How to make the decision to become a developer?

The first time I ever came in contact with code, was when I was 19 and started as a Communication and Multimedia Design student in the Netherlands.

I really fell in love with creating digital art and presenting it online. I learned that this could be showcased through websites, applications but also with brochures, photography, logos, and really anything you could design on your laptop.

But my heart almost exploded with excitement when I came in contact with JavaScript and I was able to build my first website after understanding the principals of HTML and CSS.

I started to build websites for clients, but wasn't really sure what I was doing. I just felt excited and happy to build websites and design digital products for clients to use online or to print.

I was young, naive, and just too excited.

Long story short, I didn't finish my study and eventually ended up working in IT support. I totally lost touch with my love for digital design and coding.

In the meanwhile I just never stopped reading anything I could find about IT and UI/UX design. I never stopped buying IT books and I always tried to play with code via freeCodeCamp.

The love never ended for coding and digital design. So I looked within and asked myself the following questions:

• What seems so appealing to be a developer?
• Do I want to be a developer?
• What do I need to do to become one?

What seems so appealing to be a developer?

Freedom to build anything you want.

There is no limit because you can decide what your limit is.

The ability to work on projects and decide on the size of these projects.

The possibility to work with talented, creative and inventive people all over the world!

And to top it off, the ability to work wherever I want.

Do I want to be a developer?

Yes and no.

Even tho you will need to work hard and you can not possibly know everything. I am not sure if I want to code every single day... for the rest of my life.

So no, I don't want to become a hard-core developer.

I want to become a developer on my own terms.

I would like to combine coding with online marketing. Because I know that I would really miss the interaction with clients and other people.

I want to get my skin in the game.

I want to interact, learn, communicate, sell, market, update, and grow.

So yes, I will definitely become a developer. But this will be a different brand of development.

Which brand is not clear yet. But I envision myself to be a digital developer who specializes in Online Marketing and to use code to automate and optimize.

That could become a combination between Data Analytics and Neuromarketing to help businesses grow through efficient online marketing strategies.

What do I need to do to become one?

At least the ability to control my time.

Which lead me to quite my 9-to-5 job and jump into an Online Marketing Traineeship. This traineeship will train me to become a full time freelancer.

As a freelancer I have control over my own time, clients, projects and income.

This will give me the opportunity to schedule my time efficiently so I can learn coding and specialize my coding journey to enhance my online marketing skills.

With this blog I want to share this journey with you. I hope to inspire you and to show you that you can build your own path.

So even if you feel lost and you just don't know how to start. Or you don't feel that any of the development career paths suits your preferences, you can always try to build your own!

I am sure I will.

The biggest challenge is that I don't know where I will be at the end. And I really don't know which step is the right one, but I do know for sure that this journey will absolutely be fun to explore!

And I am hoping you to join me on this adventure :)