One of the toughest obstacles in learning something new is falling into the trap of tutorial hell. This is the endless cycle of following tutorials, yet never feeling like you've truly grasped the concepts. It’s frustrating and can leave you feeling stuck, unable to move from mimicking examples to creating your own projects.
The root cause is often a feeling of inadequacy—believing you’re not “ready” yet and need more knowledge before starting. This doubt keeps you watching yet another tutorial or reading yet another book, instead of applying what you’ve already learned.
As someone who’s constantly learning new skills, I’ve been in tutorial hell many times. But over the years, I’ve found ways to escape it. Whether I’m tackling new software or diving into a programming language, I’ve developed three rules that have made all the difference.
Rule #1: Don’t Learn Unless You Can Apply It Right Away
Only learn something if you have a project in mind where you can use it immediately. Learning “just in case” is a trap—it’s inefficient, and you’ll forget most of it if you don’t apply it right away. Focus your energy on knowledge you can practice and implement today, not someday.
Rule #2: Learn the Basics, Then Start Practicing
Master the foundational concepts first, then dive into hands-on practice. Tutorials are useful for gaining initial clarity, but real understanding comes when you struggle through problems on your own. Start small and build from there.
If sleeping well makes us happier, you can guess the negative consequences of not getting enough sleep. We increase our chances of developing mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. Our brains become cluttered with irrational thoughts making us more susceptible to panic attacks and mental breakdowns.
Rule #3: Use Structured Learning Materials to Avoid Gaps
Structured learning materials—like well-organized courses or books—are the best way to build a solid foundation. They help you avoid bouncing between random resources and skipping critical concepts. A structured approach ensures you’re learning in the right order, filling gaps in your knowledge, and progressing efficiently.
The truth is, learning can feel productive—it’s rewarding to absorb new information. But learning alone isn’t enough. Without application, that knowledge has no real value. The key is to move from consuming to creating.
Start a project, apply what you know, and embrace the mistakes along the way. It’s through doing that you’ll learn the most—and escape tutorial hell for good.
- Sal