It’s always strange for me to hear from people that cool things always seem to be easy. How could it be? Logically, if something is very easy, it shouldn’t be cool at all! Why? Because everyone can do it and when they do, all the specialty and magic just disappears!
Do you think data science or learning Python and R is an exception? I believe not!
Do you really want to go into data science or data analytics field? Is this really your passion? OR are you just in this field because it sounded cool or you believe that you are going to earn more? 🤔
The simple truth: if you are on this path, you need to try hard to learn statistical and mathematical background on the things at least at the fundamental level, and also, programming logic…
or…
you will either suffer a lot, or never be as much as productive you can be in another field.
And if you think AI will deal with all, not in very near future I believe… 😔 Things are changing, yes , but not as fast as people claim!
A sincere advise
If you have no prior experience with coding and no past interest in math or statistics, it is highly likely that pursuing a career in data science or data analytics may not be a good fit for you. (your past gives many clues about you already) - And yes, for me, the hundreds of bootcamps and many courses around the world mostly lying when they say “absolutely no previous coding or statistical background is needed”.
It’s needed and you will understand it when they start throwing on you the variety of code batches with statistical jargon and when you stuck on some not running code because of a weird argument needed which you even have no clue what that argument is…
Path to the Truth
What I believe is, one way or another every individual feel deeply their own tendency for any field but usually, most of them lie to themselves about it. I have seen many people like “wanted to be a journalist, ended up as an engineer”. Yet, never seen one like those as a “very successful engineer”. They were usually a “very successful sales manager” or “very birght marketing specialists” ...
It’s important to be realistic and not fall for the notion that “everyone can do everything.” Yes, they can but in “what time frame”, “by liking or hating?”, “being happy in the process or just feeling like in hell?”.
Way of Jedi
While anyone can learn new skills, I believe, happiness (not the success, yes, happiness!) often comes from having a genuine tendency or passion for a field forged with curiosity. I also believe, this is a responsibility on shoulders of every human being out there, to try to be at somewhere which they can add a value to the society and the planet by using as much as their potential, not wasting it on nonsense quests…
For example, I’m writing this post at 2.00 after my reading some parts of shiny book in here.
Did I really have to read it at this particular time? My brain just says “keep going” to be fed until my body overcome and get me to the arms of night’s warm sleep.
I’m not saying I am on the way of data jedi1, or I have the perfect passion. All I know is that I have this big big curiosity which fuels me enough to try to build a shiny app in the middle of the night. And when it runs successfully, my brain gets its “prize cookie” and lets me rest in peace.
Anyway… As a not so young padawan2, I’ve learnt so far at least this:
In the end, the truth doesn’t hurt, our choices does.
Footnotes
Also called Jedi Knight . a guardian of peace and justice in the fictional Star Wars universe, able to wield a lightsaber and attuned to the power of the Force, an energy that connects all living things.
a person who has an unexplainable power over people or things, or who seems to enjoy unusual luck and positive outcomes, as if able to exert the power of the Force to mystically influence the universe:The defense lawyer was a jedi—two minutes into his closing argument the jury forgot all of the damning evidence that had been presented.
Dictionary↩︎A Padawan is a learner or apprentice. The term can refer specifically to a Jedi apprentice within the Star Wars universe. It can also be used more generally to refer to a trainee, a beginner, or an inexperienced person.↩︎