Recognizing your motivation behind learning Rust is a crucial part of your learning strategy. It not only influences your approach to the course but also helps maintain your enthusiasm during challenging moments that you're likely to encounter.

Below are some common reasons for delving into Rust. As you go through them, think about the extent to which they're relevant to you.

Curiosity and Knowledge

If you've been hearing about Rust and are intrigued to know more, then you're driven by a thirst for knowledge. Perhaps you're unsure if it's right for you, but you want to know enough to make an informed choice. This curiosity is an excellent motivator and will open the door to an exciting journey into Rust.

To Get a Better Job

You've discovered Rust at an exciting time, just as it's entering mainstream. While Rust jobs are not easy to discover (yet), you'll be well-positioned when they become more common.

The Rust Philosophy

You're fascinated by the philosophy behind Rust – the quest for reliable, safe, and efficient software. If you've found yourself thinking, "Rust seems to be a real game-changer for the software industry", then you're likely to be motivated by the drive to be at the forefront of innovation.

Keeping Up with Industry Trends

Are you worried about missing out as Rust trends in the tech world? Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is a natural sentiment, especially when you've reached mid-career and are seeing some of your early skills become less relevant. If you're motivated to stay ahead of the curve and keep your skillset updated, Rust is indeed a great choice.

Professional Requirement

Maybe your company is considering Rust for future projects, and you're aiming to align your skills with the organizational objectives. This is a solid motivating factor, providing a clear pathway for your learning and a practical context to apply your new skills.

Uncertain? That's Okay!

Perhaps you're not quite sure why you're learning Rust. You're curious, but you don't have a precise goal yet. That's absolutely fine! It's alright to start exploring out of sheer curiosity or broad interest in coding. As you delve into Rust, you might find specific areas that excite you, shaping your learning goals along the way.

How to respond

If you're driven primarily by curiosity, then feel free to take your time to make your way through the material. There's no need to feel pressured by deadlines. It's important that you feel like you're learning.

If you want a Rust job, then also add time in your month for creating publicly-visible content. such as blog posts. Although you may feel like you don't have a big enough audience to justify the investment, you're not writing content for people to read today. You're writing content for future prospective employers who are going to evaluate your technical credentials.

If you're interested in Rust philosophy, then do invest time to read the essays and take the time to read some of the extension materials.

If you're doing this course for work, then I recommend focusing on the practical aspects of the course. Give yourself permission to skip many of the essays and extension topics. You should consider asking work whether there is a training budget available for paid resources, such books, courses and as 1:1 coaching.

If you're unsure about what's best about Rust, then I recommend becoming active in the community. As a course participant, you'll be able to access community forum once you're logged in.