[omarhaneef]

I used to think I was good at calculating math but very bad at proving theorems because only geniuses prove theorems but us ordinary people just compute reliably. I couldn't make any headway at proving a theorem.

Then one teacher gave me an assignment and I looked at it and could not make headway. Then he told me: take your time. This should take you 2 hours or so.

That single instruction changed everything. I just stared at it and worked on it and stared at it and 30 minutes later I had figured it out.

Then the professor approached me to let me know that I should maybe consider go into theoretical comp sci as my major.

I have met math geniuses and I am not in their ranks. As Bezos once said in an interview, their brains are different.

However, it is worth pointing out: just give it more time. You don't have to see progress right away. If you set up a website or are doing some data science, you should expect little issues that will eat your time. This may be as trivial as simple as your python library is 2.7 vs 3.x or you have to load in C++ compilers and the error message is obscure etc.

The worst part is this drudge work is front loaded: before you start your app you have to pay these dues. Then once it is up and running you can experiment and you find a lot of progress being made.

This simple truism hurts newbies who don't see progress right away.

[iainctduncan]

This is a very insightful comment. I can attest this happens in other fields too, like music. If you compare yourself to how fast the unusual people progress, you'll be depressed. But in talking about this with some music profs who have taught thousands of people, they've said those people have their own challenges (ie. not able to function in society and thus hold down gigs), and very frequently slow learners get there too....but only if they give themselves permission to take the time.