one of my favorite articles is Teach Yourself Programming in TenYears by Peter Norvig. The synopsis of the article is to learn slower, as in, building good skills, worthwhile skills like programming take time.

You see courses teaching speed learning or speed reading, or do X in 24 hours and get fit in six weeks. And it's clear the modern world loves speed, but speed is a marketing tactic

If you're trying to learn something, challenge yourself yes but let it go at the pace it needs to go. And if something becomes boring, abandon it.

The school does a terrible job of making learning feel like you have to learn this, you have to remember that. Simultaneously convincing you to learn everything and leaving you feeling like you know nothing. And if it's not hard, you're not doing it right.

The education system promises you the cookie you're after at the end of high school.

But wait, there's another cookie.

It's at the end of university.

Oh, you've finished your undergraduate?

Beautiful. Well, we have another cookie for you. How about some post-graduate study, a master's degree? You'll get that beautiful cookie at the end, promise!

Oh, you’ve finished your masters?

Well, now we have a Ph.D. for you, just a little more, a little more learning. And then you'll finally feel like you've learned something.

I'm not the best one to talk about a concept like this. Nor is this an argument against universities, they have their place, it’s an argument against learning in a rush.

I don't remember asking anyone, “how long will it take for me to learn to ride a bike?”

I get many questions of this nature.

*How long will it take me to learn to code?

How do I learn machine learning faster?*

And I can understand where the questions come from because I too used to be of that mindset.

But every time I've tried to rush something, as in, tried to learn something faster than what it could be learned, it's caused avoidable unhappiness

Don't forget. If you do make it whatever you want, if you have the freedom to create your path, you now also have the responsibility to keep creating it.

What's the rush?

Learn slower.

Make it fun.