How many of you out there have thought about learning to code—even becoming a software engineer—only to have some little voice of doubt make you think otherwise? Maybe it’s concerns about not being able to learn everything you need to succeed. Maybe you’re worried about . Or maybe you just don’t think you’re smart enough to work beside those genius developers.

Well, it’s time to shut that voice down.

No, I’m not about to tell you that learning to code will be easy or that you will immediately find success. But I am here to tell you that many of the reasons you’ve been telling yourself “that’s probably not for me” are wildly untrue.

Myth #1: Be a genius. Be a mathematician.

This one is the most important myth to dispel – the myth of the privileged mind. There is no special thing your brain must have to become a programmer.

Programming is a skill like playing the guitar or running a marathon. You get better at it by doing it. By dedicating time and effort. By learning from others. It's a skill that you develop and grow the more you do and the more productive effort you put into it.

If you see a programmer who is capable of doing amazing stuff with a computer, it is always the result of dedicating time and energy into their craft. It's not some innate talent they were born with or some divine inspiration.

Also, let's talk about math. Even though mathematics is at the heart of programming, you don't need it in your day to day work. The majority of programming languages used today for most jobs are high-level languages. These are closer to human languages than numbers and don't need any special knowledge in math.

Programming is much more like writing than doing calculus. If you are good with math, it will help you solve certain problems faster. If like me, you didn't fall in love with it at school and never looked back, this won't be a hindrance.

Myth #2: Be young

You do not need to be young to work in tech. You do not need to start young to be a good programmer.

When it comes to learning coding, age doesn’t matter. What is more important is how much work you’re willing to put into it.

if you really enjoy learning programming, that’s all that matters. Having passion and confidence is much more powerful than simply having been born yesterday.

 It's never too late to learn. Never too late to change careers. Besides, a company that only wants to hire young people is probably not a good place to work for anyway.

Myth #3:University degree

These days many online boot camps are being organised across the globe. These can be helpful and are a great way to start if you don’t have experience in programming. A University degree is important but it surely is not everything. Many programmers today who are doing exceptionally well in their careers don’t have a programming degree, yet they have the caliber to stand out due to their experience and passion for programming.

Myth #4:You Need To Be A Genius To Code

The truth is that anyone who has the desire and willingness to work hard can learn to code. And anyone who can communicate can learn programming. Coding is a language, with its own vocabulary and grammar, and it allows you to communicate with a machine to complete a task.

The languages of code may seem complicated and daunting to learn at first. But the modern programming languages of today are designed to be logical and easy to understand.

Becoming a good web developer isn’t about being smart – it’s about dedication, creativity, and learning how to think to solve problems.

Myth #5:Coding Is Boring

Quite the opposite. Technology is everywhere – and where there’s technology, there’s coding.

Coding isn’t just about creating websites. It’s about developing the computer technology found in cars and airplanes, designing video games, developing medical devices and equipment, and space exploration.

Coding is about creativity, it’s about building something useful. Learning to code allows you to dive into almost any kind of industry that interests you. So how could that be boring?

Myth #6:All programmers are nerds and lonely people

Wrong, coding is for everyone. During coding, not only are you communicating with your computer but you would also need to communicate with other developers when you need help with your code. 

A career as a developer is a very social one. While working on projects either in your team or by yourself, you will need to exchange thoughts and ideas with others. Surely you will spend a good amount of your time-solving problems by yourself. 

All coding projects involve a great deal of intense logical thinking and brainstorming but when you need help there would always be a community of your fellow developers to help you.

Plus, working as a developer can, in some cases, give your life some extra flexibility, helping you live like you want and spend time with the people you care about.

Myth #7:Be fluent in English

As with most of the above, being fluent in English helps. Programming languages were invented and flourished in English speaking countries. So for better or worse English dominates the field.

The words used in programming languages are English. And the majority of documentation, tutorials, articles, and resources about the subject are in English. So it helps a lot if you have a decent level of comprehension.

But, this shouldn't be the barrier that's holding you back from programming. You can learn and become good at it with an intermediate level of English. Many people get by only with being able to read and comprehend English.

Myth #8:Have a state of the art computer or expensive software

This might be a bit silly. But for many people living in difficult economic situations, it means the difference between taking that first step or not.

Well yes, you can do all the basic stuff on an old machine with no bells and whistles at all. One expects to have a good machine when working professionally. But as a learner, you can go very far with an internet connection and a basic computer that can run a text editor.

And besides, there are free versions of every tool you need to use along the way.

Conclusion

I hope this article helps you in breaking myths about programmers and removing barriers to entry. I hope that if you are intrigued by programming that you give it a go. And if you find yourself excited by it and interested in pursuing a career that you will try it.

Ignore the self-doubt that comes disguised as one of these barriers that we think are in our way. Programming is complex and requires hard work. But everything about it is made up of skills anyone can learn if they persist.

Life can be tough and can put lots of obstacles in our way. The challenge is to react to these obstacles and find our way around them. So let's at least remove from our path all the clutter that isn't actually real obstacles.

Here are a few helpful posts you might want to read, too:

Why learning code? 7 Essential Benefits From Learning Programming

6 Things To Know Before Learning Programming

How to Teach Yourself to Learn Code

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