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
- miss the opportunity to stumble upon something amazing
- 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
- become adaptable and comfortable with uncertainty and change
- learn how to navigate through errors quickly
- build an ability to learn any and every concept
- become great at connecting the dots
- 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.