You Won’t Remember Everything

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When I first started learning complex tech topics, I was obsessed with memorization.
Every definition, every command, or every error code, I thought I had to remember it all.
If I couldn’t recall something instantly, I felt like I was failing.

What good is a developer who can’t remember the important things and who can’t spit out information like they are reading from the docs when someone senior asks for something. It would be embarrassing. Everybody would see I didn’t belong but that all changed when I got my first job. A senior developer had to look up something minor and a switch had been flipped!

Here’s what I’ve since learned:
You’re not supposed to remember everything.

The tech world moves too fast for anyone to know it all. Even the experts Google things daily. They check documentation. They troubleshoot errors they’ve seen before.

The goal isn’t perfect recall.
The goal is to build mental connections and know where to find answers when you need them.

This mindset shift freed me from so much stress:

• I no longer beat myself up for forgetting syntax or commands.

• I focus instead on understanding concepts and patterns.

• I embrace tools: notes, cheat sheets, and search engines are part of my workflow.

It turns out growth happens when you stop trying to be a walking encyclopedia and start building resourcefulness.

So to anyone learning tech (or anything new):

• You will forget things.

• You will get stuck on things you “should” know.

• You will revisit the same concepts multiple times.

And that’s okay.

Your value doesn’t come from memorizing everything.
It comes from your curiosity, problem-solving skills, and persistence.

The faster you accept that, the lighter and more enjoyable your learning journey becomes.

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