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Should You Learn to Code? The Passion Question You Need to Answer First

Cowrie
Cowrie
Dev @ Bswen

Purpose

Before you invest thousands of hours learning to code, there’s one question you need to answer honestly:

Do you actually enjoy building things and solving puzzles?

The answer matters more than you think.

The Hard Truth

Here’s what experienced developers keep saying:

“If you enjoy it, go for it. Only do it if you find a love for building and solving puzzles.”

And this reality check:

“True, you wont be able to stomach the hundreds and thousands of hours over months and years it takes to get good otherwise. I love programming but I understand it’s objectively boring and I could see how most people would find it intolerable.”

I think this captures the essential truth: programming requires sustained effort over years. Without genuine interest, you won’t make it through the frustrating parts.

Why “I Want Money” Fails

The money motivation is understandable. Software development pays well. But here’s why it often fails:

The Money-Only Path
──────────────────────────────────────
Week 1-4:   "This is cool!"
Week 5-12:  "This is harder than I thought"
Month 4-6:  "I'm stuck on this bug for hours"
Month 7+:   "Why am I doing this?"


Result: Most people quit

The people who succeed are those who would code even without the job prospect. The money is a bonus, not the motivation.

Signs You Might Enjoy It

How do you know if programming is for you? Look for these patterns:

Positive Signs
──────────────────────────────────────
✓ You like puzzles and logic games
✓ You enjoy building things (Lego, crafts, DIY)
✓ You get absorbed in problems and lose track of time
✓ You like learning how things work
✓ You don't mind being frustrated sometimes

These aren’t guarantees, but they suggest you might have the temperament for programming.

Signs You Might Struggle

Be honest with yourself about these:

Warning Signs
──────────────────────────────────────
✗ You only want the salary
✗ You hate when things don't work
✗ You prefer clear, unchanging tasks
✗ You find detailed thinking exhausting
✗ You want quick results

None of these mean you can’t learn to code. But they suggest the path will be harder for you than for others.

The Passion Test

Before committing to a career change, try this:

1. Try freeCodeCamp for 2 weeks
   → Did you enjoy it? Or just tolerate it?


2. Build something you personally want
   → Did you lose track of time? Or watch the clock?


3. Get stuck on a bug for 2 hours
   → Did you want to solve it? Or give up?


4. Imagine doing this 8 hours/day
   → Does that sound okay? Or miserable?

If mostly negative: consider other paths. If mostly positive: keep going.

Why Passion Matters

I know “follow your passion” sounds like cliché advice. But in programming, it’s practical:

  • Frustration tolerance: You’ll hit bugs that take hours to solve. Passion keeps you going.
  • Ongoing learning: The field changes constantly. You need to enjoy learning to keep up.
  • Employers notice: They can tell who enjoys the work versus who’s just collecting a paycheck.
  • Career growth: The best developers are driven by curiosity, not just career advancement.

How to Test Before Committing

You don’t need to quit your job to find out. Here’s what I’d do:

  1. Try free courses - freeCodeCamp, CS50, The Odin Project
  2. Build something small - Something you actually want to exist
  3. Notice your feelings - When stuck, do you want to push through or give up?
  4. Consider the alternative - Would you code even without the job prospect?

Summary

In this post, I explained why passion matters for a programming career. The key point is that the thousands of hours required to get good are only survivable if you find the work inherently interesting.

Test your interest with free resources before committing. The developers who succeed are those who would code even without the job. If that’s not you, that’s okay—there are other paths.

Final Words + More Resources

My intention with this article was to help others share my knowledge and experience. If you want to contact me, you can contact by email: Email me

Here are also the most important links from this article along with some further resources that will help you in this scope:

Oh, and if you found these resources useful, don’t forget to support me by starring the repo on GitHub!

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