Ever felt HOPELESSLY lost on a coding problem?

Back in grad school, while working on my third computer science degree, I hit a wall. A massive, insurmountable wall of code. I was working on a challenging assignment from my favorite teacher—my PhD advisor, someone I deeply respected and had worked with closely for years. It involved code generation and compilers, and neither of us knew how to do it.

At the time, I was desperate to prove myself. This assignment felt like the opportunity. I vividly remember the sinking feeling in my stomach, the frustration bubbling up, and how badly I wanted to solve this problem. I was sitting with a close friend on her futon in her grad student apartment. We were both stumped. We had baked some cookies, just to pass the time and see if something would jog our memory. But we just couldn’t figure it out.

This problem—feeling completely lost and overwhelmed by a coding challenge—kept showing up. And the worst part? Everyone around me seemed to say, "That’s just how coding is. You just have to power through."

This went on for weeks. I felt defeated, my confidence plummeted, and the joy I once found in coding was replaced by anxiety. I even started doubting if I even had what it takes to be a coder.

Then, something shifted. In a lightbulb moment, I realized that even six-figure software developers get stuck. They don’t always know the answer, but they have a system, a process, that helps them solve any problem. They go for a walk, they bake cookies like we did, they have dinner with their families. They’ve developed techniques to help themselves unlock their higher thinking abilities.

That was years ago. Since then, I’ve codified those techniques into the four pillars of problem solving, a simple yet powerful process that can unlock your coding potential.

What I’ve found time and time again is that the difference between coders who thrive and those who struggle isn’t about innate talent or memorizing the syntax of every language. It comes down to having a structured approach to tackling challenges.

That’s why I’ve made it my mission to help aspiring coders like you rapidly develop the problem-solving skills you need to succeed. I’ve met too many talented people who stay stuck in a cycle of frustration and self-doubt, constantly Googling for answers or relying on ChatGPT without truly understanding the underlying concepts. And I know that you can do the same.

Which is why I’m showing up and doing something about it. I'm excited to share this journey with you.

More tomorrow,

Dr. Emily

P.S. Shoot me a text at (848) 600-5622 and let me know if you've also struggled with feeling lost and overwhelmed while coding, especially when Google and ChatGPT fail. I read every message!