Stop the Tutorial Loop: How to Build Real-World Projects | Ankush Dharkar | #TGV638

Are you stuck in "Tutorial Hell," watching endless videos but never building anything real? In this episode of The Guiding Voice, we sit down with Ankush Dharkar, the founder of Real Dev Squad, to bridge the gap between learning to code and becoming a professional software engineer.With over a decade of experience at companies like Amazon, Hotstar, and Bloomberg, Ankush reveals the "number one mistake" new programmers make, the difference between a "developer" and an "engineer," and how self-taught developers can stand out in a hyper-competitive market.In this episode, you’ll discover: ✅ How to escape the tutorial trap and start building real products. ✅ The "High Ownership" mindset that leads to rapid career growth. ✅ Underrated tools and practices every dev should master early (Git, Deployments, and more). ✅ Success Mantras: Why discipline beats motivation every time.Whether you're an aspiring developer, a self-taught coder, or a senior engineer looking to mentor others, this conversation is packed with actionable career advice.🚀 Subscribe to The Guiding Voice for more transformative conversations! 👇 Comment below: What is the biggest challenge in your coding journey?Chapters:00:00 Introduction & Developer vs. Engineer00:54 The #1 Mistake New Programmers Make01:28 What is Real Dev Squad?02:55 Meet Ankush Dharkar: From Amazon to Mentoring04:47 Rapid Fire Round 1: Curiosity & Code07:42 Who is Ankush's Guiding Voice?08:41 Success Mantra: Parents, Values & Problem Solving10:15 How to Define Success in the Tech World12:00 The Origin Story of Real Dev Squad (RDS)15:11 Why You Must Stop Watching and Start Writing Code16:30 Simulating a Real-World Corporate Environment18:22 How Self-Taught Devs Can Stand Out21:05 Key Behaviors: What Makes a Great Engineer?22:54 Underrated Tools: Mastering Git & Deployments25:17 Mindset Shift: Taking Risks & High Ownership27:06 Rapid Fire Round 2: Motivation is Temporary, Discipline is Forever31:20 Message to Every Struggling Developer: You Are Not Alone33:00 Final Advice: Don't Stay in a Box35:16 Trivia Segment: Rubber Duck Debugging & Code Reading FactsGuest LI profile link:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankushdharkar/CONNECT WITH THE HOST ON LINKEDIN:Naveen Samala: http://surl.li/tmksmIf you'd like to contribute to our mission, please donate through PayPalhttps://paypal.me/NaveenSamlaIf you wish to become a productivity monk, enroll in this course: http://surl.li/tmksiTGV Inspiring Lives Volume 1 & 2 are on Amazon:Vol 2: Notion Press: http://surl.li/tmkryAmazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CQ2J7BM8Vol 1: Kindle:https://amzn.eu/d/cKTKtyCPaperback:https://amzn.eu/d/4Y1HAXj#TGV is available in Hindi & Telugu:https://youtube.com/@tgvhindihttps://youtube.com/@tgvteluguAudio:http://surl.li/tmksp(#tgvhindi)http://surl.li/tmksx (#tgvtelugu)FOLLOW ON X:@guidingvoice@naveensamalaExplore more at: https://www.theguidingvoice.net Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.