Learning to code is an individual journey filled with highs and lows, but for some, the lows seem far more abundant. For some learning to code, and even for some professionals, it feels like we're struggling to tread water while our peers swim laps around us. Some developers take more time to build their technical skills, and that’s ok, as being a great developer is about far more than writing code. This talk looks at realistic strategies for people who feel like they are average-or-below coding skill level, to keep their head above water while still excelling in their career as a developer.