Learning Code Without Learning To Think, 6 Signs Holding You Back
Most people think learning code means collecting knowledge.
More tutorials. More notes. More examples. Progress feels visible because information stacks quickly. The problem starts when real work begins.
A blank file demands choices.
Where logic lives, what matters now, and what stays flexible later, tutorials rarely train this muscle.
They remove judgment so syntax feels smooth. This creates a quiet gap. You learn how code looks, not how decisions form.
The signs below help you spot where learning stalls and where judgment needs reps.
1) You Finish Tutorials Fast but Freeze on Blank Screens
You follow along with ease.
You type every line shown. When the screen goes blank, progress stops.
Reason: tutorials remove decision-making. Real work starts with deciding what to build, where logic belongs, and which tradeoffs matter.
2) You Copy Code More Than You Write Code
You paste solutions from docs, Stack Overflow, or repos.
The code runs. The understanding stays thin.
Reason: copying skips mental reps. Thinking forms when you explain why each line exists and what breaks if you remove one.
3) You Chase New Tools When Things Feel Hard
A bug appears.
Learning feels slow.
You switch frameworks or languages.
Reason: novelty gives relief. Judgment grows only when you stay inside discomfort long enough to resolve uncertainty.
4) You Optimize Early Without Knowing Why
You refactor before the feature works.
You worry about performance before users exist.
Reason: rules replace reasoning. Experienced developers wait until constraints appear, then respond with intent.
5) You Measure Progress by Content Consumed
You track courses finished, videos watched, and docs read.
Reason: input feels productive. Output exposes gaps. Thinking sharpens only when code fails under real conditions.
6) You Avoid Explaining Your Code Out Loud
You write code but struggle to explain design choices in plain language.
Reason: explanation forces clarity. If you cannot explain your approach, you did not choose it consciously.
What Learning To Think Looks Like
You pause before typing.
You name the problem in simple terms. You sketch solutions. You choose one path and accept tradeoffs. You debug by reasoning, not guessing.
Thinking slows you down early, but speeds you up later.
Closing Fold Into Music
Music works the same way.
You learn chords and scales through imitation, but real musicians make decisions about tension, silence, and timing.
Playing notes builds familiarity.
Choosing notes builds voice.
Code syntax matches chords.
Judgment matches phrasing.
If you want stronger work, stop asking whether you learned enough information.
Start asking whether you made enough decisions.
The music comparison at the end really landed for me. It didn’t feel like a metaphor for the sake of one, it felt true. I’ve absolutely hid behind “learning theory” before when what I actually needed was to make calls about tension, space and timing and then live with them. The idea that judgment is basically phrasing stuck with me. That’s the difference between something that’s technically fine and something that actually feels like it has a point of view. Thank you Idris Elijah for giving us so many unique topics that still relate to music and personal development!
I’ve spent so much time absorbing things like reading, watching and studying that it can feel like I’m moving even when I’m kind of circling. The part about the blank screen hit hardest because that’s where I usually hesitate and start second-guessing instead of choosing. I also loved the music comparison at the end. I’ve seen that play out over and over: knowing the structure isn’t the same as having a voice. This was a good reminder that clarity doesn’t come from more intake, it comes from sitting with the discomfort and actually deciding. Thank you Idris for another insightful and helpful newsletter!