There are abundant technical helps and sources out there; community-driven Q&A site (eg. StackOverflow, SQLServerCentral, Microsoft .NET forum, MSDN forum), user groups (PASS, .NET), blogs dedicated of helping others to solve problems and give constructive suggestion. I am a database administrator and software developer, and I wish I found out about this sooner. I used to go to book store to read about technical books or download online books to learn new technology. They are very useful in explaining the concepts and methods, but most of the time it does not address some real life situations in a practical way.
Even since I found out about these other sources online, I become an avid reader of blogs from people like Brent Ozar, Kendra Little, Jeremiah Peschka, Paul Randal, Kimberly Tripp, Gail Shaw and many more. These amazing people provide free guidance and tutorial for their audience. Often, I find their suggestion and solutions tends to be more inclusive, practical and comprehensive. For example, they mentioned about particular methods / technologies that are widely implemented in the industry based on their experience. You don't usually get that from a book.
I was reading a blog the other day and it truly opened my mind with a new perspective about blogging. Blogging is for everyone, not only the expert. I found myself suffer from hero worship and personal inadequacy. I feel that I have to learn and know everything of these people I admire, then probably I am qualified to start blogging. But it does not have to be that way (I agree with Brent Ozar in his blog post). Also, aside from the community contribution, if you wonder how blogging can help yourself? I have an example. Just the other day, I tried to describe some technical solutions pertaining to SQL server and I feel that I didn't do a good job in my explanations. Instead of feeling frustrated, I realize probably I could do better next time if I start blogging about the technology and skills I know so that I can get myself familiar with the details as well as some of the terminology. When someone blogs, it is like he/she is trying to teach other people about what they know. And for me, it is so true about 'learning by teaching'. I get to know the material in details and along the way, I learn something new.
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