The Learn To Code meme

One popular pop-sci writer once claimed that to master any subject (or to a acquire a particular skill-set) requires at least 10,000 hours of deliberate practice (excluding merely reading, watching or day-dreaming).

This sounds about right, and almost every top-performing athlete would confirm this heuristic, but this is not the end of the story.

When we look at some world-class top-performers, we will observe another crucial pattern - a biological one.

To become an top-tier cello player, capable of performing Bach on the best stages, requires, it seems, something else, not merely 10,000 hours of practice.

Some particular genetic traits are necessary. Finest muscle coordination (a traits of calligraphers) and what we loosely call a “muscle memory” - the ability to efficiently reshape tissues and related neurons by repeating exposure to an activity (which together is called a genetic predisposition).

Top tier tennis players, archers, Moto GP racers and MMA fighters all have some genetic advantages, and this explains the immense gap between their observed (and measured) performance and those of an average amateur.

The same principles, of course, are applicable to programming. One definitely do not have to have an adult ADHD, and to have the opposite genetic traits - exceptional self-control, ability to endure long hours of concentration, and wider attention window and short term memory span.

This is what makes John Carmak, which is Mike Tyson of the field. Notice that John is not very skilled in CS and the theories and even occasionally blunders in the interviews - unfortunately, it isn’t academic knowledge that makes you a top-performer.

Just like even a smallest tension kills a cellist’s or archer’s performance, so a mental tension kills the performance of a programmer (or a mathematician). The activities, the time spent will be wasted away jumping back and forth with what the Buddhists call the “monkey mind”.

Another point is that one cannot fake these traits or become an imposer - one either have thse traits or not, and having them manifests in the behavioral patterns, which we usually call a “nerd”, “geek”, or an “autist” (which is a misconception - most of us just develop habits to shield ourselves from unwanted emotions we have troubles to deal with).

So, it is not true that anyone could become anything one wants. Rock climbers, marathon runners are genetically skinny and have traits of exceptional endurance. Guys like Mike Tyson are kings of self-discripline and self-control, and so on.

The main point is that, just like guys with adult ADHD, one can be very busy all day long (switching between seemingly exciting but useless tasks) and become really spent and exhausted at night, with liteterally nothing accomplished. And this busybody activities could go on for years.

Or you may watch these narcissistic Muay Thai amateur videos on Facebook. The guys are sure they are the next Bruce Lees, while their actual performance is way below mediocre.

So, think twice before deciding to “learn to code”.

By the way, the actual coding is not even an essential skill. Problem-solving, the ability to actually learn and self-discipline are.