Learning to code as an accountant

I started using Python to write code about a year ago.

Don't get me wrong: if you give me a task and ask me to write code from scratch, I can't do it. But I can still get results by coming up with ideas and using AI to help write the code.

Some people say this approach is not "proper" or "real coding". But I think it's simply a difference in perspective.

Thi once told me a story that I feel is very true. It starts with a simple question: what do you actually want to do?

For example, if tomorrow I want to go to Scotland, today I'll think: OK, do I go by plane, by train or by hiring a car? No one thinks the other way around, like: tomorrow I want to drive a car, so today I must go to Scotland just to drive, right?

For me, code is just a tool to get where I want to go, like a car or a train.

I want boring accounting tasks to disappear. I want to focus on work that brings more value to clients. So I look for ways to make that happen, in a way that fits my situation and my goals.

Does that mean people who study coding for three or four years are pointless?

No. I've never thought that. I'm not deep in that field, but to me, they are like professional pilots, drivers or train operators. Their job is tied to the vehicle, so they need deep knowledge and proper training, and they must be able to handle different models of cars, trains or planes.

I'm different. I don't make a living by "driving". I only need to arrive at the right place.

With the rise of AI, learning becomes easier even for real developers. People can use code before they know how to write it, just like me.

When we were children, we could speak before we could write. We learned to communicate by listening, copying, making mistakes and being corrected. No one forces a child to learn grammar before they're allowed to speak. Writing comes later, once we understand what language is for.

Code is the same.

AI simply allows more people to "speak" to computers first. To understand logic first. To understand purpose first. Then later, if needed, they can go back and learn how to "write" properly.

For me, this isn't a shortcut. It's a more effective way to learn. And maybe, because of AI, future developers will be even better. They won't be stuck typing every line of code, but will spend more time thinking, designing and solving harder problems.