Self studying and learning => more self confidence and fun

When I have been employed as a programmer, I have many times been allowed to enter an open course x times per year, invest x hours per year in self studying etc. However, usually, the subjects needed to be related to my work.
For me, it did actually mean that I connected learning with work. And I didn't want to work on my free time...

Then came a time when I realised that I had forgotten that I love learning IT stuff. I have always loved that - how could I just forget? But somehow I forgot it.
When I remembered - I started learning again, for my own sake, as my hobby and just to have fun - and on my free time. And it is so fun! When I learn on my free time I relate IT as my hobby - not as work.

I have now been into a period where I started to look more into Tapestry 5, Spring, Hibernate.
When looking into new techniques, it usually opens doors to so many other things as well. In my case, for example, openejb, Maven, HSQLDB etc.

Sometimes learning is like trying to plough through a really thick snow wall.
You feel like you never get through. And more and more snow is just falling off the sides of the tunnel around the plough.
Then when you finally are through, you have to reverse and collect the snow that fell down as well.
Ok - so here it comes....my metaphor. (I truly hate everyone else’s metaphors, always think they are silly, so let me therefore be equal silly and make my own....)
I see the small snow chunks that fell around me, as new leanings that I get on the way of pursuing my studies.
And many times they can be as giving as the subjects I intended to study.
When studying on my free time, I can just pursue any road I wish. If I find openejb interesting, I can just invest some days in that, and then when I am ready, continue with Tapestry.
I guess what makes it so fun is that there is no time pressure or pressure for effective study.

My experience is that no matter what I study, either if I study something I already know or if I study something totally new,
I always learn something.

Learning things we already know
Many times we learn techniques at work. We learn by practice.
For example, I guess a lot of people are familiar using Ant or Maven, but not all have actually studied the techniques in detail.
Sometimes it is not needed to directly study a technique in order to use it. And when needed, we may just study the part we need to use.
However, it can be fun, fairly easy and comfortable to read about something you already are quite familiar with.
Sometimes one can just sit in the sofa and read the code, and still get aha's.. That's convenient! No need to code yourself, because you get the picture any way.
Learning more in depth - gives me self confidence.

Learning things we have forgot
Some techniques needs a full understanding when setting up or creating - but may after an initial phase, not be altered so much.
For example, creating EJBs, webservices, project setups, database schemas etc. These tasks are very seldom performed, compared to just coding business logic etc.
So certain things we forget because we seldom use it. And when we need to use it, we need to refresh our knowledge.
It can be quite fun as well to refresh old knowledge. And usually it goes quick. Like driving a manual geared car after long time having driven automatic gears.
Quite fun! (Oooops - one more metaphor!)
Refreshing old knowledge also gives me self confidence.

Since there are so much happening and so many techniques, one may feel overwhelmed. Where to start?
A couple of years ago I was frustrated by all new web framework that had emerged. No one could tell which to use.
Wicket, Tapestry, JSF, Struts, Rails etc
But once we just dive into it - it's not THAT bad.
When no one can tell which to use - we need to believe that we have the power to judge ourselves.
We can get a good overview ourselves. Actually it's like learning languages.
Once you know French - then Italian, Spanish and Portuguese is not that far away.
Same with web framework - you start to see the similarities. And can also appreciate the differences.

So what do I want to say with this post?
Learning new stuff and old stuff can be fun.
And it gives self confidence.

I at least like to be self confident and I always like to have fun.
So if you are looking for either of the above, maybe some learning can do the trick?

:-)