Becoming a better programmer is a great goal to set, but the concept of “better” is subjective. Someone's idea of better might seem average to one person, while your concept of better might be more advanced and professional. All in all, when you find yourself itching to challenge yourself and progress further in your skills and career, it's a good thing. 

Most aspiring programmers might think they need to be as good as the best right off the bat, but that’s not true. Your focus and goals should be on efficiency first and productivity second. Everyone has different skills, expertise, and priorities, so comparing yourself to others is pointless. 

Today, we will explore what steps you can take to continue learning to program.
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Set Realistic Goals

‍The most important thing to remember is to set realistic goals. While you may want to be the next big thing, that's not a measurable or productive goal. Have your sights set on something that’s at least doable and realistic.

Remember, your ultimate goal should be to improve yourself as a programmer. Start by focusing on what you’re already good at doing. Find a weakness or something you’re not good at yet and work on it daily or weekly.

The most important thing is to keep going, even if you make many mistakes along the way. You will get there if you just keep at it. The same goes for your career. If you keep working hard and improving your skills, you’ll eventually get to where you want to go.
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Join a Hackathon

Hackathons are a great way to expand your skills, build new projects, and make new connections. A hackathon is an event where programmers and aspiring coders collaborate on new software ideas.

Hackathons are usually held for a day or two and are often sponsored by large corporations like Facebook, Google, and others. The goal of the hackathon is to learn and build new things. You can collaborate and work with others to create new projects, apps, tools, and experiences.

These events provide a great way to sharpen your programming skills, and as a bonus, you can usually get free food. Hackathons are a great way to break the ice and learn more if you're new to programming.
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Attend Conferences and Meetups

We all know programming is a very competitive career. One of the best ways to get ahead is to keep learning and attending regular conferences and meetups.

These events are a great way to network with other programmers and professionals and meet your local professional community. Use these events to share your skills and accomplishments and learn from others. There are tons of conferences to choose from, and they can run the gamut from large corporate meetings to local developer meetups.
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The Bottom Line

In the end, programming skills are easily transferable to whatever the future holds. Programming is an invaluable skill that will benefit you for years to come.

So if you want to improve yourself as a programmer, set realistic goals, and take action every day. Becoming a better programmer is a never-ending goal, so you should always be prepared to learn more.

Want to put your programming skills to the ultimate test? Hackathon.com is the largest online hackathon community worldwide, connecting over 2000 hackathon organizers with our ten million+ member innovators around the globe. Register for one of our many events today!