Work

Taking a page from a fellow Automattician’s goals for 2016, I am making a goal for myself that I’ve put off far too long: learning Javascript.

I’ve built many, many themes for WordPress, but was always able to get by with jQuery and learning just enough to do something simple. However, backtracking and learning Javascript from the beginning will open up many more opportunities for me. I want to be able to do things like:

Contribute to projects like Calypso. With WordPress.com moving to Calypso, and the potential for self-hosted WordPress.org sites to use it, being able to understand it on a deeper level (along with the API) can help me be able to dig out bugs, submit fixes, and work towards enhancements.
Build out home automation controls. My home automation system runs on a Mac Mini Python server. While it’s got a suitable app and prebuilt web frontend, there are a lot of things about it that are lacking that could be solved with even a simple HTML/CSS/Javascript site instead of the built-in stuff. By goal is to access the site via older iPads throughout the house for a “whole house” automation and monitoring solution.
WordPress Plugins. I’ve got a couple of very niche plugins out on the main WordPress.org plugin directory. While they’re very basic, they work well for what I needed at the time, and it seems a few other folks needed them too! I would really like to work on enhancing one of them with some settings, since it enables Jetpack functionality for a theme framework that otherwise would require the user to modify their theme.

Additionally, with all of the frameworks heavy hitters are getting behind (like React), Javascript shows no signs of becoming irrelevant in the foreseeable future.

So, how can you help me? Send me resources. What site/book/course helped you learn Javascript quickest? After the basics, where did you go from there? More importantly, what parts did you struggle with, and what helped you get over the hump?

…and here’s what I’ve learned.

Someone will always know more than you. Sometimes, they actually do. Often, they don’t. Listen to the ones who have actually been there and done that, and then put it into action. The ones who haven’t? Listen to them too. You’ll still probably learn something, but it’s probably not what they’re trying to teach you.
Help people. No matter what your skill set is, someone could use your help. If they can’t afford you, help them anyhow. It doesn’t always mean working for free. Maybe it’s a introduction to someone who is in their price range. Perhaps it’s just a “try this instead of that” tip. Don’t expect payment, but expect for it to pay off.
Go big(ger). Sure, you can get work by being the cheapest, but unless you’re just stepping foot into the industry, you don’t always want whatever you can get. Be choosey about who you work with. Turn down jobs that aren’t quite a good fit. Bid for jobs that are bigger than you’ve ever done. Charge more than the other guy, but deliver an excellent product that’s worth paying more for. Someone will take a chance on you, and then you’ve successfully bumped yourself up the food chain of perceived value.
Don’t spend money on “stuff”. Spend it on growth. You don’t need the newest MacBook Air. You do, however, have to keep up with your competition. Whether it’s a conference, workshop, online training, or whatever; if it’ll help you directly bring more revenue and retain better clients, spend the cash on it.
Don’t be everything to everybody. It seems obvious, but it’s easy to be oblivious. Don’t try to do it all. Partner with other people who do the things you need well, and stick with what you know. It works out better for everyone that way.
Take care of yourself. Get plenty of sleep. Don’t eat crappy food. Take a walk. It helps you stay productive, focused, and healthy. If you ignore this, your work will be affected.

I learned most of these the hard way. You’ve just learned them the easy way.

Help Me Learn Javascript In 2016

Two Years In…

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