I am often asked what kinds of education I would recommend for young hopeful people who want to learn the art of building a successful web business. Unfortunately, I cannot come up with a good answer to that question. What I can do though, is sharing one of the key reasons for why I am where I am today.
When I get the above mentioned question I cannot help myself from being a little annoyed. The reason is that it somehow implies that the desired skills automatically will be filled into your brain if you just manage to choose the right school. It doesn’t work that way. Off course, education is great and extremely helpful, but just graduating something is not extraordinary per se.
Don’t get me wrong, I do recommend that you study hard and long, but do not make the assumption that this means you will automatically be carried to your goals.
Instead, start actively walking towards your goals today! Imagine your goals, and then think of how you can get just a little bit closer to that goal. When I was thirteen, I wanted to make a great interactive 3d chatting system. Disappointed that Google did not yield any results matching “How do I build an interactive 3d chatting system?”, I realized that I just had to start with something a lot simpler. After a week or so, I’ve learned about the very basics of HTML. After a month, I had my own website, and a month later I even added my own homemade guestbook. Awesome!
A year and a half later I sold my first web product, an interactive 3d chatting system called “Link City”.
The first steps of your journey will be painfully small, but the earlier your start walking, the sooner you will reach your goal. Get moving!
I couldn’t agree more.
Daily I meet people actually believe that a education is the only or best way to be a professional developer.
As you, I don’t think educations is a bad choice, but I do however think many self-taught developers stands stronger on their own, than the educated ones. As a self-taught, you know exactly how to learn new technologies – a skill that I experience many educated developers lack.
Just my opinion. Thanks for the article :)
I agree :-)
Thanks for writing this, as it really did interest me!
It’s brilliant to see you were inspired at a young age!
I see Rasmus.
I agree. I tried and failed at just fast-tracking html building sites. But, now studying the hardcore html, css you get to learn more and can therefore create websites and other web projects easilly with proven knowledge.
(That might sound like nonsence to most of you, haha)