How can I successfully transition from my current job to programming?

It’ll be tough making the leap, but aim high! Start learning coding for fun—discover your interests and build cool projects. I recommend starting with the CS50 course in Python; it’s a solid foundation. Choose a project that excites you and see it through to completion. Utilize AI tools for explanations rather than code snippets. Good luck!

Check out 'Grokking Algorithms' by Aditya Y Bhargava; it's beginner-friendly and helps demystify data structures and algorithms. Knowing why they’re used is crucial for your journey.

Ignore the naysayers who tell you it’s a lost cause. Start building your project step by step, and remember that small victories count. Test your code as you go along, and don’t hesitate to seek mentorship. Also, when job hunting, strong communication skills can set you apart from others with fewer soft skills.

The journey of learning to code might feel like a roller coaster—one moment you’ll make progress, the next you’ll hit a wall. Don’t get discouraged! Just focus on writing your code, troubleshooting, and learning as you go. Eventually, you’ll create something you can be proud of.

The job market is pretty rough right now, so it's a good idea to start with hobby programming to see if you truly enjoy it. That experience will help inform your next steps.

Instead of a full pivot, consider trying programming as a hobby alongside your job. This way, you can test the waters without the pressure. There's plenty of joy in just exploring coding.