If you’re feeling stuck in programming, let me say this first:
You’re not broken, you’re not slow, and you’re definitely not alone.
Almost every developer hits this phase.
The phase where learning feels heavy.
Where progress feels invisible.
Where motivation quietly disappears.
And the worst part...
You don’t even know why you feel stuck.
The “I Know Enough to Be Confused” Phase
At the beginning, everything feels exciting.
Your first variables. Functions. Python loops. HTML tags.
Then one day, it shifts.
You know some things… but not enough.
You understand tutorials… until you try to build alone.
You can read code… but writing it feels hard again.
This is the phase nobody prepares you for.
You’re not a beginner anymore...
but you don’t feel confident either.
That gap is uncomfortable.
And that’s usually where people get stuck.
Why Tutorials Stop Working
When you’re stuck, the instinct is to consume more.
More courses.
More videos.
More “ultimate roadmaps.”
But watching more content rarely fixes the feeling.
Because the problem isn’t lack of information...
It’s lack of direction and trust in yourself.
At some point, tutorials stop teaching... and start hiding the gaps you need to face.
Feeling Stuck Doesn’t Mean You’re Not Improving
Here’s the truth most developers learn too late:
Feeling stuck often means you’re about to level up.
You’re questioning things now.
You’re noticing patterns, inconsistencies, and gaps.
You’re no longer satisfied with surface-level understanding.
That frustration?
It’s a sign that your brain is reorganizing how it thinks about code.
Growth just doesn’t announce itself loudly.
What Helped Me When I Felt Stuck
Instead of trying to “unstuck” myself quickly, I changed how I approached learning:
- I stopped jumping between topics
- I focused on one small project at a time
- I read my own old code instead of new tutorials
- I allowed myself to not understand everything immediately
- I took breaks without feeling guilty
Slow progress felt scary at first.
But it was the most honest progress I ever made.
Being Stuck Is Not a Failure State
We treat being stuck like something is wrong.
But in programming, including web development, being stuck is normal.
Even experienced developers feel it... just at different levels.
The difference is this:
They don’t panic when it happens.
They pause.
They reflect.
They keep going.
What I No Longer Do When I Feel Stuck
❌ I don’t force myself to be productive
❌ I don’t compare my journey to others
❌ I don’t chase every new framework
❌ I don’t assume “stuck” means “bad at coding”
Being stuck is feedback, not a verdict.
Final Thoughts (From One Developer to Another)
If you’re feeling stuck in programming right now, please remember:
You don’t need a new roadmap.
You don’t need to restart from zero.
You don’t need to quit.
You just need patience with the process and with yourself.
Growth isn’t always visible.
But if you’re showing up, thinking, questioning, and trying...
You are moving forward, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
Keep going.
Your future self is already thankful you didn’t stop 💻
Wishing you clarity, confidence, and calm progress on your programming journey, friends 💙.
| Thanks for reading! 🙏🏻 I hope you found this useful ✅ Please react and follow for more 😍 Made with 💙 by Hadil Ben Abdallah |
  
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Top comments (16)
I almost had a tear in my eye. This hit every point for me. I don't want to quit because I want to fully understand, I'm locked in but I have studied the this keyword and closures to the point where I can explain exactly what they are. Do I have any idea where a closure is needed , nope. So I start over again as if I missed something the first 30 times I have consumed it. Anyways thanks for this. I will accept this advice and exactly that. Many blessings and may all who read this have a lucrative year!
Thank you so much for sharing this. it really means a lot 💙
What you described is exactly what that phase feels like: understanding the definition perfectly, being able to explain it… and still not knowing when or why to use it. That gap can be incredibly frustrating, and it makes people doubt themselves way more than they should.
The important thing is this: nothing is wrong with you, and you didn’t “miss something.” Closures (and many concepts like them) often don’t click through repetition alone; they click through time, context, and real exposure. One day you’ll run into a situation and suddenly think, “Oh… this is why.” And it will feel quiet, not dramatic.
Being locked in because you want to understand, not just finish, already says a lot about the kind of developer you’re becoming. Starting over doesn’t mean failure; sometimes it just means your brain is asking for a different angle.
I’m really grateful you took the time to write this. Many blessings to you too 💙
Great topic and coverage. The one thing that stands out perhaps more than anything else
"I took breaks without feeling guilty"
So so important. A Swimmer does not swim 24/7 until they drown, they take breaks to rebuild strength and then take on the next challenge.
Thank you so much! 💙 The swimmer analogy captures this idea perfectly.
We often forget that recovery is part of growth, not a detour from it. Just like training, learning to code needs space to rest, reflect, and rebuild strength. Otherwise, we’re just pushing until we burn out.
Taking breaks without guilt was a hard lesson for me, but also one of the most important ones.
That “I know enough to be confused” phase is something almost no one talks about, yet almost everyone goes through it. Reading this felt like a reminder that being stuck isn’t a personal failure, it’s a natural part of learning how to think like a developer.
Thank you for putting words to a feeling many developers struggle with silently. Posts like this don’t just help people code better, they help them stay. 🔥
Thank you so much for this 😍
That “I know enough to be confused” phase can feel incredibly lonely when no one names it, and that’s often what makes people doubt themselves the most.
I truly believe that once we understand this is a phase, not a flaw, everything changes. The struggle stops feeling like a verdict and starts feeling like part of learning how to think, not just how to code.
I’m really grateful you took the time to write this.
Excellent text. Exactly what I needed to read. Keep up with the good work.
Thank you so much 😍
Knowing that this reached you at the right moment truly means a lot to me. That’s exactly why I share these thoughts... to remind fellow developers that they’re not alone in the process.
I really appreciate the encouragement. I’ll definitely keep going 💙
Honestly, this post really worth to be one of the top 7 featured DEV posts 🔥🔥🔥
Thank you so much for your kind words 😅
Such a powerful perspective. We often mistake exhaustion for productivity in tech.
Thank you so much for clarifying this. I needed to hear this.
Thank you so much! 💙
You’re absolutely right... in tech, we’ve normalized being constantly exhausted and somehow call it “progress.”
One of the hardest (and most freeing) lessons for me was realizing that burnout doesn’t equal growth, and slowing down doesn’t mean falling behind.
I’m really glad these words reached you at the right moment. If it helped even a little, then sharing this was worth it.
This is the kind of content that helps developers stay in the journey instead of quitting too early. Very well written.
This truly means a lot. Thank you! 💙
If these words help even one developer pause instead of quitting, then the article has done its job.
Programming is hard enough without feeling like you’re failing just because progress looks quiet or slow. Sometimes what people need most is reassurance that they’re not alone in the struggle.
This is real AI makes me lazy in coding and learning rn LOL, no motivation like before. many new thing and ideas come but too lazy to be done. Anyway thank you for sharing, i might need to go back to my old way or take a short break
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