Time passes, FAST. If you want anything significant to happen in your life or your career, you need to do it now. And there needs to be a SPECIFIC plan of action to follow. And you NEED to zoom out to see the significance it will have in your overall life.
In this video, I want to encourage you to do just that in your coding journey, or really whatever goals you are pursuing. Zoom out to see that the sacrifice is actually smaller than you think, and the benefits are much bigger than you think.
Tune in...
Join me in the Imposter Devs Community - imposterdevs.com
Resources
The Almanac of Naval Ravikant - amzn.to/4cTAjLc
My Coding Story - • My Unconventional Codi...
Finding your ONE thing! - • THE Book That Changed ...
The Mindset to Radically Change Your Career - • The Mindset To Radical...
Updated Udemy deals - travis.media/udemy
** Career Path Coding Tracks **
Web Developer - geni.us/jBigBd
Software Engineer - geni.us/AbMxjrX
Machine Learning - geni.us/GporLlT
Python Developer - geni.us/tv2FJBU
DevOps Engineer - geni.us/MgHtJ
** My Coding Blueprints **
Learn to Code Web Developer Blueprint - geni.us/HoswN2
AWS/Python Blueprint - geni.us/yGlFaRe - FREE
Both FREE in the Travis Media Community - imposterdevs.com
My microphone - amzn.to/3sAwyrH
** I write regularly **
travis.media
** FREE EBOOKS **
📘 travis.media/ebooks
LET'S CONNECT!
📰 LinkedIn ➔ / travisdotmedia
🐦 Twitter ➔ / travisdotmedia
🙋🏼♂️ Website ➔ travis.media
#selftaughtdeveloper #careerchange #aiprogramming
** Some of the links in this description may be affiliate links that I may get a little cut of. Thank you.
When I was in college, I met a woman who went back to school to become a lawyer at 36. A friend of mine asked her, "Won't that take 3-4 years? -- You'll be 40!" She said, "Yup. In 4 years, I'll be 40. This way though, in 4 years I'll be 40, AND A LAWYER!"
Your friend has wisdom.
I did that at 37 except I became a nurse. Im 44 now- best decision I ever made.
And I'm going to be 42 with a CS degree and finally getting a job where I want instead of sticking out the safe thing or whatever I can get. Things have finally turned around for me and I'm going to start driving at a better future. I was the first person in my family to graduate college. I'm going to be the first to graduate University. At year 3-ish I'm going to consider getting a masters in CS. Either way I'll be 42. 42 here or 42 there. To quote Kormac from Diablo 3, "The wrong decision is better than no decision." Just make a decision.
This is what I like about USA (I suppose you're from USA), people learn at different ages and get results. In India I have rarely seen people taking up new ventures at 37 or 34 of age. Its amazing.
@@KhallDrake This was so good to hear Sir. I wish you all the best and I hope you have fun at your work. God bless you!
I'm 26 years old with a community college diploma in photography because I slacked off in high school and college. 2 years ago, I decided that I would go back to university to get my bachelor's degree. Funny enough I chose one of the hardest major to get in: Engineering. They told me I needed to repeat 5 required high school credits with mid to high 90s average to get in. After 2 years of studying part-time, I am now accepted to the Computer Engineering program and I am going back to University this September. I'll come back to look at this comment 4 years from now when I'm 30 and an Engineer (hopefully). Wish me luck!
BONNE CHANCE 🙂
All the best on your brave journey to success, wishing you many rewards.
In 4 years when you graduate with a CE degree, you will be in super high demand. Wishing you all the best in your journey. Very impressive.
Same story here!😅 I will not post my situation However, I will encourage you and hopefully when I come back to read this post and my comment We will make it together. All the best to us all. Let us do this. The past is gone, the present is for us to make amazing future.
All the best man!!
My HUGE mistake. Be BOLD. Make BIG changes quickly. But be able to pivot into something different quickly if necessary. After having some failures early in life I became hesitant to make BIG changes. Trust me regrets is a lot worse than at least saying you tried.
Totally agree 💯
Yo thanks man was much needed for me
Have you succeed yet?
Success is the commitment to the process, the willingness to grow, and the courage to put yourself if a position where you could fail. The outcomes will be whatever they will be.
@@Brutish2006 got it
TLDW: spend 3 years investing in yourself and it will pay off for the rest of your life.
I started a coding bootcamp at 50 years old, 4 years ago during COVID. I now have a great software engineering job.
Nice! If you're ever up for sharing your story in a podcast, let me know! Would love to hear about it.
@@TravisMedia I'd be up for chatting.
@@KeithTharp I'd love to hear your story!
Me too!
Would love to learn more too. Almost 50 and have wanted to get into tech to suit my personality. Everybody says it was a fool's errand at my age. Glad to know somebody pulled it off!
I restarted from zero at 27 years old. I quit a great job at Merck, sold all my possessions , and moved to the USA to start a doctoral degree. It was hard but 100% worthy. Seventeen years later I have the benefit of looking back at my own decisions.
That’s funny. In two weeks I’m quitting my data engineering job at Merck to become a games developer at the age of 39. Maybe it’s something about Merck. lol
I read The 12 Week Year and I'm already blowing past my goals by just splitting them up over 3 months. This was the cherry on top.
Very Good video. I wasted my last 5 years in depression after my graduate school. But now I am on a plan and mos important I am in action. 🎉
Best of Luck❤
Personally I don’t feel the time spent in depression was a waste for you. Although it might feel many aspects in life slowed down, it’s a very different kind of learning! Good luck :)
What caused your depression?
I’m 31 and I feel so hopeless, man. Even at the beginning of the video I thought “oh, he’s talking to those in their early 20s…” when you said you started at 34… I literally teared up. If feels so hard to break into the industry
Everything will be fine. I thought the same thing. I'm 38YO
I am turning 30 and 6 months in python. Tomorrow will be better than today.
Started at 38 and my age made me think it was too late. I was worried about companies thinking I was too old. Then it occurred to me that I would still be doing a job I hated 3 years later if I didn’t try and be older at my hated job. Later, during my interview for a coding job, one of the things that came up was that they were more inclined to hire me at my age because I was more matured and established, and less likely to not show up to work.
@@georgemcsly217 Thanks, George. This is a very encouraging story. And I am so happy that you made it in and proud of you for following your passion, man. May you keep growing!
You can do it, just start doing something you enjoy doing and can earn you lots of money in the future. It will take time, but eventually you'll get a job, then you'll be able to get a better job and life will get a lot easier.
As someone who is turning 25 very soon, this video was very helpful and it helped act as a wake-up call. I found the video insightful and very valuable. Thank you for creating and uploading this video! You, my friend, have earned yourself a new subscriber! Keep up the quality video uploads! 😄
3 years! Very realistic time frame. I like how we have shifted away from the "1 year" buzz word of the past. Thanks very much for this.
i went to college late at 24 and graduated at 28. Wasted three years doing nothing, I actually tried to become a lawyer but failed getting into t100 law schools, so I gave up. Now I am studying for SWE. it has been a year since I started learning and going back to school. Many of my friends got married, have job, and have children but I am just here by with nothing. Hope I make it.
The past is fiction. Focus on your bright future instead. You WILL make it! Big time!
If you want, you will. Also be creative. Think outside the box. Give a s* about others life and where they are. Keep on going bro
You are not alone, I am facing similar situation but I am 20 now and I have wasted 2 years, and my friends are doing internship/projects ..etc while I am did nothing but wast time understanding stock market
We are on a same boat mate Hope, we make it
Failed 12th grade at 18 and joined diploma course and spent another 3 years doing it after which got into an university at 22 while most of my friends were graduating. Had some really bad, unsupportive classmates so failed an year,sat at home,failed the next year again sat at home then took readmission for the same course and completed engineering with few subjects to pass. Now it's my final chance to clear the remaining subjects and I'm already 28.5 years old. Most of my friends are married few of them have kids and many of them earn well and have their own house. I'm here not having achieved anything. Life is tough right now but gotta strive.
For years I felt like this notion of time passing regardless was something that had only occurred to me. It’s what got me to return to school, it’s what got me into code. It completely changed my life and that of my family. Don’t worry about the economy everyone. What you’re doing is going to take a long time. Be ready when your train comes.
Thanks for the tip! I did those 3 years of grind. So glad I did!
I've been frustrated and opening KZhead this video was the first in my feed. Thank you this. I'll also look for that book as I've been short sighted in my journey
means, the time shall pass no matter what. We should make the time productive instead of complainaing about stuffs which are out of control. Thank you for the video
proud to say, after many years of wanting to change and doing absolutely nothing, right now I'm finally on my way, learning the skills and putting the effort 🎉
Hey Travis, I don't think there will ever be a day when I regret ever subscribing to your channel...let me just say, you're a blessing man, and so are content. it's clear to me that you do this not to get likes and people to join , but you do this to help others make their lives better. Thank you
The one thing I want to add is, btw great content, sometimes people ( I'm one of them) think that after a certain point in life they see a certain set of actions and decisions that lead them here, and think I could have taken it way beforehand, and think I've wasted a ton of time. Overlooking the fact that, those Hits and misses were what made them to be, where they are. It's not about taking 3 years to have the right decision, but the will to act on it the moment it is born.
I dropped out of university the first time I went straight from high school. Got a decent job but felt stuck. I fell in love with programming and decided to give it another go at 25. It took me 3 years to get my degree and I got a job straight after graduating. Employers actually liked the fact that I was older and had experience outside of an education setting, I had other classmates who were also older than me and they excelled and also landed positions.
Law school is exactly 3 years. This video title got my attention. As I always tell myself and people I mentor: “The time will pass anyway, so make it count. Make it matter.”
Your video just uplifted me today when I really needed it. I've been following your channel for a while. I've done a few Java courses and am wading through an SQL course currently. Sometimes motivation is hard to keep, but I guess that's life. I'm 42, a degree in mechanical engineering but I'm on a path (I have no idea where to) to something better. I always enjoy your videos Travis. Cheers from Cape Town.
Thanks Travis, I appreciate you making this video !
Now imagine if you have to do it in your 40's ... I've been working with IT for the last 20+ years, but unfortunately got to a point where I need to risk and focus on something really bold to get out of this mouse wheel . ..
+ one almost 40 IT guy that want changes :)
23 year old IT guy that is tired of it. I want to make a difference in the world. What are your goals?
Yeah, I also want to make a difference. What do you think you’re gonna do?
@@krave1324I’m honestly not sure. I’m starting to think that might be too ambitious of an aspiration.
Just don't bet the farm. Don't ever bet the farm on anything.
Thanks i needed to hear this. I spent a lot of time looking about productivity in youtube and learning about prerequisites for programming instead of just learning the technology that gets me a job right away. I thought before starting to learn i must be 'ready' but the truth is i will never be ready and a leap of faith will go a long way.
Hey Travis, thanks for the great video once again, gives me strength and confidence. Also, congrats on the 200K subscribers!!! Been watching you for the whole year, and you've grown so much since last April, really happy for you and hope to grow and learn more from you. Cheers, Wish you another great year coming!
I have fallen in love with your videos. Thank you. I am encouraged.
Thank you so much. This is what I needed to hear today
I watched the "story vid" you recommended after watching this... I don't know if I'll "learn to code"... but I have to say, that was an interesting story on "Pivoting" jobs & trying to make it & survive... I appreciate you being transparent about the " time scale" saying you'd been coding for 7 years... You really do a good solid job of explaining stuff.. I don't know if that's b/c you have kids, or you appreciate that yourself, but I like your "Down to earth vibe".. I didn't particularly feel "overwhelmed" yet, I was still able to grasp the gist of what you were discussing.. as someone who's in the same boat as you "just good with computers"
He is definitely right, I had no college degree and was working a simple help desk job that was poorly paid and there was no room to improve. I spent 3 years there just 'wanting' to get ahead in my career. I managed to leave the just finally then my career skyrocketed from an experience and skill point of view. Of course it took a lot of struggles and countless sleepless nights but it was definitely worth it. No video or tutorial will help you, you gotta get into the nitty gritty of things and so the not so fun things. Also maybe create a road map or a broad plan. I initially had no idea what to do and once I figured that out it greatly improved my work life.
Thank you for the message, it got me to rethink my path. Now, I'm even more certain and motivated.
Awesome content ! Thank you for showing us a different perspective. I was saying to myself it’s too late for learning code but in reality it’s is never too late
Thank you Travis, you are a good mentor, this video is very inspiring. People should heed what you said.
Love this message Travis. Breaking into tech can feel like such a moving target because people focus too much on trendy technologies. Focus on the fundamentals, and it can act as a spring board to any other specialization you want.
the 3 years proccess you mentioned in at first of the video is exactly my cours of action at the moment, great video 👍
I absolutely love this video. I think this has always been my problem, I'm very ambitious, but I lack a clear plan in my head on how to achieve my goals. I have achieved quite a lot, but I think that if planned well, I could have achieved a lot more. Thank you!
you made transition at 34! amazing man. Hard work yields results at any age just we need perseverance! Thanks Travis btw Almanack of Naval Ravikant is great wisdom
This video resonated with me a lot! Thanks for publishing it, Travis! I am 40 now, and I changed careers from finance to computational physics by returning to university as an undergrad at 33, all while being a mom of four. It was a daring and bold move; people thought I was crazy, and at times, I doubted myself too. Yet, today, I am in the last month of my MSc and about to start a PhD. I’m also building my KZhead channel to document my journey and develop a whole new set of skills. Thankfully, my husband was patient with the temporary sacrifices we had to make to our lifestyle during the last few years. We made it through with his support and the decent Student Aid in Canada. I do not regret going back to school to pursue a career that builds me up, even though it has been challenging at times. It's much better than feeling stagnant and stressed in a job that didn’t fulfill me and had a cap on how much I could earn, no matter how hard I would have tried.
I see so many people in the comments feeling very similar to what I felt back then. I can tell you one thing, it is only scary before you start (and maybe in the first few weeks after). Soon enough, you get used to the change, and the new lifestyle becomes a routine. As long as you have figured out the means to support your career change transition period, keep looking forward, never back! Well, in my case, it took 6 years to get to this point. It does not have to be a university degree that you might be contemplating pursuing, but a course (maybe a few of them, just like Travis's example). Whatever it is, go for it if you feel it will make your life better and richer in any way.
Great mindset, thank you Travis ☺
great one I like spending time with honest people 2. greatest people who tend to be highly successful and are honest 3. smartest people who question a lot and actually solve the problems
Yeah I'm 27 years old and I'm working on a restaurant, and I was looking at the older people on my work man... I never felt so much fear in my life, I realise I would end up just like them if I don't do anything to change, so Im aiming for a career in finance, here in Brazil the vast majority of people are in truble financiale so I wanna help them, thanks man
Same age, country and insights
@@JulianaDurgante Hi, same country but different insights and ages. I am 19 years old, studying law in college, but I confess that I spend most of my time studying other languages, which is my priority at the moment. Not for any specific reason related to productivity, I just enjoy it and think it might be useful in the future, but honestly, I have my doubts. I hope the time I spent on this is not in vain. The big problem is that your mind always thinks you could be doing something more productive.
@@viniciuslima-sn5un Hey I also like learning languages , am 20 studying physics and i just anted to say that it teaches you how to learn so you get better at learning in the long run, this is a skill too :}
@@chrono4998 cool, lie I hate physics lmao. but I love learning languages what are you learning? (I'm studying English at the moment, sorry for misspelled)). what kind of music do you like?
Good video. Think long term is a line we often hear but these 6 minutes really explain us why
Fantastic advices , thank you so much Travis
Thank you for the video! Most helpful!
Thank you for talking to "me". We never met, but you feel like a close friend who cares about my welfare and lifes purpose. You were real, but not condescending or overtly stern. I'm gonna keep making a plan for what can accomodate my ADHD, my behaviors can be regulated and it gets easier to follow goals that way.
i was needing this video, thank you
I really needed to hear this. I have been "learning to code" for 4 years or so now. Those 4 years flew by while I wasn't really doing anything productive and doing a job I didn't like
Really nice piece of advice, Travis. Liked the way you put it.
I started at 28. Got my first software engineering role at 30. Now at 33 leading development for finance apps, know around 7 languages and teaching myself Operating Systems development in my free time. My life changed, not just from an income standpoint but I’ve gained so much self-respect from getting highly competent in something. All the best to others on the journey.
Thank you for this Travis.
Thanks for the advice Travis
It's very helpful. Thank you!
This was the mistake I kept making since I turned 22, I wanted things to happen so fast or otherwise I'd quit, last year I realized that is not how it works. You must designate a realistic amount of time for a goal (it usually takes years for something worthwhile) and you must be patient and committed to it. Time will pass anyway, that's not in your hands, what is in your hands is the power to decide what you will be after that period of time. This year I decided to become an actual software engineer and entrepreneur to build projects and businesses that I am passionate about instead of trying to fulfill those checkboxes in job postings just to get the job. I am now 27 and I am grateful to God because despite of my mistakes I still have the opportunity to continue pursuing my goals, and so I will.
Thank you for this ❤
Thanks for this!
I learned C and Python in 6 months. I am 34. With 20 would had been great, but with 45 its still okay. You earn more, and it makes fun!!
what was the path you followed to learn. 6 months is really impressive
C and Python in 6 months??
Op is capping
And what are you planning to do with C that you learned? Ok so not here to bash or anything Sir, Just a suggestion from my side. Learning C would make your basics strong and all is fine, but I don't think that would help much rather I would recommend you to go ahead with python and further explore the field of Data Science, Machine Learning and even some basic automations which python does provide, In the current age Automations SaaS are indeed booming so they do have a scope. At the same time, you can try to replace C with C++ as it's used more for Interviews in Big tech if you are aiming for that. Again all of this is a friendly suggestion, nothing hard forced♥
@@WhyShubham. maybe he wants to build malware
I'm exactly the definition of the intro except I think I now got comfortable and thinking of quitting tech. This year, I quit my boring toxic job, was rejected by all top PhD programs I applied to, and now unemployed. During this time, for the first time in years, I have regretted not going to med school and think the biggest problem after success is getting comfortable. You always need to keep working hard
Short, informative, helpful Thank you!
I did this, up at 5am 2017-2020, used saving and some side contracts to focus full time 2020-2022. Am builidkng freelance and contract work. MUCH LESS MONEY. LOTS OF EFFORT AND WORRY. But I’m happier. I’m fulfilled I LOVE my life And I work harder than I ever did as employee. It’s not about salary. It’s about how you spend your precious time on this one time trip on this spinning rock on space.
I am not a coder, but these pieces of advice are spot on. Thanks a lot, Travis, for waking me up from this slumber. :)
thanks you opened my eye i like working a lot but recently i encounter burnout but now i will carry on thanks a lot
I did EXACTLY what you said, I have a good software job and am very happy however I fear that this same opportunity may not be available for the next generation. That being said, I see may other areas I would focus on if I was in their position. The beat goes on sir.
Thank you for the great video :)
After series of failures (2023-2024) and I was in depression....and this video help me to get out from this situation and then i realised that i am only 22 . I think my hard work will pay off in few years🎉 because I never stop working on my self ✨
hey man this is life changing, having long term vision is key I'm 19 right now, and after 3 yrs i'll be 22 AND a software engineer
Was making $40,000 at 27 years old, finished a 3 month coding bootcamp, got my first job 4 months later as a front-end developer. Now, I'm a senior software engineer with a total comp of $193k at 35 years old.
needed this alot thank you.
im a electrician and i get paid 6 figures already, but i thoroughly enjoy coding as a hobby, it gets me away from gaming, i love it, i also see it as a good opportunity to learn skills that in one day if i decide to quit my job as a electrician i can go into another field, or better yet keep working as a electrician and do coding projects on the side like apps and little startups
How long does it take to learn to become good electrician and would you recommend to learn this area?
@@AntonBrazhnyk they say you really learn after you finish your apprenticeship, 4 years to do the basics then maybe another 2 or so after for the finer details, its a good trade with many avenues especially in Aus, you can do solar, Air conditioning, data electrician, fire electrician, lift electrician and even mining
Awesome video! I am making the plan now! (And you make a lot of sense, AI represents opportunities.)
Ur story is always an inspiration.
Very good video. I wasted my teenage years on not focusing on my skills but i m pretty sure by the end of this year ill achieve more than i had in my teenage years
"this is the time of your life to take leaps." -- a grandpa to his 22yo granddaughter upon her life move into perpetual servitude as a cloistered Nun. I relied on this very same advice to pick up unfinished business & devote all personal efforts to manifest a commitment. 40 years anew to re-build this life effort at age 65. choices exist in continuum because of preparation.
You can't change the past and alter any of the things you regret doing or not doing, but you can decide to move forward WITH time right now!! That's the best we can do
I definitely understand what you're saying. I've been speaking to a lot of older people lately who have been saying, bream down life into decades and work from there. But, I dont agree with your plan for a person beginning on their journey to create "very specific steps" to get where they want, because they literally can't do that if they have no experience. Just show up and do the thing.
Lovely, lovely words of wisdom.
I can relate to this so much. Switched my career to tech at 27. Had to start from scratch at zero salary. Kept learning and shifting jobs over the years, gradually increasing my pay. Now after 10 years into software development and 3-4 years of grinding (interview prep), finally got my first FAANG offer for Senior Engineer role. Now learning ML/AI to gradually transition into it.
Thank you, i found this video really helpful.
Wow I think I needed to hear this
I remember year ago I joined this coaching I used to suck so bad I couldn't attend solve a single question and everyone else could! As I said it's been a been and what sucks the most is that I still havnt improved I still get stucked at those exact same questions I hate how I wasted a year thinking I'm improving but didn't This video helped me
I read that book, got lots of inspiration, i recommend everyone to read it once.
Travis, this has been immensely helpful. I've watched it everday since a friend shared it. Your journey video I watched last night; encouraging. Thank you. Are you able to make a video on how to make the plan and set goals?
Try this one out - kzhead.info/sun/eNd6iZVprJmKdpE/bejne.html
Thank you so much for Inspiring sir
i am 20 now and your advice change my thinking thanks
I believe it's about having a mix of short and long-term mindset. If you only put your head down and work hard for 3 years, I hope you won't get ran over by a bus the first day of your 'new life'. Everyday, we should spend some time working on our long-term future, but also on enjoying today.
Well, I am 50YO.
Went back to school at 47 for a career change. One of the best decisions I ever made.
Rip
Me too, I’m moving from tech to real estate
53, nothing much after 3, still better than 60
Advice I never knew I needed!
Excellent point on the value of long-term planning in career development! Investing years into mastering a technical skill truly sets a strong foundation for not just higher earnings, but also for diverse career opportunities that might not even exist yet. 🚀
This hits hard. Every time I wanted to make a change I always hesitated because of the amount of time it will take to me reach my goal. Now I'm 28, trying to to become a data analyst again however the feeling that I won't be able to reach good salary for another 2-3 years makes me demotivated. At 25 I was thinking of making a change in career to data analytics but wasted 3 years till now with the same thought process that I still have now. I would have been in a better place now if I had actually made changes 3 years ago.
Thats been me but only now I'm 39 and wasted about 8 years. So now im jumping head first into what i need to do. Just get stuck in mate because it's so much better to do it now. Set your goals but then break them down into smaller goals so when you hit them it'll help keep you motivated. Also have a vision for your future and why you have those goals. Make the why so powerful that it motivates you to push on. If its just money then maybe that isn't a powerful enough motivator for you. We need urgency sometimes so I think the smaller goals is a good idea so you've sometimes to aim for in the short term or find another way to provide that urgency. Look at it this way, the discomfort of having to push on for another 3 years is a lot worse than wasting another 3 years and feeling you've wasted 6 years
I'm 23 I'm studying computer engineering (4 years degree) right now I had a bad start (first 1-2 years) and had to retake courses I'm kinda recovering, and my gpa is getting better, but now my degree can take up to 6 years instead of 4. So it's taking much more than 3 years (as in the video), and I feel that I wasted a lot of time, and now I'll be graduating at around 26 I hope that it will be worth it
I am 34 shifting to cybersecurity and tech in general from ME which I didnt felt connected to, and have been scared in this transition, but I realized I will take the risks and give it my all regardless of the result, staying the same is worst.
i found this video at the right time thankssss
200k 🎉 congrats
And thx for the content!
Thank you!
"You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love." - Jim Carrey
Amazing video.. 🔥
Great video!
Thank you!
I decided to take learning how to code seriously on Jun 2020 after hitting a rock bottom. I was 31. Four years later, I can build web app front to back, CSS and design. It was the best decision especially because of all the COVID lock downs.
Thankyou sir!
Beautiful lesson
Real advice, finally someone.