Today is exaclty one year after I started solving LeetCode problems.

Probably not like many of you, who graduated or are still in the college, or even those who learn to code becouse they heard about Facegoopplefix pay checks, my background is different. Half a year before I started doing LeetCode, I started to learn how to write scripts, becouse I tought it would be beneficial for my current job: since I'v reached level that require problemsolving on the level only custom made scripts could suffice, I started to learn Python. I heard its quite easy to learn, and many of programs I use support it. I started to play with code and I immediatly fall in love with it.

Since I ddin't had any prior experience with coding, but I always had some kind of math / scientific approach to all I did, I really liked that 0-1, no-time-for-bs code is all about. I started to learn from courses while trying to write some basic scripts. As always solutions were never 100% good, and to be honest they were more like 10% good if any, but I knew there is always way to make your code faster, shorter or cleaner. Seeing that I'm recently into coding and problem solving, my friend introduced me to LeetCode, he tought maybe I would like this site as well. Well, he wasn't wrong.

I was always quite consistent with my goals, but it wasnt becouse I have some superhuman will power. Years earlier I learned that If you want to get somewhere, there is no point focusing on the target: if its worth going to, it's always too far. But since all paths can be divided into smaller paths or even steps, focusing on them is managable. I didnt started by going "full blast Google Kikstart, WhY-sO-fEw-HaRdS??' I started by finding easiest possible questions and building from there. I found zerotrac github repo with leetcode problems ranked from easiest to hardest, and obviously I started from the very bottom.

I must admit, even for me, after few months of learning, many of these problems were to easy. But as you all know, problems and test cases are only half of LeetCode awsomenes - the other half, are solutions in comment sections writen by some savants from outerspace. Some anwsers to even simplest questions are written so cleverly and so well, that fully understanding one of this solutions could give you half of a IQ point. Thats the other reason, why its not a waste of time to 'take it Easy'.

The other thing that is really helpfull in keeping consistency is doing at least bare minimum each day. Daily challanges are so great for it. Obviously, sometimes LeetCode will punish you with Hard that is to hard to even know what they are asking you, but trying to at least understand what its all about from mentioned Rainmans in comment section, is really helpfull to familiriaze yourself with harder concepts like Djikstra, DP, Spanning Tree etc. So I'm not ashamed, of copying them from time to time - but obviously, not without reading explanation first, and at least googling those funky names. The other best thing is actually trying yourself in semi-real-world scenario - contests. You have no idea what they will ask you, you have limited time, but you have to at least try.

At the begining, before Leetcode, I wasnt giving to much tought about changing job or anything like it. But since LeetCode, besides beeing really fun for me to solve, is probably synonymuous with interview questions for tech job, I tought why not give it a try someday. One of my collegues sugested, if I would ever like to change job, there is good combination of Python and SQL, since both are crucial if you would like to work with data. So I also started to learn SQL, and what would you know - I liked it as well. Of course - you will be really foolish to think Python and SQL are enough. As a good advice I was also told, you simply have to know how to use Git, what API or TCP/IP is. Quite boring but nescessary.

But guess what? After year of grind, 1200+ problems solved and almost perfectly green timebar ( BUT also familiarizing myself with boring stuff), in the meantime, I got tech job. I'm only starting but at least I feel confident enough, that my Python and SQL skills are enough for first time junior.

So, beside obvious brag, I really want to thank you all, you are creating great community. Finally, conistency is the key, so see you tommorow!