Learning in public

🌱

Obviously, for more detail, go to swyx’s full article Learn in public.

Main idea is, you need to take control of what you consume and start creating. Get into the habit of creating learning exhaust, and make the thing you wish you’d found when you were learning.

Talk to your past self. Compete with your past self. You are working for the benefit of yourself and if you happen to benefit others along the way, then that’s a bonus.

Keep track of what you did and what problems you solved and share those. Try to be right but don’t worry when you’re wrong - similar concept to not everything you write has to be polished.

Also, be willing to take criticism. More than that: Want criticism. We need it. It’s necessary if we want to improve. If we’re learning, then we don’t know what we don’t know, but someone who is more advanced does. So criticism (note: actual criticism, and be able to tell the difference between criticism and negativity, both ways) is something to be thankful for.

Questions

• What did you need when you were learning? What resource would have best helped?
• Can you make that thing?
• How can you track what you’re learning? A lot of this - and a lot of the ‘learn/build in public spaces’ - is aimed towards devs, so how to track other skills?
• In the same vein, how can you share? Take those resources, but what else is available in this particular skill area?
• Where will you find criticism? Where can you seek it out, if it isn’t forthcoming when you’re sharing work or ideas?
• Do you know the difference between criticism and negativity? Are you able to take (well-intentioned) criticism in the manner it’s intended?