I half-jokingly refer to myself as a recovering math-phobic. What did wonders for my relationship with the subject was to have an actual, concrete problem I wan

I half-jokingly refer to myself as a recovering math-phobic. What did wonders for my relationship with the subject was to have an actual, concrete problem I wanted to solve, and to experience first hand the joy of understanding its mathematical solution for the first time. It’s the same joy I experienced as a young programmer: the thrill of success, mixed with wonderment at how something could be so simple and yet so magical. I am convinced that accomplishment breeds passion, and that the way to get over a fear of math is the same as any other phobia; confront it in small increments until you’re able to get a few “wins”.