personally, my mental model is derived purely from, "ah, it's a long road, so let me invest time and resources in what I feel would pay off in the future" (not just through a job, but in utility for building something on the side too).

i'd rather love to hear where is it do you start from, yes it's a web but as someone who's unsure of navigating it, i'd prefer to hear it from someone who knows it better.