Is it bad I like programming more than IM?

[built]

I’ve always had an interest in coding, I remember taking my dads old c/c+ (can’t remember) textbooks and trying to teach myself when I was younger (we didn’t have a PC at the time so it didn’t go far lol).

10 years later, I decided to start learning to code a month ago and I’ve been doing it everyday. I honestly love it. (Could be like a “honey moon” phase but I’m determined to become a great programmer in the next 2 years)

I don’t dislike IM I just enjoy programming a lot more.

So now what?

 

[eliquid]

you code, thats what

 

[CCarter]

Only marketers would love internet marketing. People that have no interest in marketing shouldn't try to force something they don't like. It's like being forced to play tennis when you hate tennis - just because there could be a lot of money in the end it's more likely you'll self-sabotage your career or quit something that you really hate.

Most SEOs or IM that jump into "building websites" don't actually love creating online businesses, they want to "make quick cash" and do something else. They eventually will fail and in fact go do something else.

If you got into a business that you hate - you should probably get out of it, no point in being miserable.

 

[built]

Only marketers would love internet marketing. People that have no interest in marketing shouldn't try to force something they don't like. It's like being forced to play tennis when you hate tennis - just because there could be a lot of money in the end it's more likely you'll self-sabotage your career or quit something that you really hate.

Most SEOs or IM that jump into "building websites" don't actually love creating online businesses, they want to "make quick cash" and do something else. They eventually will fail and in fact go do something else.

If you got into a business that you hate - you should probably get out of it, no point in being miserable.

If I’m honest with myself, that is one of the reasons I started. The other reason was I just wanted to build a website, because I was fascinated with how it worked (the technical aspect).

—

I guess at the end of the day, it’s just of those things where you gotta go down the road and see what lies on the other end.

I have planned to dedicate the next 2 years to learning Python and JavaScript, while building an app along the way.

 

[Jasper68]

If I’m honest with myself, that is one of the reasons I started. The other reason was I just wanted to build a website, because I was fascinated with how it worked (the technical aspect).

—

I guess at the end of the day, it’s just of those things where you gotta go down the road and see what lies on the other end.

I have planned to dedicate the next 2 years to learning Python and JavaScript, while building an app along the way.

I tried to start programming recently, got the html/css/JS course back out of the virtual drawer :-)

Watched one day and though..meh!!!...really not bothered. :-)

I feel like if I had really wanted to code, I'd have thrown myself into it.

What I REALLY do like to do is fuck around in Adobe Illustrator, so I'm likely best doing that and becoming a GOD at infographics etc. I'll be able to make Pinterest my biatch and probably make some dosh too on the side, as I build my own site.

If you LOVE coding, do coding for sure. I'm not convinced that I (or you) can't be marketers too, but I do think that knowing yourself, and finding ways to be a reasonable all rounder to start with, but then off-loading the shit you hate and doing the shit you love and are good at as part of your project is a pretty reasonable way to approach things.

I guess I probably have more of a creative streak, but hell, if I can produce incredible infographics etc, then that's deffo a way to set myself apart from the opposition.

And I guess for you, building a business where you can code rather than linkbuild or whatever might be the perfect plan.

Good luck!

 

[built]

I tried to start programming recently, got the html/css/JS course back out of the virtual drawer :-)

Watched one day and though..meh!!!...really not bothered. :-)

I feel like if I had really wanted to code, I'd have thrown myself into it.

What I REALLY do like to do is fuck around in Adobe Illustrator, so I'm likely best doing that and becoming a GOD at infographics etc. I'll be able to make Pinterest my biatch and probably make some dosh too on the side, as I build my own site.

If you LOVE coding, do coding for sure. I'm not convinced that I (or you) can't be marketers too, but I do think that knowing yourself, and finding ways to be a reasonable all rounder to start with, but then off-loading the shit you hate and doing the shit you love and are good at as part of your project is a pretty reasonable way to approach things.

I guess I probably have more of a creative streak, but hell, if I can produce incredible infographics etc, then that's deffo a way to set myself apart from the opposition.

And I guess for you, building a business where you can code rather than linkbuild or whatever might be the perfect plan.

Good luck!

Ive had a few good wins with infographics, theyre always fun. So definitely worth putting some effort in to.

I'm not convinced that I (or you) can't be marketers too

I agree. But where my train of thought is I would rather spend my time becoming one of the best programmers vs one of the best marketers. And to get to either of those levels requires dedication and not half-assing between things.

My goal has always been to be the best at something, and when I stray from that I start doing weird shit like buying 20 fucking domains and set up half assed websites for Amazon money.

Reason why I hustled to get as much traffic as possible -> I wanted to be as good as @CCarter. The moment I lost sight was when I started doing things for "quick money".

But yeah, just putting my thoughts into words. Mainly because I feel like I'm running out of time and I cant keep doing what I was doing.

And who knows, maybe I'm trying to rationalize my decisions.

 

[Ryuzaki]

I think it's important to have a separation between, as Freud would put it, "work and play."

Hobbies should remain hobbies. The reason is two-fold:

• The dream is always more tasty than the reality. Dreams offer hope, meaning, and forward-looking to the future. Once you achieve the dream, you either up the ante or you lose hope and meaning.
• Hobbies are super fun because they're intrinsically motivated. You like doing them for the sake of doing them. When you try to turn them into a career, everything becomes validated or invalidated by an extrinsic motivator (money). So suddenly, the thing you did because it was fun and the outcome didn't matter suddenly sucks donkey balls because it's not earning money and a new factor has been introduced into the game: failure.

That's not to say hobbies can't become careers and income streams. But you shouldn't hang it all on the hobby as if it's a take all or die trying kind of thing. Nothing will suck the fun out faster, and when the fun is gone, so is the learning, and when learning is gone, so is growth.

I would first compartmentalize my time and accept that I have to work on something for the sake of income. Then in my leisure time I'd work on coding (I'm actually doing the exact same thing right now, making a game).

Eventually, just like internet marketing, SEO, SaaS subscriptions, etc., they start tacking on extra income. Eventually they equal the earnings, and eventually you have 6 months to a year of savings and feel confident that the revenue stream is consistent and that if it bombs you can replace it within 6 to 12 months.

That's when you should consider taking a hobby to a career, as long as it's a sensible one (programming is for sure, even if you can't come up with an app or SaaS you can work for one of a million places in need of coders).

If your hobby is playing pokemon then that's obviously a no-go, which you know but I have to state that for the dreamers so delusional they think passion = success and "they can grow up to do anything."

So my ultimate point is, while you're learning and trying to make coding useful, completely leave money out of the equation. If you want to try to earn something out of it indirectly, use it to make enhanced content for your sites, like javascript maps, charts, and graphs and AJAX filters and all that stuff.

Or if you really dislike IM, just get a day job and think about coding all day, read books at lunch, etc. There are some jobs where all you have to do is be present due to legal requirements on companies, where you can study and code all day too. I don't recommend doing something like that because it's basically stagnation, but if you aren't earning an income from IM and SEO and don't want to freelance for someone else, it might accelerate your path down the coding road.

 

[Jasper68]

Mainly because I feel like I'm running out of time and I cant keep doing what I was doing.

Dude, I don't now how old you are, but I'M running out of time. I'm 50 next year and been fuck arsing around since 2009 with early success then none. I get you about being the best at something. I always wanted that, and still do. I don't think one needs to be the best in the world, but certainly the best within your own world, which could be a town, city or whatever.

I personally feel that I can be a marketer, or at least run a successful online biz, but it's important to ultimately find a way to do the parts of it I really like, and outsource the parts I hate or am not good at.

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) I, and maybe you, have to bootstrap this stuff, so we're kinda stuck with doing the stuff we don't like too much :-)

But, that said, I do think that sticking it out to get to a liveable income, and then really working with an end goal of doing the fun stuff where possible is a good ambition. Even with the shit, the fear, the self doubt, I think it's better than having a real job, for me anyhow.

Good luck with it, it's nice to have something to be passionate and excited about.

 

[Apex]

So suddenly, the thing you did because it was fun and the outcome didn't matter suddenly sucks donkey balls because it's not earning money and a new factor has been introduced into the game: failure.

This is exactly what I feel now, as I explained in my journal.

 

[Sutra]

If coding is what you love, then go for it man. Maybe you use that to boost your internet marketing progress later, or maybe not. If not, it doesn't matter because it sounds like coding is your passion. And the great thing is it's a passion that can provide you a very good living.

However, I do have to add that you should be sure coding is really what you want. Make sure it's not just something that's disctracting you from putting in the hard work necessary to achieve success in internet marketing. If it's just a new thing...then you'll find another new thing when coding get tough.

tldr: If your serious about loving coding, go for it. If it's a distraction, get your butt in gear and get back to work.

 

[Tao]

I code too and it is definitely useful when you are involved with Wordpress and IM (using APIs etc).
The problem I found was that when I was learning IM ideas and processes, my mind would jump immediately to think of code I could write to help streamline the process or help others. I guess this is in line with my INFP/resolver personality type.

I would try to combine the 2 interests - there are probably a raft of tools out there that can be written and charge for. Sure, its all a very different way to make money, but can be lucrative if you hit the right sweet spot.

 

[RomesFall]

Coding is beautiful.

It's the aspect of building websites that I truly enjoy, making iterative improvements to the design, functionality and the code itself are incredibly satisfying.

As someone who loves the whole process of building businesses and IS unfortunately a bit of a control-freak. I love that stage where I'm building the site and spending a few hours a day getting everything setup the way I want it. I'd never trust anyone else to do it, or want them to.

I have noticed over time that this early stage of any project is the stage where failure and self-doubt are the lowest risk outcomes.

I have learned over time about satisficing, which is when good enough is better than 'perfect'. Perfectionism runs through a lot of our veins, but sometimes this can also be an excuse for avoiding that next stage of building your business.

Once you reach that second stage of your business, where traffic & sales come into play. It is much easier to let fear and self-doubt take ahold. It's at this point where most people simply give up, or move onto their next project. Constantly stuck in a self-perpetuating loop.

I have been guilty of this in the past, and even with my gaming project right now, I have reached the stage where I've got all the early initial work done. Anxiety and self-doubt, questioning whether I am making the right decision - all of this naturally creeps in. BUT, you have to conquer that fear and not allow it to control you and your decision making process.

Again this is just another stage, or hurdle to getting your online business running successfully.

With coding, you could spend the next ten years or more learning and staying in the first stage. It's incredibly easy to convince yourself that you need to keep learning, or "I'll just learn this first, master this" etc.

The second stage as @Ryuzaki says can take the joy out of it. As you know, I web designed for a time. I hated it. So you need to get to that stage sooner rather than later to find out whether it's truly for you as a way to make a living.

All of that said, coding is an extremely useful skill to have for any project you undertake online. So definitely keep learning, but keep in mind that there is a certain trap that could be easily fallen into with constantly staying in the comfort zone of Stage 1.

As @CCarter pointed out, people get into things for the wrong reasons. I would include new projects and ideas as a way of avoidance of the Stage 2 > Stage 3 process, as well as doing it for the money vs the passion.

Give it a good think man, because even though I don't doubt that you love coding, I do think that you might regret not building up at least a reasonable side-income as you go, then potentially end up trying to make money from coding vs marketing (which you'd need to market yourself anyway) and find out you prefer it as a hobby or something you employ exclusively for your own projects.

 

[Bastion]

I totally get the internal doubt that arises from trying to get clarity on a single pointed direction to "master". I've been doing that my whole life and haven't really mastered anything due to constantly shifting direction to something else that is the new big everything. If you have a curious mind that is interested by all kinds of things it's can be tough to effectively "kill" all the alluring possibilities in favor of just one. And the internet doesn't help.

One thing that has been helpful for me to get clarity on is that I never want to be an employee again if I can help it. This implies committing to being some level of entrepreneur, even if I'm a service-for-hire contract worker.

Here's the thing that took me a while to accept: being in business for yourself always puts you into some level of a sales and marketing position no matter what you're engaged in. This means that investing time into sales and marketing skills will damn near always pay off and is rarely time wasted. In any business you can outsource many things but not sales and marketing, or at least not every aspect.

Even if you're going balls to the wall on programming, or design, or dev ops, or whatever -- if you intend to be self employed you can always afford to invest in sales and marketing without compromising your mastery over another area. You don't have to be "the best" marketer, just good enough to show the world the value you can provide. Every master craftsman has in their own way had to do some form of sales and marketing to make a living, even if that was just hobnobbing with the rich to secure patrons. This realization has helped me to relax when the "omg but this isn't your maaiiiin thinggggg what are you doooooing" demons start creeping up.

 

[shaunm]

It seems the vast majority of bot makers over on BHW are coders who see some random post about something that may work and then they build some random bot for it without being able to prove that their bot will provide an ROI for anyone who purchases it.

If you manage to develop your own methods of getting your IM projects profitable, maybe look towards using your coding skills to develop a bot for personal use for it to help save you time? If the bot works then maybe look towards selling licenses to earn more from it depending on its scalability.