Why I Almost Gave Up on Coding (But Didn’t)

Introduction: The Day I Almost Quit

Hey there, I’m Yasfa Yasmin. If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve felt the frustration, burnout, and pure confusion that can come with learning to code. Trust me, I’ve been there. I still remember the exact moment I was sitting in front of my laptop at 2:47 AM, eyes blurry, my brain fried like overcooked eggs, and I whispered, “Maybe this just isn’t for me.”

But spoiler alert: I didn’t give up. And in this post, I want to take you deep into my journey—not just the wins and highlights, but the gritty, raw moments that made me almost throw in the towel. I’ll also share what helped me push through. If you’re at a crossroads in your coding journey, maybe this will help you choose to keep going too.

The Honeymoon Phase: When Everything Felt Magical

When I first discovered web development, it felt like I had opened the door to a secret universe. Writing my first HTML code felt like wizardry. Creating a button that actually did something? Magic.

I was obsessed. I binge-watched YouTube tutorials, built little projects, and started dreaming about making my own tool websites that could solve real-world problems. It was thrilling. And for a while, that excitement carried me. But like any love story, the honeymoon phase doesn’t last forever.

The Learning Cliff: When Tutorials Became a Trap

Eventually, the endless tutorials I loved so much started to blur together. I was following step-by-step videos but not really understanding what I was doing.

Here’s the problem: tutorials give you a false sense of progress. You follow along, build something cool, but the moment you try to make something on your own—boom. Brain freeze. Nothing works.

This hit me hard. I started doubting myself. “Why can’t I figure this out alone? Maybe I’m just not smart enough.”

I was stuck in something people call “tutorial hell”—and it felt exactly like that.

The Realization:

It wasn’t about how fast I could follow instructions. It was about slowing down, getting stuck, debugging, and figuring it out myself.

Burnout Hit Like a Truck

At one point, I was trying to learn JavaScript, CSS animations, and backend logic all at once. I pushed myself too hard. No breaks. No rest. Just code, code, code.

The result? Burnout. I couldn’t even look at my screen without feeling exhausted.

I remember thinking, “Why am I even doing this?”

This was the lowest point. Coding didn’t feel fun anymore. It felt like a mountain I couldn’t climb.

But here’s the twist—that low point is also when everything started to change.

Shifting My Mindset: From Perfection to Progress

One of the biggest things that saved me? Changing how I saw failure.

Before, every bug felt like proof I wasn’t good enough. Now? I see bugs as learning moments.

Coding isn’t about knowing everything. It’s about problem-solving. You don’t need all the answers. You just need the will to find them.

Real Talk: The Coding Truth

Once I stopped chasing perfection and started focusing on progress, everything shifted. Suddenly, learning felt exciting again.

Building Real Projects Changed the Game

The best decision I ever made? Building my own tool websites.

They weren’t perfect. In fact, most of them were kind of messy. But they worked. They solved real problems. And most importantly, they were mine.

Working on real projects forced me to think for myself. It made me Google things, read documentation, and learn how to learn.

That’s when I realized: the best way to learn is by doing. And failing. And then doing again.

My Go-To Fixes for Coding Struggles

Okay, so I promised I’d share what helped me get through the tough times. Here are two major things that helped me stay on track:

1. Break Things Into Tiny Goals
   I stopped trying to “learn JavaScript.” Instead, I focused on small, clear goals like: “make a button that changes the text on click.”
2. Celebrate Small Wins
   When something works, no matter how small, I treat it like a huge deal. It builds momentum and keeps me going.

FAQ: Stuff I Wish Someone Had Told Me

Q: What do I do when I feel stuck?
A: Walk away. Seriously. A short break can give your brain space to solve the problem.

Q: How do I stay motivated?
A: Find your “why.” For me, it’s building tools that help people. That keeps me focused.

Q: Is it normal to feel like you’re not making progress?
A: YES. Learning isn’t a straight line. You’ll feel stuck, then suddenly have a breakthrough.

Q: Should I learn everything before building something?
A: Nope. Start building now. Learning happens in the doing.

Finding Community Made All the Difference

One of the loneliest things about learning to code is feeling like you’re the only one struggling. But once I started joining communities—even just lurking on forums or following devs on Twitter (or X now)—I realized everyone struggles.

Everyone hits bugs. Everyone feels dumb sometimes. And guess what? That’s okay. You’re still a developer.

What Kept Me Going (And What Might Keep You Going Too)

I won’t lie: I almost quit. But I didn’t.

Why?

Because deep down, I still believed in what I was doing. I wanted to build things that matter. I wanted to create websites and tools that make people’s lives easier.

And now, every time I launch something, even if just one person finds it useful, it feels worth it.

If you’re reading this and thinking about giving up, I get it. But maybe—just maybe—you’re closer to a breakthrough than you think.

Final Thoughts: You Got This

Learning to code is hard. But so is anything worth doing.

It’s not about being the smartest or fastest. It’s about showing up, trying again, and building things you care about.

So if you’re feeling stuck, remember: it’s okay to pause. It’s okay to cry. But don’t give up.

Because one day, you’ll look back at this moment and smile. You’ll realize that it was all part of the story.

And if I can do it? So can you.

Stay curious,

Yasfa Yasmin

P.S. Got questions or want to share your story? Drop a comment below! Let’s lift each other up. We’re all in this together. 🚀