Everyone who’s ever done something great has at least two things in common: they started, and they didn’t quit when things got hard. This goes for any kind of work, including programming. If you want to build something great, you will also need to do those things. This sounds simple, but it’s far from easy.

What keeps people from starting? There are many reasons, but the biggest are not having an idea, not having time, and not believing they can do it.

Attending RC gives you time: For the six or 12 weeks you’re in batch, your life is reoriented around your own programming and growth. Working at the edge of your abilities while immersed in a group of other curious people doing the same helps generate ideas (it’s more common for people to have too many ideas than too few) and helps you see that you can do more than you think you can.

Why do people give up? There are a million reasons; when you’re doing something hard, giving up is the default outcome. It is easier to return to your status quo than to keep working when the outcome is uncertain – to say you gave it a try, and leave it there. A more useful question is, why do people ever persist? Here, there are fewer answers.

You keep working hard on things when you care about them: When the work is work that you’ve chosen for yourself and is personally meaningful. When the product or project or idea you’re trying to realize is one you desperately want to exist. This is one of the reasons why everyone at RC chooses for themselves what they want to build and learn.

You persist through challenges when you have small wins and get positive feedback along the way. This is why RC encourages learning generously by giving presentations and half-baked demos, writing checkins, pair programming, and otherwise sharing your work with the rest of your batch.

So, if you want to build something great, you need to give yourself time to do it, surround yourself with the right people, and pick something you care about.

You need to start, and then not give up.

If you’re ready to build something great, consider applying to RC.