Hi there, 🙋‍♂️ I want to take you on a journey through the twists and turns of my life an adventure I never saw coming. It all began with a question that haunted me every single morning, “What do I do with my life?” Picture a young boy, me, lost in the maze of existence, a chronic gamer, and a world-class procrastinator. Yeah, that was me, always out of sync with what I should be doing.

Richard Hendricks from Silicon Valley TV series

Now, I had one thing going for me, I knew how to navigate the internet. From forums to blogs just name it I’ve been there. For me, the web was an uncharted jungle waiting to be explored. So, I tried just about everything. I started a tech blog back then in 2017 on blogspot.com, and somehow, I miraculously got AdSense approval. To this day, I’m not entirely sure how that happened. I started making a few cents online, well actually I made just $5 🙂 but hey at least it was something.

Now here’s the kicker: I was pretty much the only one viewing my blog posts and clicking my ads. Could you imagine that? Well, It wasn’t long before my Adsense account got banned (not surprisingly). I failed to read the terms and conditions but how could i have possibly known?

how??

But as they say, all good things must come to an end. The thrill faded, and I started searching for something more. I dipped my toes into web development, but it felt, well, boring. Then I discovered WordPress and built a portfolio website for a photographer based in Oslo. Making my first $200 online, that night was incredible, i literally threw myself a party. That was a proud moment, but still, something felt missing   a sense of purpose.

So, I decided to give digital art a shot. I even spent my last dime on a digital Huion tablet from Jumia using my last bit of cash. I watched countless tutorials, spent months honing my skills with Krita and Adobe Photoshop, and created some artwork, met some cool people on Art Station & Deviant Art.

But there was always this nagging emptiness inside me. I realized that art wasn’t just something you could learn; it was a gift. I also began to foresee AI taking over art, now its 2023, and looking back now, I’m glad I decided to quit. 🤣

After leaving art behind, I decided to let my mind rest for a while and focus on my studies, which had suffered due to my various online escapades. Months passed, and then, a new chapter began.

I just finished watching the TV series “Mr. Robot,” featuring a cybersecurity expert named Elliot. Something clicked, and I thought, “I want to become a hacker!”

Elliot from Mr Robot TV series

So, I dived into the world of cybersecurity, devouring YouTube tutorials and discovering experts like Network Chuck and Loi Yang. So, if you’re keen about learning Cyber Security, I recommend their channels as source.

I was captivated. I learned about Linux, specifically Kali Linux, basic Linux commands, and Python. I joined ethical hacking communities, tried out some challenges at Hackthebox Academy. devoured hacking blog posts and spent weeks optimizing my laptop to run Kali Linux smoothly on VirtualBox. I even picked up some bash scripting.

Then came the moment of truth. I signed up at the EC-Council and had a live video call with a fellow enthusiast who asked me a pivotal question: “Are you ready for all of this?” I searched my soul, and the answer came loud and clear No. That day, I quit. But, funny enough, I didn’t delete my Kali Linux virtual machine. It served as a constant reminder.

So, I took a break, vowing not to jump into random things anymore. If I was going to commit to something, it had to be something I wouldn’t tire of, no matter how challenging it got. And then, on the 4th of July 2022, something incredible happened.

Where it all started…

I stumbled upon a YouTube channel by Kalle Hallden. This Swedish dude was just like me trying to figure it all out. He taught himself how to code, and his journey mirrored mine. I fell in love with his channel. He was coding in Flutter, and I thought, “What’s Flutter?” that rang a bell, because before now, a friend of mine in college used this same Flutter to revamp our school’s app which he later on built a successful fintech startup with it.

But then I wasn’t interested then. So, I started doing some research visited the official Flutter website, flutter.dev and it was like a wave of nostalgia washing over me. Going through the documentation felt like coming home. Unlike blogging, drawing, or ethical hacking, it felt right.

I decided to give it a shot. I downloaded the Flutter and Dart SDKs and, after a somewhat tedious setup, found myself staring at my computer screen, utterly confused. So, I took a nap. When I woke up, I decided to dive in. I spent the next two weeks learning the basics of Dart, and it was magical.

For the first time in a long time, I felt like I’d found my purpose. I was becoming a Programmer, something that had never crossed my mind before. People used to call me a “multipurpose human being,” but now, I had a singular focus. Even with my ADHD, I found myself glued to the screen deeply focused and confused :)

learning about this amazing technology. Flutter offered the ability to build apps for any screen with just one codebase, and that was the selling point for me. It felt like home.

I downloaded the Flutter and Dart SDKs, and after a somewhat tedious setup process, found myself staring at my computer screen, utterly confused. Relentlessly, I decided to dive in. I spent the next two weeks learning the basics of Dart, and it was magical.

Photo by MI PHAM on Unsplash

So far it has been nothing but sleepless nights, tears, error messages and sadness. But I’ll get used to it, i guess. But I’m enjoying the whole process regardless, for now i can build pretty weird apps 😅 #stillLearning I know as long as i continue to show up every day, it will only get better.

Now, as I reflect on this incredible journey, I want to share my story with you. Learning to code has given my life a new trajectory, it made me see the world in a whole different perspective and I’m aware of the endless possibilities that await me.

Photo by Fahim Muntasir on Unsplash

Epilogue

I may not be an expert developer, but coding is a lifelong journey. Trust me on this: it’s only a matter of time before I reach god mode. I’m thrilled that I found Flutter, and I’m eternally grateful for the day I discovered Kalle Hallden’s YouTube channel.

I’ve made friends who are also coders from countries across the globe, these countries I’ve never heard of before, and i wonder why. Anyway I found my true purpose.

What I hope you take away from this story is that you can achieve anything you set your mind to. Whether you are a college student in search of purpose or stuck in a job you don’t like, and you wish to be a Coder or anything at all, believe in yourself, I swear you can do it, Just get started, surround yourself with like-minded people, and you’ll find your way.

Photo by Alex Azabache on Unsplash

If you found this story of mine interesting, follow me for more, In the future i will share more articles on, programming, App Development and life in general, bye for now!