Fear can be normal. Assuming you already know how to break a problem down into its smallest/most manageable steps (trying things like working backward from the

Fear can be normal. Assuming you already know how to break a problem down into its smallest/most manageable steps (trying things like working backward from the end goal, using what you already know/learned previously, etc.), if the fear is overwhelming and getting in the way of getting started, then dealing with the fear might be a first step. Write them out. What are you afraid of? "I can't learn this." "This time I will be proven to be an impostor", "Everyone will think I'm stupid". "I'll be ridiculed." Sometimes just doing that helps. There's a lot of critical thinking that fears don't hold up to. "Have I learned anything hard or new before?" "Was I ever ridiculed for being a novice at something?" "Will _everyone_ really think I'm stupid?" etc. Sometimes just analyzing the things your fear-based reactions are telling you is enough to dispel them, or at least make them less paralyzing. Ask yourself "what if I knew everything would turn out fine here, and that I'll be a success. How would I act in that case?" Stuff like that. Sometimes the technical problems are easier than the psychological ones.