While on a security discord group I found advice that has shifted my perspective and I want to share it with anyone who is just starting out, feeling stuck, or both.

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"How do I start hacking?"

It is a common question that doesn't necessarily have a very straightforward answer.

The fact is that the answer could be different for everyone based on your already existing level of knowledge. It doesn't help that "hacking" is a very broad subject. For the sake of this thread, we'll go with a middle of the road definition of: "understanding information systems at a fundamental level to enable unintended usage of those systems"

If I could give one piece of advice that helped me the most it would be this:

"Worry less about what to learn, and just start learning."

I'll start posting links to some beginner resources, feel free to jump in and post others that helped you. However, those resources won't help you if you don't have the right mindset. Decision paralysis is real. It's much better to try to dive into a subject and realise you're missing some fundamental knowledge, than to waste time looking for something that would be perfectly matched to your knowledge.

If you're still worried about what to learn, this is me telling you to take a leap of faith, and just go with what looks interesting. You'll be more motivated to learn something that looks cool to you, rather than something that some guy told you to start with.

Don't be afraid of feeling stupid. Google is your friend. Expect to have to look up terms, guides, and go on multiple side tangents as you're going through these resources. Better you get sidetracked reading about something you didn't know before, than to not read at all.

Resources may be videos, articles, or even interactive wargames. While reading and watching is all well and good, getting practical, hands-on experience with these topics is a great way to ensure the info sticks in your brain. If you're watching a video about reverse engineering, for example, follow along. Download the resources in the video and debug along with the presenter. You'll probably have to pause and rewind a few times, but it's worth it. Don't succumb to the temptation of just finishing videos and articles for the sake of finishing them. Do the work, that way you actually learn.