well known for my resourcefulness, I was pulled aside to see if I could help with designing an e-commerce website. Having no prior experience, I set out on my journey with web development.
I started off with simple website builders and produced an eye-catching, fully functional website with updated designs, logos, brochures, as well as the shop, but personally didn’t enjoy the restrictions placed upon me from using someone else’s framework.
This sparked the next part of my journey. I found a free course online from freecodecamp.org and began learning web development from there. From simple HTML and CSS to JavaScript and beyond, I have since built my own website as well as, interactive applications and more recently this blog you are reading by consuming code examples and online courses.
The satisfaction of seeing a project come to life from scratch is unparalleled, and it reinforced the idea that with determination and resources, anything is possible.
C# Programming #
FreeCodeCamp also offered other professional certificates, and one of them was provided by Microsoft. I wanted to expand my coding knowledge and learn some new coding languages, so I started here. Although it is not advisable to start so early in your coding journey by learning C#, I like a challenge and was motivated to do my best.
Learning C# on my own was a challenging yet rewarding experience. The certification was well put together and beginner-friendly.
The journey of self-teaching C# taught me to appreciate the nuances of different programming paradigms and the importance of writing clean, maintainable code. This led me to developing my first C# Windows application:
Python Programming #
Python, with its simplicity and versatility, became another language I thought to learn for building various applications.
Self-teaching Python was a journey filled with exploration and creativity. I tackled projects ranging from data analysis to encryption algorithms, each one teaching me something new about the language and its capabilities.
This experience highlighted the importance of continuous learning and adapting to new challenges. I have since developed my first Python app:
And More #
Beyond the specific examples I have shared, my journey of self-teaching extends into many other areas, some even helping businesses expand into new areas and attract new customers. These endeavors involve projects that, due to contractual obligations, I am unable to disclose. However, they have all contributed to my broader understanding and skills in technology, problem-solving, and creative thinking.
Conclusion #
Self-teaching has been a cornerstone of my personal and professional growth. The joy of discovering new skills and mastering them at my own pace has been incredibly fulfilling.
Each self-taught endeavor has equipped me with the confidence to tackle new challenges and the knowledge that learning is indeed a never-ending journey. Whether it’s music, machinery, or programming, the joy of self-teaching lies in the empowerment it brings, turning curiosity into expertise.