How Can Anyone Learn To Code In 6 Months? Shouldn’t It Take Longer?

I continue to stand by my opinion that anyone can learn to code in 6 months.

Why?

Here are 4 reasons:

1. Momentum

A 6 month, intensive curriculum is a real challenge. It means you have to sacrifice some fun on the weekends, some sleep, and you have to run the course always with the end goal in mind.

But it nicely combines momentum and sense of "urgency" with a solid amount of time to absorb what is needed to code efficiently. There is no time to get bored, AND there is sufficient time to add a good number of solid tools to the coding toolbox. 

A 12-week curriculum is too much. Most of us have jobs or some sort of, at least part-time, responsibility that limits how much we can put into a day. Also, it's a lot of cram with little absorption. In other words, it's too much in too little time.

And a 9 month or 12 month curriculum is too long. Sure one can take their time and work through things deeper….but this almost ALWAYS leads to a loss of momentum or some newfound surge of boredom with what they are currently learning.

2. Focus

The very day you start learning to code, shiny new languages, courses, and skills start to lure you away from the curriculum you have committed to. 

The less time you give for this to happen, the better chance you have in fighting off the shiny new objects popping up everywhere around you. 

But as soon as you decide to slow things down and stretch it out to 12 months, someone tells you about a new React course, or how easy you can learn data science, and before you know it you are off on a rabbit trail and have failed at your 'learning to code' pursuit.

With a "six-months momentum," you stand a much better chance at staying focused. 

3. Understanding

This was briefly touched on already, but it is hard to equip yourself as a well-rounded web developer in 12-weeks….even if you quit everything and devote 60 hours a week to it. You will probably "graduate" feeling largely inadequate.

On the other hand, 12 months is too long. It dangerously gives us permission to get ourselves bogged down with lots of details and gadgets that we really do not need to be learning up front. 

Six months combines a solid time to learn all the foundational web development tools AND to give each one of those ample time to be absorbed.

4. Reality

Now with all the above said, we need to step back and revisit reality:

Whether 12-weeks, 6 months, or 1 year, you will not, at the end, reach the summit of learning to code. It is an ongoing, lifelong pursit.

By the phrase, learn to code in 6 months, I do not mean that at the end of six months you are good to go. Instead I mean that you will have established a solid foundation by which you can go forth in the coding field and take on any skill that they throw at you whether in corporate America or in your own business.

So what 6 month curriculum is best?

In my opinion, a champion 6 month curriculum look like this:

• Month 1: HTML/Foundations
• Month 2: CSS
• Month 3: JavaScript
• Month 4: A Specialty
• Month 5: Real World Projects
• Month 6: Applications and Interview Prep

A champion 6 month curriculum is customized and specific, keeps the student accountable, and provides real-world projects and jobs to do.

So beginning in January 2019, I'll be releasing my "Learn To Code and Get A Job Blueprint Course." This will be an online course for those who desire to do just that. It will be customized (week-by-week), focused, accountable, and it will provide real world projects and preparations for landing that coding job with confidence.

I am still putting it together now and am absolutely thrilled to share more info with you here in the next couple of weeks.

If this interests you, send me your details below so I can keep you informed as further information is released.

UPDATE

Due to the feedback and processing things in my head, this will not be a coaching program, but an online course. ​

Enrollment just opened. Go check it out!