I’ve been trying to learn code for years, this video is definitely worth watching if you’re into self-development, or just want to learn new things:

Some of the main points from the video:
– Deconstruct the skill – break down the skill, establish what is most important and practise!
– Learn enough to self-correct.  Learning code?  Don’t read 20 books, read maybe 4 or 5 tutorials online, and then practise.  Practise, practise.  You need to be able to correct yourself (or use a tool online that will correct code for you)
– Remove Barriers – For example, get a web-browser plugin that blocks facebook, and ask the wife not to complain about anything for the next 30 mins
– Practise 20 hours – keep a log

When you start off with any new skill, you will be completely incompetent.  This is frustrating; and people feel embarrassed.
Keep with it, and you’re ability will increase dramatically over the first 10 hours.
When you see improvement, hopefully that positive feedback will be enough to keep you going for the next 10 hours of solid practise.

Remember, the limit to your learning, is normally emotional, rather than intellectual.  Don’t become defeated/down-hearted when you fail in the first 10 hours of learning, that’s normal!

If you want to be a word-class coder/MMA fighter/chess player; then that’s when you need to hit the 10,000 hours of practise.
20 hours of practise and you should be ‘competent’ or ‘good’.  Improvements beyond that are more difficult to come by. But hopefully, by that point, you will really enjoy your new skill

How long?  = 20 hours: