How exactly would programming for themselves in a vacuum build any sort of positive confidence? Because there's no one to criticize you, and figuring something

How exactly would programming for themselves in a vacuum build any sort of positive confidence? Because there's no one to criticize you, and figuring something out on your own is a rewarding experience which gives you confidence. Open source builds up that portfolio everyone wants to see If you're into programming for the reason of "building a portfolio", then you're not into programming. You're into making money.