If you always chase a roadmap then you are just continuing the behavior of sticking to a pre-defined syllabus from your school days, where it was discouraged to go beyond.

I understand that roadmaps provide a sense of comfort and a structured and clear way to achieve something, but, if you are focused on doing the bare minimum, then you

1. miss the opportunity to stumble upon something amazing
2. are at risk of developing a shallow understanding

More importantly, you are robbed of experiencing the joy of learning something super interesting. Some of the most interesting and helpful things I know happened because I went out of the way and spent days understanding the nuances.

To be honest, going out of the syllabus forced me to dig deeper because I started exploring it out of curiosity and genuine interest and not because of some peer pressure. I was driven by intrinsic motivation rather than an external impulse.

I personally believe that deeper understanding is what separates good engineers from the better. By not sticking to some predefined roadmap, you

1. become adaptable and comfortable with uncertainty and change
2. learn how to navigate through errors quickly
3. build an ability to learn any and every concept
4. become great at connecting the dots
5. and most importantly, you learn how to learn.

Again, I am not telling you to abandon roadmaps entirely. They are useful guides, especially when you’re starting out. The key is to use them as a starting point, not an endpoint. Let it not limit your learning and curiosity.

You excel when you dare to differ.